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Lesson
The growing evidence that community-driven development approaches deliver investments that greatly impact beneficiaries in a cost-effective manner is presumably applicable to situations where it is feasible and economical for beneficiaries to observe project activities.

Project Number: 40247-013
Project Name: Rural Infrastructure Support to the PNPM Mandiri Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Baseline data are important. During conflicts, data change: infrastructure is destroyed and people are displaced. Monitoring surveys are difficult to conduct because of restricted access. The project management unit failed to expand the management information system to assess subproject impacts, the absence of which made postproject evaluation difficult.

Project Number: 36601-013, 36601-023, 38111-013
Project Name: North East Community Restoration and Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Most contracts were relatively small and within the competence levels of local contractors, especially relevant in the difficult conditions for access and supply that applied during and after the conflicts. Use of local contractors, instead of outside companies, strengthened local ownership and avoided aggravating community and ethnic tensions.

Project Number: 36601-013, 36601-023, 38111-013
Project Name: North East Community Restoration and Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Implementation is difficult in the fluid security conditions of conflicts and their aftermath. However, staff members were motivated by the evident need for their services, as well as by pressure from both sides in the conflict to address basic infrastructure in all areas.

Project Number: 36601-013, 36601-023, 38111-013
Project Name: North East Community Restoration and Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
The North East Community Restoration and Development implementation structure, including the delegation of responsibility to a provincial project management unit and the inclusion of all stakeholders in the provincial project coordination committee subproject selection process, was effective in implementing restoration activities. It provided a model for coordination between central, provincial, district, divisional, and local government, and encouraged cooperation with other agencies and minimized duplication of agencies' work.

Project Number: 36601-013, 36601-023, 38111-013
Project Name: North East Community Restoration and Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Scrutiny of contractors and consultants before their selection is critical to the success of any project. In particular, in projects like this, which draw minimum interest because of security hazards, lack of oversight may jeopardize project implementation. Therefore, in Afghanistan, specifically in projects like this, such risks may be averted by giving more emphasis to quality and the performance record of both the consultants and the contractors, and not just the lowest price.

Project Number: 39467-013
Project Name: North-South Corridor Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Adverse security issues and project start-up delays are two main factors that have adversely affected and delayed almost all previous projects in Afghanistan, except those where these issues were carefully handled in advance. Furthermore, insufficient surveys during project processing, and major changes in the technical design parameters during project implementation, can also cause serious implementation delays and significant cost overrun. The project suffered security issues until the situation was fixed with the help of additional security arrangements.

Project Number: 39467-013
Project Name: North-South Corridor Project
Report Date:
Lesson
In a project of this nature, where there are serious security risks, and a potential for contractors' or consultants' suspension of works, or expected contract variations due to type of terrain, prompt decision making becomes critically important. This can be achieved through exceptional involvement of donors. ADB provided enhanced supervision both from headquarters and Afghanistan Resident Mission (AFRM). Staff were closely involved in identifying and promptly resolving issues.

Project Number: 39467-013
Project Name: North-South Corridor Project
Report Date:
Lesson
In future projects, both the government and donors should prepare realistic project schedules by carefully taking into account (a) the security situation and the time and resources required to carry out remedial actions for the safety of project teams throughout the projects; (b) actual construction period available in a year considering the altitude of the project areas and inclement weather conditions; (c) probability of rebidding due to lack of interest, competition, or exorbitant costs (beyond acceptable limits) offered by some interested bidders; (d) delays in contractor mobilization;

Project Number: 39467-013
Project Name: North-South Corridor Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Assessment of community attitudes to infrastructure, such as WWTP, should be better assessed at appraisal. For example, a participatory process to identify a feasible WWTP site would have prevented significant delays in the finalization of design and construction.

Project Number: 32239-013
Project Name: Urban and Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Articulate policies, strategy, and standards early. The local populations and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) started reconstruction work well before provincial and federal governments started articulating their responses. Expectations rose, and some facilities, especially in health, were built by bilateral donors to standards that were much higher than the capacity of the line agencies to maintain them. This resulted in inconsistencies, violations of policies and standards developed for reconstruction work, and unsustainable operation of completed facilities.

Project Number: 39631-013
Project Name: Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Entities intended to manage operation and maintenance (O&M) for infrastructure should be established early in the project cycle, and staff trained throughout the implementation period, rather than at the very end. For operational sustainability, a long-term O&M contract could be incorporated into the construction contract for institutions having weak capacity and staff strength.

Project Number: 32239-013
Project Name: Urban and Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Clarify roles and respect existing mandates. Initial delays in implementation of the project were caused by confusion about the roles of new and existing institutions. Any large- scale reconstruction operation requires clear delineation of the mandates of levels of government, to provide the structure and clarity required for all stakeholders to work with maximum efficiency. To the extent possible, the provincial and regional governments and federal agencies should be provided with capacity to perform their mandated roles.

Project Number: 39631-013
Project Name: Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project
Report Date:
Lesson
The project could support the institutional reforms efficiently if there is a clear political will and stable government.

Project Number: 32239-013
Project Name: Urban and Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Have a dedicated lead institution. The dedicated federal (Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority or ERRA) and provincial reconstruction authorities led the overall coordination and monitoring, and facilitated procedures, policies, and strategies for reconstruction. This arrangement allowed efficient and transparent reconstruction, and established the government's commitment to and credibility in mobilizing resources.

Project Number: 39631-013
Project Name: Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project
Report Date: