Japan-ADB grant to assist dev projects in achieving MDGs
Friday, 7 September 2007
FE Report
The government of Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will assist Bangladesh in ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of development projects meant to bring the South Asian nation closer towards achieving the United Nations' millennium development goals (MDGs), said an ADB press release.
The government of Japan will provide a grant of $800,000 to fund most of the $1.0 million cost of the project. The government of Bangladesh will cover the balance.
The assistance will focus on strengthening the organisational capacity of concerned government agencies of Bangladesh including the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) and the Foreign-Aided Projects Audit Directorate. The assistance will facilitate changes in structures, functions, reporting relationships, monitoring and evaluation, and audit capacity of the two agencies.
The ADB already provided a grant for Bangladesh's Strengthening Project Portfolio Performance, which was implemented from 1999 to 2006. The project addressed weaknesses in the two concerned agencies, specifically in implementing the ADB-assisted projects. Both the agencies have sought a continuation of the support.
"This will enable the organisations to monitor development results and support monitoring of the implementation of the government's poverty reduction strategy and the achievement of the MDGs in partnership with the government's line ministries," said ADB Bangladesh Resident Mission Senior Transport Specialist Stefan Ekelund.
"The project is expected to lead to improved accountability and enhanced performance in delivering development programmes," Stefan Ekelund added.
Bangladesh attaches high importance to effective project implementation and efficient monitoring and evaluation of projects and sectors.
The IMED is particularly concerned with addressing new challenges arising from its critical role in monitoring achievements of results of the development cooperation under Bangladesh's poverty reduction strategy to assess progress made toward achieving the MDGs, which were established in 2000 by the UN Millennium Summit to alleviate poverty and improve lives.
The government of Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will assist Bangladesh in ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of development projects meant to bring the South Asian nation closer towards achieving the United Nations' millennium development goals (MDGs), said an ADB press release.
The government of Japan will provide a grant of $800,000 to fund most of the $1.0 million cost of the project. The government of Bangladesh will cover the balance.
The assistance will focus on strengthening the organisational capacity of concerned government agencies of Bangladesh including the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) and the Foreign-Aided Projects Audit Directorate. The assistance will facilitate changes in structures, functions, reporting relationships, monitoring and evaluation, and audit capacity of the two agencies.
The ADB already provided a grant for Bangladesh's Strengthening Project Portfolio Performance, which was implemented from 1999 to 2006. The project addressed weaknesses in the two concerned agencies, specifically in implementing the ADB-assisted projects. Both the agencies have sought a continuation of the support.
"This will enable the organisations to monitor development results and support monitoring of the implementation of the government's poverty reduction strategy and the achievement of the MDGs in partnership with the government's line ministries," said ADB Bangladesh Resident Mission Senior Transport Specialist Stefan Ekelund.
"The project is expected to lead to improved accountability and enhanced performance in delivering development programmes," Stefan Ekelund added.
Bangladesh attaches high importance to effective project implementation and efficient monitoring and evaluation of projects and sectors.
The IMED is particularly concerned with addressing new challenges arising from its critical role in monitoring achievements of results of the development cooperation under Bangladesh's poverty reduction strategy to assess progress made toward achieving the MDGs, which were established in 2000 by the UN Millennium Summit to alleviate poverty and improve lives.