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Lesson
In fragile states such as Tuvalu, all phases of the project cycle are likely to require technical assistance (TA) support. The TA was a key support during both the formulation and implementation of the Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure Management Program. Tuvalu faces difficulties due to its size, its fragility, and its vulnerability to climate change and other natural disasters. The country will continue to require consistent TA support to overcome its capacity constraints if it is to achieveits vision for a more resilient economy.

Project Number: 50377-001
Project Name: Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure
Management Program
Report Date:
Lesson
An uncomplicated program design is a key factor in achieving reform in fragile states. In countries with low public sector capacity, a single-tranche policy-based program, with all policy actions achieved prior to an ADB Board presentation, is an effective means of achieving step-by-step reforms. In the Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure Management Program, the simplicity of design was a feature of the individual policy actions, which were generally self contained and within the capability of the government to implement.

Project Number: 50377-001
Project Name: Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure
Management Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Actions that demonstrate the achievement of program policy matrix milestones should indicate what were achieved, rather than the process of how these were accomplished. For example, an endorsement or approval of a framework, manual, procedure, and others is not an adequate indicator to demonstrate that a policy reform was successfully accomplished, particularly in fragile and small island developing states.

Project Number: 50377-001
Project Name: Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure
Management Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The development partners coordination mechanism and the rolling policy reform matrix provided the government and its development partners a framework to formulate a reform agenda, and design and implement a series of policy actions. It can be expected that this framework will continue to be valuable in supporting the government’s efforts to improve economic management.

Project Number: 50377-001
Project Name: Improved Fiscal and Infrastructure
Management Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The TA design and monitoring framework was well devised with sufficient flexibility to respond to the countries’ demands and to the PRIF partners’ demands as the TA progressed—a key feature of the PRIF’s coordination arrangements.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
Fluctuations in committed and in effective financial contributions from the PRIF partners led to some uncertainties in allocating resources and in budgeting assistance programs. It was not possible to process the European Investment Bank planned cofinancing commitment of $1.1 million equivalent due to legal issues preventing the ability to conclude a cofinancing mechanism and agreement with ADB. During the TA period, ADB built on the constructive working relationship with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
PRIF partner and stakeholder involvement and participation in PRIF activities, including attendance at SWG coordination meetings or support to the 51 subprojects’ implementation committees. Among the key challenges met was the wide range of assistance expectations from the PRIF partners and the stakeholders and the reconciliation of those expectations with the available PRIF CO resources. This was achieved through the dynamic “management committee/SWG” driven work prioritization mechanism.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
A total of 24 knowledge products were developed during this TA. Examples of successful and effective hand-over projects include the Pacific utilities benchmarking performance work of PRIF to the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) and to the Pacific Power Association (PPA). The 2016 PWWA benchmarking report was released during the Pacific Water conference and Expo in Tonga, August 2016. The report was based on the indicators developed during 2013 PWWA benchmarking exercise supported by PRIF.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
Significant changes to the PRIF CO staff (3 to 6 full time staff with 14 different consultants hired under 21 individual contracts) led to challenges in the delivery of services. An operational review conducted in 2018 proposed new operational structures to address “the need for longer-term funding certainty and broader funding base” and “the desire to provide greater stability in PRIF CO management and PRIF CO core team.” Majority of the individual consultants engaged for the TA performed satisfactorily.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
The implementation of PMC-approved activities led to the production of 78 technical reports and publications. This was executed through the recruitment of 146 consultant contracts including 6 consulting firms, 132 individual consultants and 8 resource persons.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
A subsequent phase with an approved budget of $9.09 million was approved on 3 October 2019. An increase in TA amount and minor change in scope memo is being processed by the user unit to include a $2 million contribution from the United States. This will be the first contribution from the United States.

Project Number: 46500-001
Project Name: Establishment of the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office
Report Date:
Lesson
Partnership with institutions, like the International Monetary Fund and those from developed counterparts like the Bank of Italy, has enabled us to work together and tap relevant expertise.

Project Number: 47146-001
Project Name: Macroeconomic Modelling for Improved Economic Assessment
Report Date:
Lesson
Working closely with government ministries can help tailor the capacity building workshops to the learning needs of the participants, as there appears to be a strong interest in acquiring enhanced monitoring techniques.

Project Number: 47146-001
Project Name: Macroeconomic Modelling for Improved Economic Assessment
Report Date:
Lesson
Collaborations with DMCs’ officials through two technical workshops on monitoring short-term economic growth provided forums for knowledge sharing among DMCs and with ADB on how the monitoring is conducted in different places. These activities have proven to be valuable avenues for knowledge_x005F_x0002_building activity that strengthened the capacity of ADB and DMCs to conduct macroeconomic assessment and reinforced the importance of keeping the tool kit up to date to ensure ADB’s relevance and value addition in policy dialogues.

Project Number: 47146-001
Project Name: Macroeconomic Modelling for Improved Economic Assessment
Report Date:
Lesson
Conducting an exploratory TA like this one results in evolvement of the nature of work that requires continuous extension to the ongoing work. The cost savings from hiring the international consultants have allowed the TA to expand the work without having to request for an additional funding. In addition, engaging ADB staff directly in working on the research topics was a critical element to ensure that the knowledge and capacity grows within ADB as a knowledge bank.

Project Number: 47146-001
Project Name: Macroeconomic Modelling for Improved Economic Assessment
Report Date: