Technical

While significantly enhancing the viability and impact of energy initiatives, the TA underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among neighboring countries and development partners. It demonstrated how fostering partnerships and connectivity can optimize the use of regional energy resources. It facilitated energy trade agreements between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, highlighting the potential for regional cooperation.

Sufficient time for visa application and domestic approval procedure needs to be taken into consideration for international study tours.

A policy brief, summarizing the key messages and findings from the TA, is an effective tool to facilitate wider replication of the experience and knowledge from the TA, especially when the final TA consultant report is very comprehensive with heavy data.

Technical assistance (TA) is important to ensure timely identification and support to critical reforms at challenging times. TA support contributed to the program being implemented within the original timeline. Transaction TA allowed for the development of additional activities that formed the post-program partnership framework (P3F). The practice of including P3F actions in the design of the programmatic policy-based lending should be continued, as it shapes up next-level dialogue with the government. It also helps ADB and the government to maintain a longer-term prospective.

Additional financing and outsourcing complex tasks to specialized entities support successful TA implementation. ADB hired the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan to conduct the ecological baseline survey. The TA secured financing of $300,000 on a grant basis from the Netherlands Trust Fund under the Water Financing Partnership Facility. The fund supported the conduct of feasibility studies for a main canal subproject. Without this fund, the feasibility studies would not have been completed.

The three-step approach of feasibility studies, detailed engineering design, and ensuing project through separate and sequential financing modalities helps in country partnership strategy, programming dialogue, and long-term engagement. The TA has proven this approach to be effective in achieving technical, safeguards, procurement, and implementation readiness in the ensuing project.

A well-designed project performance management system (PPMS) from the outset can enhance the quality of economic analyses. This system facilitates the systematic collection of data on project benefits and pertinent metrics, enabling the monitoring of project performance until completion. Specifically, monitoring the project's progress, identifying areas for improvement, and collecting socioeconomic data through a PPMS, could all help establish a comprehensive assessment of a project’s development results and improve the quality of economic analysis.

The development of a regulatory framework alongside the preparation of a project’s technical design could help enhance the autonomy and sustainability of water utilities. This, in turn, could lead to improved service delivery and better maintenance of project assets. Such a framework could include mechanisms for independent oversight and regulation of water utilities' operations and performance, as well as the provision of clear guidelines and policies for tariff setting and cost recovery, among other aspects.

ADB needs to be persistent in organizing outreach endeavors to update SASEC countries’ officials, ministries of power, sector regulators, planning agencies, and other stakeholders about significant trends in regional cooperation. It can build upon and maximize the results of this TA which has played a crucial role in enabling SASEC members to develop a conducive environment for investment decisions and project design in cross border electricity trade and regional gas cooperation.

The timing of scope changes need to be carefully planned, especially taking account of the possible implementation disruptions these can cause. Adjustments to the design and monitoring framework need to be made to reflect scope changes and other design modifications undertaken during implementation.