Improving Independent Evaluation Systems in the Multilateral Development Banks

In the late 1960's, Congress enacted legislation which urged the establishment of independent review and evaluation systems in the multilateral development banks: the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. This legislation also required GAO to periodically review evaluation reports from the banks and to make appropriate suggestions to Congress and the President for improvements. Each bank has established independent evaluation systems consistent with standards suggested by GAO. The Inter-American Development Bank has taken a number of steps to improve its review and evaluation program, many of them suggested by prior GAO reports. However, since the Bank's reorganization, only two evaluation reports have been authorized and completed. The World Bank has supported the development and improvement of its independent evaluation system. However, GAO has criticized the Bank's system of not directing evaluations toward the formulation of recommendations. The Asian Development Bank has continued to improve its independent evaluation system through increased interaction with its board of directors. GAO believes, however, that the Bank should take steps to ensure a more comprehensive mixture of operation, sector, and project reviews in its evaluation reports.

In the late 1960's, Congress enacted legislation which urged the establishment of independent review and evaluation systems in the multilateral development banks: the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. This legislation also required GAO to periodically review evaluation reports from the banks and to make appropriate suggestions to Congress and the President for improvements. Each bank has established independent evaluation systems consistent with standards suggested by GAO. The Inter-American Development Bank has taken a number of steps to improve its review and evaluation program, many of them suggested by prior GAO reports. However, since the Bank's reorganization, only two evaluation reports have been authorized and completed. The World Bank has supported the development and improvement of its independent evaluation system. However, GAO has criticized the Bank's system of not directing evaluations toward the formulation of recommendations. The Asian Development Bank has continued to improve its independent evaluation system through increased interaction with its board of directors. GAO believes, however, that the Bank should take steps to ensure a more comprehensive mixture of operation, sector, and project reviews in its evaluation reports.

This book marks 10 years of independent evaluation at the Asian Development Bank. It shares the journey to organizational and financial independence of evaluation and the transformation in evaluation approaches to support effectively accountability and learning. The book captures how evaluation is advancing from largely ex post assessments of programs and projects to a varied set of forward-looking and real time tools and innovations in evaluation methods. This book offers a collection of papers from distinguished development practitioners and evaluators around the world and shares experiences in capacity development for evaluation at the country level. Evaluation for better results requires connecting with development challenges in a changing development context, focusing on and measuring outcomes, and proposing lessons and solutions to improve results. Tried and tested approaches may not be enough by themselves for dealing with unfamiliar situations as well as with past development problems that remain intractable. Innovative approaches are crucial in evaluation methods and outreach to enhance rigor and influence.

An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, NGOs, civil society, international organizations and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This Handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a OC Readiness AssessmentOCO and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The Handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way."