Enhancing the Independence and Effectiveness of the Operations Evaluation Department

Evaluation results contribute to the assessment of development effectiveness. The Board, chaired by the President, as the policy-making organ of ADB, is ultimately responsible for the development effectiveness of ADB operations. Structural autonomy would provide direct reporting to the policy-making entity. A change in this direction would provide greater harmonization with practice in other international institutions, and enhance the external credibility of evaluation results. The need for more autonomy of OED was also stressed in the ADF VIII Donors' Report and was reiterated in the ADF VIII Midterm Review. This paper proposes a set of changes in the organization framework within which OED operates to carry this process forward. The changes will ensure more independence of OED and provide greater internal and external credibility in its assessments of ADB operations.