6. Systematically review the implications of the global IT platform for how the Bank Group delivers and assesses the impact of its interventions. In particular, the Bank Group can build on the extensive global mobile network to support real-time data collection and M&E for ICT and other interventions in client countries.abc
- Going forward, the availability of a global mobile network presents enormous challenges and opportunities for the way the Bank Group delivers its assistance. The near ubiquity of mobile phones creates a platform that opens new opportunities for the World Bank to enhance its reach and effectiveness in designing, implementing, and monitoring its projects. The World Bank should give priority to designing projects that include the applications and content needed to capitalize on this platform to realize social benefits from ICT. Furthermore, the global mobile network presents opportunities for real-time data collection and more effective M&E of development assistance projects, including through open-source mobile software applications, readily available georeferencing tools such as Google Earth, and widespread use of social media in the developing world.
Original Response: IT-based communication networks (including, in particular, the networks enabling mobile connectivity) provide new opportunities to enhance delivery and assessment of Bank interventions. In the context of this recommendation, management proposes to broaden the opportunity to also include public services more broadly, beyond Bank interventions. New opportunities include real-time data collection, greater citizen and stakeholder participation in service delivery, and in holding government and service providers accountable, as well as enabling greater transparency. The upcoming ICT Sector Strategy will propose specific strategic directions to exploit this opportunity, including with respect to monitoring of results under P4R lending. In addition, the Operations Policy and Country Strategy Results Secretariat, the ICT sector unit, and the World Bank Institute will carry out a joint analysis of the opportunity during the first half of FY12 and propose a specific action plan.
Pilot new approaches to enhance delivery and assessment of Bank interventions
Status: Several new initiatives are launched to improve accountability of World Bank-financed projects:
⢠The World Bank Open Data Initiative grants citizens, civil society, and entrepreneurs access to the data it collects
⢠The âWorld Bank Financesâ application for IBRD and IDA gives financial information by country, project, and loan, and can be downloaded to mobile phones
⢠The External Implementation Status and Results Reports Plus Initiative, a pilot now under way in the Africa Region, uses ICTs to inform the true owners of a projectâa countryâs citizensâabout what the project is and what it is meant to accomplish
⢠The Mapping for Results initiative, led by WBI, collects and publishes geospatial data to map activities financed under its project portfolio
⢠Publicly disclosed versions of ISRs of lending operations in ICT provide result indicators, target values, and current measurement values
IEG notes that technical assistance for digital identity was given to 21 countries. IEG would appreciate the information on how these activities would enhance the delivery and assessment of Bank interventions in the countries listed .
The World Bank supported digital identity as an approach to enhance service delivery in developing countries. Technical assistance for digital identity was given to the 21 countries:
- Morocco
- Peru
- Botswana
- Kenya
- DRC
- Nigeria
- Ivory Coast
- Bangladesh
- Sierra Leone
- Liberia
- Ghana
- Mozambique
- Ethiopia
- Chad
- Tanzania
- Ethiopia
- Burkina Faso
- Madagascar
- Zambia
- Guinea
- Namibia
IEG notes that 31 countries have been supported with Open Data Readiness Assessments (ODRAs), and technical assistance was provided in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Brazil. However, it is not clear how these activities enhance the delivery and assessment of Bank interventions in the countries listed .
- 31 countries have been supported with Open Data Readiness Assessments (ODRAs): Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Serbia, St. Lucia, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda
- A technical assistance on citizen-driven innovation was done.
- A Negawatt challenge was conducted as a technical assistance in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Brazil to demonstrate the use of open data and analytics for efficiency gains in the energy sector. G2
Additional Information from Management:
The World Bank continues to pilot new approaches to improve the delivery and impact of World Bank interventions. During FY13-FY14, Open Data Readiness Assessments (ODRAs) were conducted in 8 countries:
- Antigua & Barbuda - June/July 2013
- Peru - July 2013
- Mexico - December 2013 (this ODRA was implemented through the IT Industry Development Project)
- Burkina Faso - June 2014.
- Dominican Republic - June 2014
- State of Jalisco (Mexico) - June 2014
- Municipality of Zapopan (Mexico) - June 2014
During FY15, additional activities have been done:
- ODRAs have been conducted in 31 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Serbia, St. Lucia, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda
- A non-lending technical assistance on citizen-driven innovation was done in Barcelona.
- A Negawatt challenge was conducted as a technical assistance in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Brazil to demonstrate the use of open data and analytics for efficiency gains in the energy sector.
Based on the above, we propose a rating of Substantial for achieving intended objectives.
IEG notes that 8 countries have been supported with Open Data Readiness Assessments (ODRAs). However, IEG seeks more information on the level of adoption of IEG recommendations. It is unclear whether the World Bank has been systematically reviewing the implications of the global IT platform for how it delivers and assesses the impact of its interventions, and there is lack of concrete evidence in terms of real-time-data collection and M&E for ICT and other interventions in client countries.
8 countries have been supported with Open Data Readiness Assessments (ODRAs).
⢠Burkina Faso â June 2014.
⢠Antigua & Barbuda â June/July 2013
⢠Peru â July 2013
⢠Mexico â December 2013 (this ODRA was implemented through the IT Industry Development Project)
⢠Dominican Republic â June 2014
⢠State of Jalisco (Mexico) â June 2014
⢠Municipality of Zapopan (Mexico) â June 2014
(2013 Rating: Negligible)
(Response from 2013. First MAR follow-up will be in 2014)
IEG notes that there are several pilot initiatives being undertaken to enhance delivery and assessment of World Bank interventions using innovative ICT approaches, including the Open Data Initiative and Mapping for Results. However, it is unclear whether the World Bank has been systematically reviewing the implications of the global IT platform for how it delivers and assesses the impact of its interventions, there is lack of concrete evidence in terms of real-time-data collection and M&E for ICT and other interventions in client countries, and it is unclear how the 2013 World Bank conference was related to the recommendation. IEG seeks more specificity on the listed actions (ie, details of beneficiary feedback such as the number of operations for which this is being rolled out, early experience with the system number of countries in which open data readiness tool is implemented etc.),
(2013 Rating: Medium)
(Response from 2013. First MAR follow-up will be in 2014)
WB Action J
Status:
- Beneficiary feedback and verificiation and citizen engagement are being introduced across WBG projects.
- In March 2013, World Bank organized a global conference on citizen engagement for enhanced development impact.
- World Bank has formulated an open data readiness assessment and is implementing this in several countries.