Validations of Country Partnership Strategy Final Reviews

The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) prepared this report to validate the Georgia country assistance program review (CAPR), 2019–2023. The CAPR and its validation are part of a pilot to develop new guidelines that will strengthen the value of these evaluation products for informing the upcoming country partnership strategy (CPS) while providing accountability for current performance. An increased strategic focus, supported by a new rating system, lies at the core of the pilot approach that will inform the new guidelines.

The period covered by the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Cambodia Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 2019–2023, encompassing 52 sovereign projects with a total investment of $2.99 billion, coincided with a significant economic downturn in Cambodia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the country's economy showed signs of recovery, with GDP growth rebounding in 2022 and 2023. ADB's strategy in Cambodia initially aimed at enhancing competitiveness, economic diversification, and human capital development, although priorities shifted to accommodate urgent health needs and economic support measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ONGOING EVALUATION. The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will conduct a validation of the assessments and findings of the final review of Bhutan Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), 2019–2023. The objective of the validation is to inform ADB’s future operations and its forthcoming CPS, 2024–2028 for Bhutan. The Country Partnership Strategy Final Review (CPSFR) assessed the CPS, 2019–2023, overall successful. It assessed ADB operations in Bhutan relevant, effective, efficient, likely sustainable, and satisfactory in its development impact.

The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) validated the final review of the country partnership strategy (CPS) for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), 2017–2020. It followed established guidelines and covered Asian Development Bank (ADB) lending and nonlending operations in the Lao PDR in 2017–2022, which includes a 2-year extension of the original CPS period. The validation analysis was based on information presented in the CPS final review (CPSFR). The analysis was supplemented by evidence gathered through document reviews, portfolio data analysis, interviews with project stakeholders, and an online survey of ADB project staff and government officials.

ONGOING EVALUATION. The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will conduct a validation of the assessments and findings of ADB’s Country Partnership Strategy for Fiji, 2019–2023, Final Review (CPSFR–Fiji).

The validation will assess ADB’s strategy and program for Fiji from 2019 to 2023 and will pay attention to the program as it evolved in 2020 with respect to ADB’s support for the coronavirus disease pandemic. The validation will gather evidence from a review of the CPSFR–Fiji, the country portfolio performance reviews and other relevant documents, and consultations with ADB staff at headquarters and Pacific Subregional Office, government officials, representatives of development partners and other stakeholders.

This validation report covers Asian Development Bank (ADB) support for Uzbekistan during 2019–2023. The validation assessed approved, closed, and ongoing ADB operations during the country partnership strategy (CPS) period to inform ADB’s future country program.

The validation assesses the ADB program successful on the borderline. It was relevant, effective, likely sustainable with satisfactory development impacts, but less than efficient. 

The validation has three recommendations to help develop the next CPS, 2024–2028.

1. Strengthen policy coherence for a successful market transition by providing adequate technical advice and innovative financing modalities.

2. Maintain a combined and reinforcing upstream and downstream presence for key sectors promoting the country’s market transition.

The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) prepared this report to validate the Turkmenistan country partnership strategy final review (CPSFR), 2017–mid-2022. The CPSFR was prepared by ADB’s Central and West Asia Department (CWRD) and is a final review of the country partnership strategy (CPS), originally for the period 2017–2021 but extended until the end of 2023.  

The report validated the final review of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Azerbaijan country partnership strategy (CPS), 2019–2023, identified issues and lessons from the CPS, and provided recommendations for the CPS, 2024–2028. The validation covered ADB operations approved, ongoing, or completed from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2023.   In addition to information presented in the CPS final review, the validation incorporated evidence from reviews of documents produced by ADB, the government, and other development partners; portfolio data analysis; and virtual consultation meetings with various stakeholders.

The validation covers 41 sovereign and nonsovereign active operations in Armenia from 2019 to 2022, valued at $1.4 billion. During the validation period, Armenia has recently experienced multiple internal and external shocks from (i) the coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) pandemic, (ii) military conflict with Azerbaijan, (iii) post-conflict domestic political turmoil, and (iv) the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Despite these shocks, the economy has been performing well. However, Armenia’s economic outlook remains uncertain, with implications for the ADB program.

The Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) validated the findings of the India country partnership strategy final review (CPSFR). ADB is preparing a new country partnership strategy (CPS) for India. ADB prepared a self-evaluation (CPSFR) of its current CPS and its recent country program portfolio (2016–2021), which it submitted to IED for validation on 3 May 2022. This includes two years (2016–2017) from the previous CPS period.