The Office of Anticorruption and Integrity (OAI) conducts project procurement-related reviews (PPRRs) on active ADB-financed, administered or supported projects, to confirm compliance with applicable ADB's policies, guidelines, and the loan agreement, with a focus on preventing and detecting integrity violations.

PPRRs provide greater assurance that project funds are used for intended development objectives and beneficiaries. PPRRs help the implementing agencies and the project teams identify and develop preventive measures to mitigate fiduciary risks, improve project management, and enhance project implementation. OAI conducts selected PPRRs in close collaboration with Supreme Audit Institutions—national organizations that set standards for audit work. See the PPRR process.

OAI also conducts integrity spot reviews, which are limited scope reviews conducted jointly with ADB Operations Departments. A parallel objective is to maximize the specialized skills of OAI by providing hands-on training to develop and transfer those skills to the ADB project team in the arena of prevention and detection of fraud and corruption, thereby immediately benefiting ADB projects and improving development effectiveness.

These reviews fulfill OAI’s proactive and preventive role in combating fraud and corruption. The reviews are in line with ADB's efforts to manage for development results.

Recently posted spot reviews:

• Philippines: Loan 2311-PHI and Grant 0071-PHI: Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project - Spot Review Report
• Sri Lanka: Loan 2371-SRI (SF) / Grant 0091-SRI: Education for Knowledge Society Project - Spot Review Report
• Second Urban Primary Health Care Project - Spot Review Report

Since 2003, OAI has conducted 44 PPRRs (41 completed) including 8 limited reviews for various ADB projects.

Recently posted PPRRs:

• Viet Nam: Loans 2391 and 2392(SF)-VIE: GMS: Kunming-Hai Phong Transport Corridor - Noi Bai-Lao Cai Highway Project
• Bhutan: Loan 2258-BHU(SF): Urban Infrastructure Development Project
• Samoa: Loan 2368-SAM(SF): Power Sector Expansion Project
• Nepal: Loan 2092-NEP(SF): Decentralized Rural Infrastructure and Livelihood Project
• Kyrgyz Republic: Grant 0122-KGZ(SF): Community-Based Infrastructure Services Sector Project (Русский)

Impact

As President Kuroda indicated during the 2011 Anticorruption Day, “Corruption is a disproportionate tax on the poor and a deterrent to inclusive growth.”

OAI’s reviews serve to reduce the risk of fraudulent and corrupt practices in ADB-financed, administered or supported projects.  Project funds will thus be less at risk of being diverted towards ineligible or unauthorized purposes.

These reviews add to the momentum of increasing developing member countries’ awareness of and compliance with ADB’s Anticorruption Policy.   Should reviews indicate violations of the Policy, OAI conducts further investigations and seeks the cooperation of executing agency and project staff in its efforts.