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Lesson
Aligning TA deliverables to the knowledge needs articulated and defined by governments enhances the value proposition and value addition of ADB technical assistance to developing member countries. In this case, the significant knowledge delivered by the TA on the impact of COVID-19 on the labor market and foresights into the emerging skills and professions in the post-pandemic environment provided critical inputs to the development of the Solidarity Fund for Kazakhstan (AFK) and related policies.

Project Number: 54265-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Solidarity Fund for Kazakhstan
Report Date:
Lesson
TA implementation could be more challenging due to the involvement of different stakeholders. For future similar TA projects, it is recommended that ADB consider direct financing and independent administration. This will put implementation and consultants’ recruitment under project team control.

Project Number: 54265-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Solidarity Fund for Kazakhstan
Report Date:
Lesson
It is important to build awareness on the SFK in the rural areas to increase their uptake and benefits from the initiative.

Project Number: 54265-001
Project Name: COVID-19 Solidarity Fund for Kazakhstan
Report Date:
Lesson
Despite odds, it is not impossible for TA projects to collect the necessary information to prepare ensuing projects. The TA scope and implementation arrangements had been changed to adapt to the changing context arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, it was able to gather all the requisite information to prepare the ensuing project.

Project Number: 52013-001
Project Name: Research University Sector Development Program
Report Date:
Lesson
An exogenous shock such as the COVID-19 pandemic can significantly affect TA execution and associated plans and government priorities. When that happens, it will be useful to pause TA implementation, revisit the processing timeline, take sufficient time to observe and discuss with the executing agency, and make adjustment where possible. The TA was well aligned with strategy documents at national and ADB level.

Project Number: 52013-001
Project Name: Research University Sector Development Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Hybrid training activities, particularly in the People's Republic of China, can have a multiplier effect by helping reach many more participants than traditional ones due to large numbers involved.

Project Number: 55035-001
Project Name: Research for Demonstration of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Technologies in Industrial Sectors of Yunnan Province
Report Date:
Lesson
Similar pre-feasibility studies and policy analysis can be replicated across the country and with other developing member countries by building on Yunnan’s experience.

Project Number: 55035-001
Project Name: Research for Demonstration of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Technologies in Industrial Sectors of Yunnan Province
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
To avoid and minimize adverse project impact, engineering and social safeguard teams need to work closely to ensure land acquisition and compensation are in line with the approved detailed engineering designs.

Project Number: 46293-003
Project Name: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Tax exemption as a form of government project contributiont and allocation of adequate budget for operation and maintenance (O&M) could prove challenging because of fiscal constraints. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the availability of O&M resources in option analyses for infrastructure subprojects during project preparation and detailed design, with preference given to less maintenance-intensive options.

Project Number: 46293-003
Project Name: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Revenues to finance O&M may take time to reach sustainable levels, and this should beconsidered in project design to aviod potential budgetshortfalls during initial project operations.

Project Number: 46293-003
Project Name: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project
Report Date:
Lesson
It is critical that the risk assessment and management plan of the project preparatory technical assistance in the tourism sector incorporate measures to be taken in case of future pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic led to delays in realizing project tourism benefits. Nevertheless, the ensuing pent-up demand from domestic and foreign tourists seems likely to lead to increases in future incremental visitor numbers, visitor days, and visitor expenditure from each of the subprojects. These increases could contribute to the financial sustainability of the subprojects.

Project Number: 46293-005
Project Name: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Political support, and ultimately political accountability, is an essential component of institutional reform. An early back-to-office report (September 2014) stated that the government appreciated the importance of promoting a better business environment in the context of the private sector’s contribution to growth in gross domestic product. The government set up a Consultative Council on Reduction of Business Inspecting Agencies, chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister to monitor implementation progress. All policy actions were completed.

Project Number: 47099-002, 47099-004
Project Name: Investment Climate Reforms Program - Subprograms 1 and 2)
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Lesson
It is important to properly phase implementation schedules to allow for deeper analysis of output and outcome progress and rectify indicators. All four outcome indicators were not achieved but progress was recorded against outcome indicators related to increases in private investment, internationally certified Tajik firms, and regulatory quality; and in the case of women entrepreneurs was particularly good if measured by electronic tax declarations. This suggests that targets were initially overambitious and/or that outcome indicators should be considered over a longer period.

Project Number: 47099-002, 47099-004
Project Name: Investment Climate Reforms Program - Subprograms 1 and 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
In implementing the PPPs and in establishing the PPP unit, specific actions could have been better emphasized to ensure that such projects are affordable to the poor and that these are gender and socially conscious. Providing varied financing mechanisms for different forms of PPPs—such as viability gap funding, availability-based, and Islamic bond financing—were innovations that could be repeated in future projects.

Project Number: 48134-001, 48134-006, 48134-007
Project Name: Stepping Up Investments for Growth Acceleration Program (Subprograms 1, 2, and 3)
Report Date: