More feedback—provided by the EAER beyond the information provided in the TCR—stated that from central to local provinces, the GEP was widely adopted through either domestic finance or other development partners’ support.
ADB financed at least two TA projects that are aligned with this TA, potentially indicating a form of follow-on financing. One lesson here could be that ADB broadly believed in the validity of the approach and was aiming to sustain and strengthen it through additional TAs. This, however, requires further information to confirm it.
Strategies and plans supported by the TA project should include an assessment of the financial and resource implications of proposed reforms and or new institutional changes, and recommendations on strategies for financing the proposals. These plans, policies and/or strategies should include mechanisms for ongoing M&E of financing during implementation of any institutional changes proposed under the TA project.
While this is interesting information, this lesson learned does not provide a learning opportunity for future TAs. The TCR self-assessment needs to tie the information provided here more closely to the impact or relationship it has to the TA being evaluated.
ADB approved a regional transaction technical assistance facility (F-TRTA) in December 2019 to support the project preparation of proposed transport projects in Southeast Asia. An allocation of $1.14 million will prepare the ensuing project indicatively programmed for 2021. Another TA can support project component relating to regional, cross-border tourism.
It is important that, for country-specific TAs, there be a provision for any follow-up work by ADB country offices, particularly where these TAs are linked to country operation business plans or may be relevant to future investments to support local government for poverty reduction and livelihood improvement. As part of the TA sustainability planning, it would be useful if ADB could also discuss future plans with the executing agency.
The key findings from the relevant studies completed under this TA, including the value chain analysis of tourism and local products in the seven poor counties in the Liupanshan area, provide an opportunity for further investments by relevant governments and development partners, which could provide benefits for local communities.
ADB officers responsible for TA activities should actively discuss possibilities for future investment opportunities with divisional management.
The TA studies will lead to a loan project proposal from Gansu to the PRC central government and ADB. It is recommended that for other TA projects, the ADB team also explore such opportunities at a later stage of implementation to help synergize the loan and TA programs.
Domestic Resource Mobilization Trust Fund (DRMTF) and the TA project Enhancing Tax Transparency of ADB Developing Member Countries have taken over this TA project’s role while wider engagement with operations departments and units will support the development of integrated DRM solutions by pooling and coordinating knowledge, expertise, and other resources under a One ADB approach.