Home 
Countries and Regions Country Partnership Strategies Document
|
Country Strategy and Program Update 2002-2004: Maldives
V. Three-Year Assistance ProgramA. Funding Levels and Performance99. ADF resources for developing member countries will be allocated through the performance-based allocation (PBA) system from 2002 onward. The Maldives’ indicative base case annual ADF allocation, based on the common criteria for all countries, is $5 million for 2002–2004. The PBA system also requires assessing country-specific criteria that could trigger high or low ADF scenarios. The proposed lending program for 2002–2004 is $17 million (annual average of $5.7 million) (Appendix 6). However, the level is subject to the outcome of PBA exercises in each year. 100. The Government and ADB will endorse the priorities and focus of the CSP by signing a poverty reduction partnership agreement following consideration of the CSP by the Board of Directors. ADB’s assistance program is a translation of the underlying thrusts of the partnership agreement into specific activities. Considering the small size of the Maldives’ economy and ADB assistance, selectivity is a prime concern. As indicated in ADB’s long-term strategic framework, ADB will maintain an effective long-term presence in the strategically selected sectors and areas. B. Loan Program101. The proposed lending program for 2002–2004 consists of three projects. The three loans are for strengthening the public accounting system, a second regional development project, and development of education. The project selection briefs are in Appendix 7. The proposed program is consistent with the priorities identified in the Government’s 6NDP and with ADB’s poverty assessment for the Maldives. A TA will focus on preparing a project on SME development in the atolls for 2005. 102. The public accounting system project aims at implementing a unified accounting, auditing, and budgeting system across the Government. This will improve governance by providing the Government with a greater measure of fiscal control and the capacity to mainstream poverty reduction initiatives in public expenditure planning. The regional development project will support Government efforts to develop a series of regional growth nodes and consolidate the population. In this second project, the focus will be on developing regional development management offices and providing an enabling infrastructure in one or possibly two of the other regional nodes. Infrastructure and institutional requirements will be examined in the north-central, south-central, and central atolls. The education project is aimed at closing the skills gap for the poor (i.e., those in the atolls) to improve social development by strengthening postsecondary education and vocational training. C. Technical Assistance Program103. The TA program is envisaged to be about $1 million annually. The proposed TA program for 2002–2004 includes 9 TAs for a total of about $3.6 million, or an annual average of $1.2 million (Appendix 6). ADB will select TAs equivalent to $1 million each year in consultation with the Government during the country program confirmation mission. The focus of the TA program is on project preparation, institutional strengthening, and capacity building. In addition to a TA to prepare the second regional development, two TAs will prepare future loan projects. The TA to prepare a project to apply the information technology network to poverty reduction will assess the scope for using the Government’s information network for a range of electronic health, education, and commerce applications to serve the atoll community. The TA for the SME project will prepare for the provision of financial and institutional support for businesses in the atolls, and improving the policy and regulatory requirements to foster SME development in the atolls. TA concept papers are in Appendix 8. D. Economic and Sector Work Program104. The economic and sector work program will provide advisory services aimed at strengthening the Government’s capacity to respond to a range of anticipated challenges. This includes the challenges of supporting private sector development and the Maldives’ possible graduation from LDC status. Support will be given for divestiture and revenue diversification to help the Government develop the capacity to launch a comprehensive privatization program in a transparent and fiscally responsible manner. In anticipation of the eventual graduation from LDC status, TAs in debt management and graduation planning will be provided. These will be complemented by efforts to strengthen the information base for economic management. A TA will also be provided to develop a transport master plan. The economic and sector work program is in Appendix 9.
|
RSS Feeds
Back
Top of page