A Bridge to the Future
Chapter 3 | Lighting the Way: Spotlight on Evaluation Lessons
In FY21, IEG submitted 11 evaluations, 1 synthesis report, and 2 special yearly reports: the initial Management Action Record Reform: IEG’s Validation Report, and the 10th Results and Performance of the World Bank Group (RAP) to the Committee on Development Effectiveness.
Five of these reports and the 2020 RAP became the most-read FY21 reports on the IEG website. Read on about how IEG uses data to extract lessons that inform positive change.
Outcome Orientation
The Bank Group’s role in supporting countries in reaching their development goals demands a focus on outcomes, and successful outcomes depend on the Bank Group generating feedback loops to inform changes to projects, programs, and country strategies. In The World Bank Group Outcome Orientation at the Country Level, IEG provides a learning-focused evaluation that examines current models and introduces a fresh vision for how the Bank Group can achieve its outcome orientation goals.
To learn more, check out the blog, “The Results Agenda Needs a Steer—What Could Be Its New Course?” and read the report.
Mobilizing Private Capital
The costs of successful development outcomes cannot be borne by multilateral organizations and development banks alone. In acknowledgment of this, the Bank Group actively pursues private capital mobilization through the Mobilizing Finance for Development strategy and the Cascade approach. In The World Bank Group’s Approach to the Mobilization of Private Capital for Development, IEG systematically assesses the Bank Group’s approaches to private capital mobilization and reviews how partnering with private investors and sponsors helps the Bank Group achieve its development goals.
To learn more, check out the blog, “Scaling Up Private Capital Mobilization for Development: Lessons from World Bank Group Experience,” and read the report.
Natural Resource Degradation
Many of the more than half-billion people living in extreme poverty depend on natural resources for their survival. Yet these resources are becoming increasingly degraded—a process exacerbated by climate change—increasing the vulnerability of these populations. The Natural Resource Degradation and Vulnerability Nexus: An Evaluation of the World Bank’s Support for Sustainable and Inclusive Natural Resource Management (2009–2019) evaluation probes the Bank Group’s action on the “natural resource degradation and human vulnerability nexus”—the connection between degrading natural resources and the people who depend on them.
To learn more, read the blog, “Four Lessons from the Sahel on Land Restoration Programs and Their Impact on Vulnerable Populations,” and read the report.
Public Financial and Debt Management in IDA-Eligible Countries
The 19th Replenishment of IDA recognized that complementary support for both public financial and debt management (PFDM) is critical in ensuring the efficient and appropriate use of scarce public resources. The rise of debt vulnerabilities coupled with the heightened needs and reduced revenue associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance of PFDM in IDA-eligible countries. In World Bank Support for Public Financial and Debt Management in IDA-Eligible Countries, IEG assesses the World Bank’s PFDM support to these countries during FY08–17.
To learn more, read the blog “Borrow Wisely, Spend Wisely: Supporting Public Financial and Debt Management in Low-Income Countries,” and read the report.
Results and Performance
The Results and Performance of the World Bank Group 2020 (RAP 2020) presented IEG’s annual review of the Bank Group’s performance in a package that analyzes outcomes and discusses how the Bank Group can enhance its outcome orientation. Unlike previous RAP reports, RAP 2020 does not depend only on ratings for its analysis. Realizing that projects set outcomes at different levels and that a wealth of information can be found beyond project and program ratings, RAP 2020 developed a system to classify outcome levels for World Bank and IFC projects. With this information, IEG examined links between performance and outcome levels. The analysis contributed to discussions of how the Bank Group can strengthen its outcome orientation, among other objectives.
To learn more, check out the blog, “What the World Bank Group’s Performance Results Cannot Tell Us about Development Outcomes,” and read the report.