Projects and Programs that have been Managed for ResultsTimor-Leste Experience

Emilia PiresAdvisor on Development Planning and

External Coordination05 Feb 04

Background: 1999 crisis

• 25 years of occupation• Vote for independence August 1999• Post-ballot destruction (85% public buildings destroyed,

state collapse, two-thirds population displaced)• Joint Timorese-international assessment mission

– Produced sectoral plans and budgets: no results target– Division of labour: civil service/judiciary versus

economic and social reconstruction– A good start but………

Loss of control of reconstruction process during 2000

• Fragmented aid delivery mechanisms• Reconstruction programs moved faster than civil

service establishment - therefore lack of Timorese involvement in design and implementation

• Results not specified clearly, so expectations too high• Results not measured - therefore perception that there

were no results

Reconstruction benchmarks

• Established in late 2000, driven by need to get back on track: focus efforts and measure progress

• Criteria:– frequent achievable targets and monitoring, to

build momentum – simple user-friendly format, to encourage cabinet

and donor ownership– political, institutional, economic and social

targets - strong links between sectors

Sample benchmarks

  PoliticalAffairs

Administrative Handover

Public Finance EconomicReconstruction

Social Reconstruction

Dec2000

       Training Plans completed o      >85% of DG recruited

o      Power billing in place

     2 rounds of immunization done

Mar2001

     Voter registration complete

o      >85% of DG recruited     20% capital budget

o      >Budget spending at least 60%

 

     Establishment of for infrastructure regional offices

     health administrators recruited     600 schools basic level operation

Jun2001

     Constitutional commissions formed

o      40% of training delivered   x    Plan for rural power station completed

     School mapping study completed

 

Sep2001

     Finalization of party candidates      Official start of 6 weeks election campaign

o      Performance Mgt Training introduced     90% level 1-4 recruited

  x    Study of power station completedx    Public Works Office reconstructed

     37 pre-school ready to openo      Hospital reconstruction plan completed

Achievements

• Successfully accelerated pace of reconstruction• Became central to government process - introduced

accountability in Cabinet and civil service• Helped Timorese leadership manage expectations• Helped improve Timorese-donor relationships and

secured consistent aid flows • Created demand for better targets and more

information

Disadvantages

• Developed by small number of Timorese and international partners, endorsed by cabinet members - lack of wider ownership

• Only measured government, not donors• Targets were generally outputs rather than

outcomes, not linked to overall development vision

Next steps – the National Development Plan

• Comprehensive bottom-up participatory process on vision and priorities, to meet national expectations (full independence May 2002)

• Baseline data available• Reliant on new (weak) government structures and

traditional civil society structures. Acted as capacity-building exercise for government

• Included outcomes, heavily influenced by MDGs……• ………..but a christmas tree, lacked clear

prioritisation of results and sequencing

Operationalisation of NDP

• Transitional support program - “priorities of priorities”, links results to medium-term expenditure framework

• Monitors both government and donors (budget support, technical assistance)

• Still short-term and output-based, but much less than benchmarks

• Work in progress - adapting MDGs to national context, matching targets to resources

Results frameworks are relevant for post-conflict

reconstruction• Prioritisation is a particular problem when everything has been

destroyed- helps government and donors prioritise efforts

• Expectations are particularly high after peace agreements and pledging meetings- helps government and donors manage expectations

• Government typically has little experience- simple management tool for new leaders and civil servants

• Easier to introduce good systems, transparency and accountability right at the beginning than later

But are adjustments needed?

• More need for short-term results to stabilise political situation

• No baseline data ( and cannot do survey as first reconstruction project!), therefore initial results may need to focus on outputs

• Needs specific capacity-building efforts, simple formats and frequent monitoring with new governments with little experience

• Needs very strong information campaign to disseminate expected and actual results