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Lesson
It will be essential to find a balance in future TA projects between continuing support for the whole region and having activities and outputs focus on a subset of countries to allow for more granularity in analyses and deeper engagements. This was the first TA for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) in the field of disaster risk financing (DRF), and as such, was designed to cover all 11 CAREC countries.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
Joint activities with development partners (DPs), such as collaboration in knowledge products and joint conduct of capacity-building activities, could maximize synergies and resources further. These could build on close coordination and relationships developed by this project among CAREC countries, as well with DPs which the project team strengthened through regular communication and information exchange, and by inviting the DPs to TA workshops and consultation meetings.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
Cofinancing expands possible project activities and outputs. Cofinancing from the Financial Sector Development Partnership Special Fund (FSDPSF) for this project allowed a more comprehensive set of deliverables and activities under outputs 1, 3, and 4. It provided flexibility in the use of resources, as FSDPSF beneficiaries are not differentiated according to country categories.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
The appointment of TA country focals is critical for sustained coordination and to ensure that TA activities remain relevant and responsive to each of the countries' priorities and needs. But in this case, the nature of TA activities required the involvement of other government agencies in each country, such as the ministries of emergency situations, and in particular, the ministries of finance and the ministries of health. Increased engagement with RMs and national experts will be useful to ensure intersectoral coordination in subsequent TAs in this field.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
English and Russian language TA publications increased the visibility of project activities and this may be replicated in future similar projects. Video tutorials on a CAREC Disaster Risk Modelling Interface (DRMI), an interactive online platform, was particularly helpful in allowing country stakeholders to visualize their risk profiles, perform high-level cost-benefit analyses of implementing disaster risk reduction measures, and quantify risk transfer costs for earthquake and flood parametric insurance structures.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
Greater invovement from resident missions (RMs), e.g., by designating RM staff to regional TA teams, is important to ensure that potential solutions identified through analytical work are translated into tangible projects. Conversely, team members of regional TAs may also be involved in country programming.

Project Number: 53198-001
Project Name: Developing a Disaster Risk Transfer Facility in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Region
Report Date:
Lesson
A separate budget for a fund-raising roadshow is essential to ensure the successful establishment of a funding facility. This should not have been neglected in the establishment of the CAREC Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund aimed for under this TA. Engaging with potential donors is a critical step in securing the necessary funding for the fund's operation.

Project Number: 54344-001
Project Name: Supporting the Establishment of a CAREC Regional Infrastructure Projects Enabling Facility
Report Date:
Lesson
A knowledge-sharing workshop in targeted beneficiary countries of a regional TA project could help strengthen the concept development of future such TA. This interactive approach offers several advantages, including: (i) Enhanced stakeholder engagement. A workshop focusing on the initial research findings would allow representatives from benefiting countries to participate actively from the outset. This would foster a sense of ownership and enhance buy-in for the initiative by ensuring stakeholders feel invested in its success. (ii) Improved needs identification.

Project Number: 54344-001
Project Name: Supporting the Establishment of a CAREC Regional Infrastructure Projects Enabling Facility
Report Date:
Lesson
The plan to establish an enabling facility for regional infrastructure projects will benefit from an assessment of existing trust funds within ADB that support project preparation funding, such as the Project Preparation and Implementation Support Trust Fund. Analyzing the processes of their establishment and the challenges faced would have helped.

Project Number: 54344-001
Project Name: Supporting the Establishment of a CAREC Regional Infrastructure Projects Enabling Facility
Report Date:
Lesson
A longer implementation is required for complex TA projects. The TA was designed to support the development of a new economic corridor development (ECD) framework and operational guidelines that apply to the Central and West Asian countries and beyond. Taking lessons from other long-term ECD-related TAs, the TA could have been designed for a longer time frame from the start, with a more realistic timeline for completion, given the complexity of the ECD and the COVID-19- related constraints. A regular TA, instead of a small-scale TA, could have been a better option.

Project Number: 54423-001
Project Name: A New Operational Economic Corridor Development Framework for Central Asia and Beyond
Report Date:
Lesson
The One ADB approach to project implementation is an exemplary cooperation modality in ADB. The Central and West Asia Department initiated the TA activities covering all ADB DMCs in the subregion and were strongly supported by the Regional Cooperation and Integration and Trade Division of then Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department and the regional cooperation and integration units of South Asia and Southeast Asia departments in providing inputs, mobilizing DMC participants, and generating financial support.

Project Number: 54423-001
Project Name: A New Operational Economic Corridor Development Framework for Central Asia and Beyond
Report Date:
Lesson
Strong government commitment and ownership are crucial to the quality of project preparation and sustainability. Specifically, establishing a clear institutional arrangement (such as, which agency performs the routine and periodic maintenance, among other things) and sound operation and maintenance strengthens the funding mechanisms of the project after completion. In this project, the government showed a high degree of ownership in ensuring that adequate budgetary sources are in place to ensure the financing of routine road maintenance.

Project Number: 45389-001, 45389-002, 45389-004
Project Name: Second Road Network Development Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranches 1 and 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
A rational tariff policy is essential for improving the financial viability of a distribution utility. Two tariff revisions (in 2016 and 2021) helped improve the financial viability of Azerishiq's distribution-strengthening projects. Although the upgrade of distribution systems is still not fully financially viable, an improving financial internal rate of return (into positive territory) illustrates the benefits of lifting tariffs toward full cost recovery.

Project Number: 42401-014
Project Name: Power Distribution Enhancement Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility)
Report Date:
Lesson
Insufficient up-to-date macroeconomic data on government websites, which could hinder timely and effective planning especially during crisis periods, needs to be rectified. The State Statistical Committee (SSC) has numerous macroeconomic indicators on its website. However, in most cases, very recent data are missing. International organizations such as ADB, the IMF and the World Bank release forecasts of macroeconomic indicators for upcoming years, and SSC should consider following the same approach.

Project Number: 55073-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Accessibility of healthcare data in Azerbaijan needs to be improved. Reports from the Ministry of Health Care are not publicly available on its website. In addition, the State Agency for Mandatory Health Insurance considers healthcare information to be highly sensitive. Accordingly, this information is not contained on its website. Information related to daily coronavirus infections and vaccinations was released publicly. It would be useful for the agency to disseminate gender, age, and region-disaggregated information to the public.

Project Number: 55073-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program
Report Date: