Launch of the Monitoring & Evaluation System for the Country Development Strategy – Achievements and Problems
Welcome Remarks by
Lan Wu
Country Director, Kyrgyz Republic Resident Mission
Asian Development Bank
30 April 2008
Dear Messrs Dikambaev and Japarov,
Dear Workshop Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are very pleased to be here and feel honored to have this opportunity to speak at this workshop. The title of the workshop itself speaks for the importance of the event.
The partnership between ADB and the Kyrgyz Republic, which began about 15 years ago, focuses on the successful implementation of the Country Development Strategy (CDS). A key to ensuring the success is effective monitoring and evaluation. As it is widely held, "what is not measured is not done". What is essential here is a systematic and effective system which tracks closely and timely what is happening on the ground within a well-defined conceptual framework, and feeds back to policy- and decision making process, which in turn leads to refined actions to achieve the objectives.
ADB's support for the Government's strive to establish such a system began in 2005, when we provided a technical assistance (TA) to help develop the CDS itself, and its monitoring and evaluation system at the central government level.
Based on the lessons learned (from previous experience with MES for the NPRS-I and other strategies), our team worked hard with the staff of the MEDT, President's office and all other agencies involved for the development of a proper MES Indicators Matrix for the CDS, which was approved by a President's Order in November 2007. The TA also (i) developed software for the MES and provided some hardware; (ii) developed methodology for MES and its functioning, and built the capacity of the agencies involved in the MES. The TA was implemented in close collaboration with the World Bank and other donors which also provide assistance in the CDS formulation and implementation process.
Given the importance of the MES for the CDS and the government's results-based approach, ADB provided a second TA in June 2006 (TA 4801-KGZ: DEVELOPMENT OF A MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM AT OBLAST LEVEL, $300,000). Our project team will work till the end of this year and the focus is on helping the Government, namely oblast units of the MEDT and oblast governor's offices, to develop the monitoring and evaluation system for the CDS at the oblast-level. Concurrently, our team is providing support for developing the oblast/city strategies, which will anchor the oblast-level MES.
Dear Ministers, and participants! President Bakiev's speech on 10 January 2008, which highlighted once again the New Economic Policy, represents renewed efforts of the country to focus on long term economic and social development. The importance of having an effective M & E system for implementing the Government's strategy, plans to achieve results can not be over-emphasized. Exactly for this reason, However, we would like to emphasize that there are still important tasks to be completed before such an important system is in place and fully effective. In particular, the Government will need to ensure the sustainability of the central-/oblast- level MES by (i) institutionalizing the MES itself; and (ii) strengthening the capacity of the agencies involved/ and accountability system for the CDS implementation and reporting.
Once again, on behalf of ADB, I would like to pledge our full support to the Government for improving the system.
We look forward to the Meeting of the National Council on CDS planned in May 2008, where the first-year results of the CDS will be assessed.
Thank you again for inviting ADB to this important event!
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