FY 18 Gambia Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) Report November 20,2017 Page 1 of 12 1. Introduction As part of the World Bank’s effort to ensure good performances of the active projects in portfolio, World Bank staffs carry out a review of the whole portfolio every year. This review, called Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR), is conducted to ensure that the portfolio quality is being maintained and to identify any portfolio wide problems that need to be dealt with. CPPR is a process where engagement and discussion is held with client (PIUs and Government officials) for: (i) consulting the project implementers on the constraints they are facing; and (ii) seeking their proposals for possible solutions and ways of addressing the issues. CPPR is undertaken as a joint exercise with the participation of the Government officials, representatives of Project Implementation Units (PIUs) and World Bank Country Team (CT). This is in line with the objective of closely collaborating with the relevant counterparts and promoting strong government ownership that is critical in building capacity as well as ensuring that the proposed measures and actions are implemented in the future. CPPR takes a stock of the progress made since the last review in terms of addressing the most important implementation issues faced by the portfolio and the overall quality of project supervision as well as the effectiveness of portfolio risk management. It helps to strategically reassess the critical risk factors of the portfolio, re-evaluate its development effectiveness and propose measures and actions that can be taken when a new IDA program is developed. CCPR supports country efforts to end poverty and boost shared prosperity in sustainable manner considering the client demand and WBG’s comparative advantage. CPPR once conducted can inform Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs). 2. Overview of the Gambia CPPR The objectives of the FY18 Gambia CPPR were three-fold: (i) help WB clients/partners to get more results on the ground; (ii) improve the quality and implementation performance of the Bank funded portfolio; and (iii) establish a more systematic follow-up mechanism for engagement on portfolio matters with the Government as well as within the Country Team. The CPPR cover IDA lending (grants and credits) operations, both national and regional, and Trust Funds. It focused on practical issues of portfolio management and implementation, including its alignment against cost and timing of delivery. The Government of The Gambia and the World Bank conducted the FY18 CPPR on November 20, 2017. The Gambia active portfolio in amount of $141.24 million is composed of six national IDA projects, which five are investment projects and one budget support operation. Of the $141.24 million, $ 49.7 million (35%) is grant and $ 91.5 million (65%) is credit. The IDA national portfolio is distributed among four sectors: agriculture (11%), education (25%), energy (13%), and governance (51%). Three regional projects in amount of $51.48 million, cover energy sector (91%), education (6%) and fishery (3%). In addition, Trust Fund totaling $23 million support implementation of the national and regional projects. Page 2 of 12 The Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) supports the governance, microeconomics and fiscal management, social protection, agriculture, ICT and education sectors. The FY18 IDA lending pipeline of $90 million includes the education sector support program ($30 million IDA + $5 million GEF), The Gambia electricity restoration and modernization project ($40 million) and programmatic Development Policy Operation ($20 million). Key representatives from sector ministries, project implementation units’ staff, staff of the key directorates of the Ministry of Finance and Economic affairs and members of the World Bank Gambia Country Team participated in the CPPR. The CPPR meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Abdoulie Jallow, and Mr. Ansumana Touray, Deputy Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and Mrs. Elene Imnadze, World Bank Country Representative in The Gambia. The World Bank presented an overview of the Gambia portfolio and Project Implementation Units’ presented status of each projects. 3. Key Findings of the CPPR • The Gambia national portfolio is performing well with disbursement ratio of 56.3% in September 2017 despite constraints that slows down the performance; • The Gambia regional portfolio is lagging with disbursement ratio of only 21.50 % (June- Oct 2017); • Four out of five investment projects have been rated Satisfactory for the Project Development Objective; • One investment project is rated Moderately Satisfactory for the Project Development Objective; ✓ The Gambia Integrated Financial Management Information System Project • Two investments projects rated Moderately Unsatisfactory for the Implementation progress; ✓ The Gambia Integrated Financial Management Information System Project ✓ The Gambia Commercial Agriculture and Value Chain Management Project • Weak monitoring of the KPIs and M&E tools to monitor KPIs • There are projects that request additional funding due to exchange loss and under budgeting 4. Major Challenges/ Constraints • Weak Monitoring and Evaluation system • Ambitious Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that do not reflect the reality on the ground • Lack of up-to-date knowledge of the Bank’s processes and procedures Page 3 of 12 • Weak communication channels between the line ministries, implementation agencies and the World Bank • Inadequate synergy between the project implementation units • Delays in conducting regular supervision missions affect project performance and hinder the process of addressing issues. These open doors to disagreement and misunderstanding between the World Bank and the PIUs 5.Recommendations from Projects Implementation Units on Portfolio Management • Consistent coordination and follow up with PIUs on project implementation by the World Bank • Timely mission announcements and coordination with PIUs for smooth and successful mission. This was recommended specifically to the GCAV project • WB to facilitate for Additional Financing of Projects such as GCAV projects that were affected by exchange rate • Projects to regularly communicate challenges and constraint through MoFEA for further discussion with the Bank • There is a need to explore on how IFMIS system can be expanded to all the projects in the Gambia • Participation of Permanent Secretaries of line ministries in all upcoming CPPRs • World Bank to build capacity of project M&E officers to help them conduct an internal assessment using M&E tool for regular follow up of project status • Put in place regular information sharing mechanisms between the Country Office and the PIUs • Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (DAC) to organize a working session with PIUs to share lessons and good practices Page 4 of 12 5. The Gambia CPPR Action Plan The table below provides a concise summary of the proposed actions to address challenges Completion Constraints/Challenges Proposed Actions Responsible Risk Deadline • To conduct an assessment on the M&E functionality for Limited M&E capacity of each project and Bank, MoFA March 30th Medium PIUs determine gaps and PIUs 2017 • Conduct M&E training for implementing partners • Introduce regular meetings between the government and World Bank and among line ministries Lack of updated and • Effective regular communication communication MoFA/WB Quarterly Medium (PIUS, line ministries through aide and WB) memoir and reports • Arrange for a platform to share lessons and experience among PIUs (synergy) Limited in country skills • Review projects WB, MoFA, line /experts in irrigation and address the ministries and June 2018 High and land development issue during MTR PIUs Page 5 of 12 Completion Constraints/Challenges Proposed Actions Responsible Risk Deadline and project restructuring Directorate of PMU staffing and staff HR of line September • PMU staffing on turnover (high mobility ministries, 2018 Medium full time bases of key staff) MoFA, PIUs Lack of internet connectivity to access PIUs to use the WB PIUs and WB Regularly High World Bank system such facilities to connect to as client connection client connection • Monitor the Procurement Plan to maintain PIUs, the disbursement Low disbursement rate dynamic Procurement Regularly Low of the regional projects • Monitor the work expert, FMS and plan to ensure Bank team implementation is not delayed Limited knowledge of PIUs and line ministries Regular training on FM, procurement, M&E and WB Regularly Medium on the World Bank procedures and process social safe guard Page 6 of 12 Annex I Sector specific PIUs Action Points 1) Africa Higher Education Center of Excellence (ACE) P 126974 Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline Students’ progress reports/results Engage the centers National Focal Point – MoHERST On-going from the centers Access to Internet facilities Engage the Centers National Focal Point - MoHERST On going Engaging Funding for the remaining activities MoHERS Dec-17 MoFEA/WB 2) Results for Education Achievement and Development (READ) P 133079 Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline Low Government allocation to the Engaging MoFEA MoBSE On going Education sector Engaging Government and looking Providing access to electricity to MoBSE / for possible funding to provide On-going SSS especially in the Rural areas Government Solar System Seeking Government and donor Expansion of PSI/PMI to all SSS MoBSE / MoFEA On-going funding Ensuring 100% attendance during Engaging Communities MoBSE On-going NAT assessment Page 7 of 12 3) Commercial Agriculture and Value Chain Management Project P125024 Deadline for the Actions issues to be Responsible Observation resolved A meeting was held between the project, the Consultant and the Contractor during which a Nov 2017– Jan 2018 road map (Revised work plan) was agreed for for the vegetable CPCU to the Contractor to prepare and submit to gardens and Nov CPCU/GCAV/Contractors finalize the GCAV management for review. This work plan 2017-June 2018 to and Supervising Engineer 2nd trench will be used to monitor the remaining civil complete all the of payment works for the Irrigated rice and vegetable civil works in T.I.S gardens. GCAV and GCCI and rice important to GCCI to undertake a field visit to CRR/South and summit the NOV-Dec 2017 CPCU/GCAV CRR/North to have firsthand information of proposal for the rice produced in the region the field visit Waiting for A request for additional financing has been CPCU/MOA/MOFEA and June-Dec 2017 Bank’s submitted to MOFEA for WB to consider WB response Review the Contract Engage the service provider (NIFTY) to CPCU/M&ETWG/NIFTY and Dec-17 between remove the online connection of the GANAD Nema NIFTY and Nema Conduct M&E training for implementing Dec-17 CPCU/M&ETWG partners Page 8 of 12 4) Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health Results Project (MCNHRP) P143650 Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Deadline Re-allocation and Slow disbursement of funds and 30th adjustment of project implementation of activities during the second FMS and Bank November categories through half of this year 2017 restructuring Implementation of the Directorate of HRH Frequent movement and change of staff HRH Policy and Jun-18 (MOHSW Strategy Page 9 of 12 5) West Africa Regional Fisheries Program of the Gambia P161906 Responsible Constraints Actions suggested Deadline person(s) Govt to put fisheries on MoFEA and Fisheries not on Govt priority area the priority areas in the Immediate MoFWRNAMs NDP Reduction of 30m pledge to 8m. This has Govt to negotiation with MoFEA and drastically reduced the scope of work in the the WB to honor the Immediate MoFWRNAMs proposed landing sites. pledge. Page 10 of 12 6) Gambia Electricity Support Project (GESP) P152659 Constraints Actions suggested Responsible Observation Scope change Manage Scope changes Re-enforce regular meetings and Steering Managing personnel committee Communication Provision of good Internet for Client connection and STEP PMU Staffing PMU staffing on full time bases Recent Port Clearance Effective communication Page 11 of 12 7) IFMIS AFI & II Deadline for the Actions issues to be Responsible Observation resolved Challenges in effective use of IFMIS system since the upgrade to Epicor 9. To step up the Hence, delay in the expansion of the implementation of system to additional sites. A proposal the IFMIS was made to upgrade Epicor 10 to migration to Epicor overcome the challenges of the current 10 version. To build the Delay in the implementation IFMIS capacity of IFMIS Epicor 10 migration because looking users to ensure forward to a strategic approach effective use of the system Delay in the implementation of the ERMS because one of the bidders filed in a petition against the outcome of the procurement. Low disbursement Rate To step up the implementation of the IFMIS AF1 to improve on the disbursement rate Page 12 of 12