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The Bank's Medium-Term Strategic Framework
II. Taking Stock of Progress4. It has been three years since the Bank adopted its rolling MTSF. While it is still too early to evaluate the impact of the MTSF on the achievement of the Bank's strategic development objectives, its influence on reorienting the focus of Bank operations has been substantial. The Bank's lending mix is now consciously oriented to balance economic growth objectives with directly addressing poverty, human development, women's status and f environment protection objectives. Over the period 1992-1994, more than l 50 per cent of the number of public sector projects approved by the Bank, and approximately 30 per cent of total lending volume for public sector i projects were directed at projects that had either primary or secondary i social or environmental objectives. The pattern with regard to increased lending volume for such projects is expected to continue over the period of 1995-1998. 5. Parallel to instituting a preferred project and lending mix, the l MTSF has also supported the introduction of country-focused operations l planning, with specific provisions for the preparation of country operational strategy studies (COSSs) and country operational programs to guide Bank operations. COSSs have been completed for almost every DMC. They seek to identify the Bank's distinctive role in each DMC, and support the achievement of the Bank's strategic objectives in country operations. Country operational programs are now prepared in line with Planning Directions released by the President every year, and reinforce the strategic directions of Bank operations in the DMCs. 6. In January 1994, the Bank released the Report of the Task Force on Improving Project Quality. The report was the culmination of an extensive review of current Bank assistance activities with particular focus on impact and quality. Of particular note are its recommendations for (i) greater emphasis on economic and sector work as the basis of Bank operations in a DMC, (ii) the need for more careful and effective project design processes, (iii) emphasis on portfolio management and project administration, and (iv) greater effort on the part of the Bank to support DMC ownership and capacities for project implementation. Operationalizing these recommendations is now an important priority of the Bank. 7. In support of its new strategic directions, the Bank has also prepared, over the last year, a series of policy and strategy papers relating to population, forestry, energy, indigenous peoples, involuntary resettlement, private sector, information disclosure, the inspection function and capacity building. These are issues of significance to the achievement of the Bank's strategic development objectives. Most of these policy papers have already been approved by the Board. They will provide guidance and assistance to staff on. strategies and approaches in their respective areas. A Bank reorganization has also been undertaken to strengthen the country focus of the MTSF. An Office of Environment and Social Development has been established within the reorganized Bank, with divisions for environment and social development. 8. The strategic reorientation of the Bank has not been easy, nor is it complete. The organizational implications have been and continue to be substantial. They have ranged from the need for creating/strengthening special support units and the enunciation of new policies, to the introduction of new skills among operational staff. A review of key operational processes and their adequacy to support the new objectives is ongoing. The need for a reevaluation of the way the Bank does business, particularly with regard to offering DMCs a more integrated and relevant program of services ranging from policy support to capacity building, is becoming apparent. This paper will deal with these issues.
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