Learning by Doing: The Nepal Results-Based Country Strategy and Program-A Pilot for Achieving Country Outcomes

Abstract

Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) commitment to a greater results orientation is evidenced in its Reform Agenda, and the Enhanced Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) which mandates setting up a results management unit to mainstream managing for development results (MfDR), adopting a human resources strategy to align operational processes/procedures with results, improving support to capacity development in developing member countries (DMCs), and working in partnership with other donors toward improved development effectiveness. Results-based CSPs (RB-CSPs) reflect this shift to a focus on results and are intended to contribute to the achievement of national development goals. These CSPs incorporate results frameworks that sketch out the intrinsic logic, linking constraints to poverty reduction with desired outputs and expected outcomes. Country’s monitoring and evaluation systems will be strengthened to monitor progress toward results at the country, sector and institutional levels. In 2004, ADB piloted its first RB-CSP in Nepal. With this, ADB set out to improve the development effectiveness of its operations in line with its MfDR agenda. Several other RBCSPs are now in early stages of implementation including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Philippines. It is hoped that this new generation of CSPs will benefit from the lessons of Nepal.