Sustainable Urban Transport Investment Program (Tranche 2)

Adequate due diligence and consultation with government agencies and related stakeholders throughout the project cycle will help ensure appropriate project planning, preparation, design, and implementation and avoid unnecessary scope changes that reduce the overall process efficiency. During the interdepartmental circulation of this report, the Georgia Resident Mission commented that the political changes that occurred after the elections in 2012 led to turnover in major government decision-making positions and changes in investment priorities, which were neither predictable nor within ADB’s control. It also informed that ADB needs to have practical discussions about changing client priorities during implementation, and responding to these where practical is integral to ADB’s client orientation. On the other hand, the validation team notes that the risks and mitigating measures of the report and recommendation of the President did not include or identify any risks on decision making of the government, while these potential risks could be foreseeable or had to be addressed. It is still a challenge to ensure an appropriate balance of a solid development plan and ADB’s responsiveness, and justify any major changes in ADB support.