Romania - Second Roads Project
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This is the Project Performance Assessment Report (PPAR) for the Roads Two Project. The project had five development objectives: to improve traffic safety and the fitness of the vehicle fleet; to continue helping Romania to meet the changing pattern of demand for land transport infrastructure; to improve the management and performance of the National Administration of Roads (NAR); to assist the Show MoreThis is the Project Performance Assessment Report (PPAR) for the Roads Two Project. The project had five development objectives: to improve traffic safety and the fitness of the vehicle fleet; to continue helping Romania to meet the changing pattern of demand for land transport infrastructure; to improve the management and performance of the National Administration of Roads (NAR); to assist the Romanian civil works construction industry in its transition to a market economy; and to promote the reduction of lead in petrol.
IEG rates the overall outcome of the project, taking into account the achievement of the individual development objectives (two highly achieved, two substantially achieved and one modestly achieved), together with the overall ratings for relevance, and efficiency, was considered satisfactory. Risk to development outcome was rated as moderate. Bank performance was satisfactory. The quality of the design was generally good, and the supervision team proved flexible and reacted well when crises occurred. Borrower performance was also overall satisfactory.
Evidence on a Silver Platter?
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Making evaluation results relevant and valuable to our clients
Making evaluation results relevant and valuable to our clients
India - Dam Safety Project
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This Project Performance Assessment Report reviews the India Dam Safety Project. The objectives of the project were to (i)improve the safety of selected dams in the project states through remedial works; (ii)in stall basic dam safety-related facilities; and (iii)strengthen the institutions of the Borrower and project states responsible for assuring dam safety.
IEG rates the project development Show MoreThis Project Performance Assessment Report reviews the India Dam Safety Project. The objectives of the project were to (i)improve the safety of selected dams in the project states through remedial works; (ii)in stall basic dam safety-related facilities; and (iii)strengthen the institutions of the Borrower and project states responsible for assuring dam safety.
IEG rates the project development outcome as moderately satisfactory. Since project completion, the pace of remedial works has slowed due to insufficient resources. In many cases, basic dam safety facilities are not being maintained or replaced to the extent needed. While data collection emanating from the dam level is fairly streamlined, there is relatively little focus or capacity for analyzing it in a systematic manner for improving dam operations or for longer term planning. Also, less attention is paid to understanding and estimating the costs and benefits that might lead to more balanced strategies for dam safety, and improve stakeholder support. Overall risk to outcome is rated significant. Bank performance is rated moderately satisfactory. Borrower Performance is rated moderately satisfactory.
Indonesia - Dam Safety Project
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This Project Performance Assessment Report reviews the Indonesia Dam Safety Project, which was approved in 1994 and closed in 2003. This was the first Bank project in Indonesia that was devoted entirely to dam safety and only the second worldwide after the India Dam Safety Project (1991-2000).This Project Performance Assessment Report reviews the Indonesia Dam Safety Project, which was approved in 1994 and closed in 2003. This was the first Bank project in Indonesia that was devoted entirely to dam safety and only the second worldwide after the India Dam Safety Project (1991-2000).
Growth and Productivity in Agriculture and Agribusiness (FTB)
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This is a Fast Track Brief for the Growing and Productivity in Agriculture and Agribusiness. Agricultural growth remains central to poverty reduction, particularly in the poorest countries where a large share of the population relies on agriculture as their main livelihood. The recent food and financial crises have added momentum to an emerging renewal of attention and stepped-up financing to Show MoreThis is a Fast Track Brief for the Growing and Productivity in Agriculture and Agribusiness. Agricultural growth remains central to poverty reduction, particularly in the poorest countries where a large share of the population relies on agriculture as their main livelihood. The recent food and financial crises have added momentum to an emerging renewal of attention and stepped-up financing to agriculture and agribusiness at the World Bank, IFC, and other multilateral and bilateral agencies. However, the agriculture-based economies, particularly those of Sub-Saharan Africa, are where the needs are greatest and the success has been lowest. Other countries and regions also have important needs that the WBG should continue to support, given that the increased demand for global food production also has to be met. The recommendations from this IEG's study are focused on I) Areas that drive productivity, such as irrigation and drainage, agricultural research and extension, access to credit, access to land, transport infrastructure, and the policy environment, complementarities and synergies are key drivers of effectiveness; II) Experience points to the importance of capacity and how analytical work can highlight issues and raise awarenessâ particularly when capacity is weak; III) The impact of increased resource flows into agriculture will depend on the efficiency of resource use and the financial, social, and environmental sustainability of investments.
China CLR Review FY13-17
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China, with a population of 1.4 billion, is an upper middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $8,690 in 2017. During 2013-2017, the economy grew annually at 7.1 percent on average, slower than the previous CPS period of 11.0 percent. A long period of economic growth put pressure on the environment and raised serious sustainability challenges. China is now contributing around 30 percent to Show MoreChina, with a population of 1.4 billion, is an upper middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $8,690 in 2017. During 2013-2017, the economy grew annually at 7.1 percent on average, slower than the previous CPS period of 11.0 percent. A long period of economic growth put pressure on the environment and raised serious sustainability challenges. China is now contributing around 30 percent to the world’s GHG emissions, partly because it is the largest consumer of carbon for electricity. Significant gains in poverty reduction continued during the CPS period. Absolute poverty, measured at $1.90 per day (2011 PPP), dropped from 1.9 percent in 2013 to 0.5 percent in 2018. Poverty and vulnerability in China are concentrated in rural areas and lagging regions in Central and Western China. The welfare of the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution has increased steadily. The Gini coefficient dropped to .46 in 2015 after having risen to a high of .5 in 2008. China’s Human Capital Index (HCI) stands at 0.67 and ranks 45th amongst 158 countries. The CPS had two focus areas: (i) supporting greener growth; and (ii) promoting more inclusive development as well as a cross-cutting theme of advancing mutually beneficial relations with the world.
The World Bank Group's Response to the Global Economic Crisis – Phase I (FTB)
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This is a Fast Track Brief for the The World Bank Group's Response to the Global Economic Crisis - Phase I. This report presents an initial real-time evaluation of the readiness, relevance, quality-at-entry, short-term results, and likely sustainability of the Bank Group response from the start of the crisis through Fiscal Year 2010. This evaluation builds on a 2008 IEG assessment of Bank Group Show MoreThis is a Fast Track Brief for the The World Bank Group's Response to the Global Economic Crisis - Phase I. This report presents an initial real-time evaluation of the readiness, relevance, quality-at-entry, short-term results, and likely sustainability of the Bank Group response from the start of the crisis through Fiscal Year 2010. This evaluation builds on a 2008 IEG assessment of Bank Group interventions during past crises and draws extensively on 11 country case studies and field visits. Given the short time since the crisis response started, the evaluation is geared more to raising flags than to presenting definitive conclusions. The evaluation recommends that the Bank needs to anticipate crises and be ready to act quickly, taking into account quality trade-offs and considering benefits and costs across sectors. Additionally, it recomments that IFC will need to have sufficient resources for a significant catalytic role when the next crisis strikes and be willing to take more investment risks as it has done in Africa. Incentives and mechanisms for increased equity divestment could also be helpful in freeing up funds for a crisis response. For MIGA, its focus on the financial sector in Europe and Central Asia was strong. Yet overall, MIGA did not provide a countercyclical crisis response. This reflected the inherent structural constraint of its Convention as well as weak business development. MIGA needs to revamp its business development function to reverse the current stagnation in guarantee issuance and enable the agency to meet its business volume targets and strategic priority goals. The recent approval of the changes to MIGA's Convention to allow greater product flexibility and more proactive business development is an important step.
Selected Drivers of Education Quality: Pre- and In-Service Teacher Training
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This evaluation examines how the World Bank has supported two types of professional development to improve teacher capacity—preservice and in-service training—and identifies how these drivers of education quality can be better designed, implemented, and scaled upThis evaluation examines how the World Bank has supported two types of professional development to improve teacher capacity—preservice and in-service training—and identifies how these drivers of education quality can be better designed, implemented, and scaled up
2019 in Review
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2019 has been a great year for the Independent Evaluation Group.2019 has been a great year for the Independent Evaluation Group.
The World Bank Group in West Bank and Gaza, 2001-2009
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This evaluation assesses the outcomes of the World Bank Group program in the West Bank and Gaza from 2001 to 2009. It combines an assessment of the outcomes of the programs of the World Bank Group member institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Show MoreThis evaluation assesses the outcomes of the World Bank Group program in the West Bank and Gaza from 2001 to 2009. It combines an assessment of the outcomes of the programs of the World Bank Group member institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
World Bank Group support to the West Bank and Gaza focused on Palestinian state institutions, economic recovery, and emergency assistance. Overall, after almost two decades of engagement, little progress had been made toward achievement of the overarching objectives of the World Bank Group.
The Bank Group should not be blamed for lack of success, since the main constraints to securing peace and achieving Palestinian statehood were beyond its control. The World Bank Group made important contributions in identifying obstacles to development, estimating their costs, and promoting the search for reasonable compromises. The World Bank is the main economic adviser to the Quartet on the Middle East and the administrator of large donor trust funds. Many analytical reports produced by the Bank not only helped set the agenda for overall development assistance, but also became the technical backbone of political negotiations.
In order to better position itself to help achieve mediumterm development outcomes that go beyond humanitarian assistance, the World Bank Group needs to rethink its mandate, role, and scope of activities in the West Bank and Gaza.