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CRDB/CDC
Progress on TWG
Action Plans for 2009 I. Progress in Implementing TWG 2009 Action Plan
As the overall perspective, since the last 14th GDCC meeting held in April 2009, the implementation of TWG Action Plans for 2009 has been progressed well. Most of the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) have followed-up the activities and scheduled action plans for 2009 (TWGF&E, PSD, FSN, HIV/AIDS, Education, Fisheries, LJR, PAR, Health, D&D, IRI, Land, Gender) as they prepared for the last GDCC, while the rest have changed mostly the activities of their scheduled 2009 action plans (TWGAW, RWSSH, PPR, and MA); more activities have been established.
a. Common Progress: Most progress has been made among TWGs in implementing 2009 action plans. Most of TWGs (TWGAW, F&E, PSD, FSN, HIV/AIDS, MA, Health, Fisheries, Land, and Gender) have and will fully complete their action plans on the schedule. In addition, they have and will complete and continue to implement their own core strategies, programs, and plans such as F&E (National Forest Program Development), PSD (Three-year rolling plan of trade related-reforms Trade SWAP), FSN (Concept note for mapping exercise of Social Safety Net systems in Cambodia), HIV/AIDS (National Strategic Plan for Multi-sector Response to HIV/AIDS 2001-2015), PPR (NSDP update 2009-2013, PIP 2010-2012), MA (TWGMA Guideline), Education (Annual Operational Plan), Fisheries (Ownership, Alignment, Harmonization, Managing for Result, and Mutual Accountability), PAR (NPAR 2009-2013 Action Plan), D&D (National Program on D&D), IRI (Improvement of Road Maintenance Mechanism, Improvement of Overload Control Program and Implementation of Initial Road Safety Awareness Program), Land (Comprehensive Land Policy), and Gender (MoWA 5-year Strategic Plan), PFM (Consolidated Action Plan for stage 2), in which these action plans and strategies would encourage development partners to more support and align their resources with National Strategies and Plans. Above all, Coordination and partnership within TWGs and with development partners have been mostly established through regular meetings and workshops, and other TWG mechanisms.
b. Specific progress of TWGs (AW, Health, and Education) For instance, the TWG on Agriculture and Water (TWGAW) has completed the National Five Programs, and the five programs would be harmonized under Strategy for Agriculture and Water (SAW). Moreover, the information on activities and project database of TWGAW in the website is updated regularly. Besides, capacity building has been accelerated within TWGs. Harmonization and Alignment (H&A) of Donor Assistance with National Priories of TWG-Health has been established and followed up, while the other strategies like Civil Society engagement and Key Strategic Issues have been identified and implemented. For TWG-Education, there are some on-going activities such as: Briefing on final draft of AOP 2010, timeframe and support needs for Education Congress 2010, modality and timeframe for formulation of a comprehensive mid-term CD plan, Monitoring actions for JMI and Monitoring progress of formulation of ESP/ESSP, review of JTWG annual work plan 2009 and 2010, and so forth; those activities need to be reported in September and November, 2009. Consequently, strengthening of each TWGs ownership and leadership is becoming more progress.
c. Challenges:
Therefore, some TWGs (TWGRWSSH, PPR, Education, LJR, D&D and IRI) have remained some behind-scheduled activities because of some challenges. For instance, from January to April 2009 (during the 14th GDCC), the Technical Working Group on Education (TWG-Education) has remained some behind-scheduled activities - Agree on modality, process and timeframe of formulation of AOP 2010 in March 2009 and review budget disbursement and expenditure in 2008 - due to waiting for agreement of Aide Memoir on Education Congress, MoEYS next academic priority areas, and approved Budget Strategic Plan 2011 - 2013. Moreover, from May to November (during the 15th GDCC), TWG-Education has some behind-scheduled activities (Agree on modality, process and timeframe of formulation of ESP/ESSP 2011-2015 in May 2009, agree on modality, process and timeframe of AOP 2009 mid-term year review in May 2009, and discuss on aid effectiveness) because of waiting for the principles of ESP/ESSP that it should be aligned with Updated NSDP (2009-2013), the cancellation of process of mid-year review of AOP 2009, and waiting for aid effectiveness advisor.
TWG-RWSSH has also remained some behind-scheduled activities (7th TWG-RWSSH meeting held on September 01 2009, and involvement in the development of sector strategy for RWSSH) due to DP representatives were not available and the process of changing of consultant. For TWG-LJR, the Coordination and Cooperation with implementing ministries and DPs has encountered the challenge which causes its activity behind the schedule. In this case, the ability of line Ministries to participate in the existing reforms of this TWG are limited. Besides, the activity on Adoption of National Program in the 3rd quarter of 2009 of TWG D&D is behind the schedule due to NCDD communicated that the National Program will be adopted by end of year 2009 during the Consultative Workshop (draft 4a NP-SNDD 19-20 August). Furthermore, the coordinating the preparation of AOP 2009 to implement MPSP 2006-2010 of TWG on Planning and Poverty Reduction (TWG-PPR) is also behind the schedule. Development Partners have not provided any resource to implement MPSP 2006-2010. For TWG-IRI, the process of elaborating a directive that clearly shows a vision of road maintenance and necessary actions to reach the vision is behind the schedule because of the lengthy procedural steps for completion of different elements of the project (effectiveness, procurement, MBPI, reporting, the consultants scheduled to advise MPWT are not in place). Moreover, there has been slow progress in selection of consultant serviced by (IPA) of Road Asset Management Project.
d. Specific Recommendations for GDCC consideration:
- TWGAW: Fund for implementation of the five programs is the main issue to consider. The fund provided for the integration of these five programs into NSDP extension after harmonization may be delayed due to the endorsement of the new NSDP. Further, it needs to improve the design of the CDC data base on the specific information linked to TWG.
-TWGD&D: Even though the drafting of Law on Sub-National Finance has been entrusted to a joint working group of MEF and MoI; this group (MEF and MoI) has begun to meet but not regularly. The NCDD sub-Committee on finance has not yet met. In addition, a draft sub-decree on SN development plans has been prepared, but further discussion and revision is required. It should be increased inter-governmental and broader Cambodian stakeholder consultations on NP-SNDD draft for the remainder of 2009; and District fund does not yet appear to have begun in 2009. Unlikely that District Fund will be operational in 2010.
-TWGIRI: ADB has assured the budget for the remaining infrastructure provisions for the 7 permanent weigh stations financed by ADB, if and only if MPWT submits a sustainable medium-term weigh station operation program to ADB by September 2009 for review and approval. This program should include effective measures to resolve problem areas of operation, as observed, communicated to MPWT and discussed extensively with y ADB missions during the trail operations of 2008 and 2009. However, there have been the needs for DPs to support the MBPI program for the operation of the Permanent Weigh Stations to prevent truck overloading.
-TWGFSN: NSDP Secretariat should inform TWG-FSN Secretariat timely about all steps in the formulation process of NSDP update. Moreover, TWG-FSN will establish closer link with the NSDP Secretariat to ensure FSN inputs (on FSN and SSN) are well reflected in the document. It would be good if a more systematic coordination and close linkages between TWG-FSN and SNEC could be ensured. It should also be worth regularly inviting representative(s) of TWG-FSN to participating in meetings of the task force. CRDB should help identify or organize such kinds of trainings for all TWGs. At the same time, TWG-FSN will also try to look for appreciate trainings for its support staff.
-TWG-Fisheries: GDCC should provide regular information to TWGF Secretariat about all new DP programmes/projects in fisheries so that the TWGF can help ensure programme cohesion at the sector level.
-TWG-PPR: AOP for 2009 was prepared by MOP. However, it was not fully implemented because of lack of support from DPs.. DPs are needed to support the formulation and funding of a support program in order to implement MPSP.
- TWG LJR: All relevant institutions need to be involved in the LJR TWG (and at an appropriate level of representation).
- TWG Land: DPs support the
RGC to move forward with legal and policy frameworks in order to
accelerate the ongoing activity on preparation on comprehensive land
and policy?
Annex
I. Summary table of TWG 2009 Action Plan |
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II. Issues and Needs raised by TWGs:
Most of TWGs (A&W, PSD, Education, Fisheries and D&D) have raised issues and their needs for GDCCs consideration. For instance, the below table would reveal any issues encountered by each TWG in detail, as well as, address their needs in order to mitigate the issues. |
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However, strengthening ownership of TWGs through developed, review and monitored of their strategies and programs as well as capacity building within TWGs based on the progress of Implementing 2008 Action Plan and Formulating 2009 Action Plan would align with NSDP goals and targets.
III. Resource Mobilization
a. Resources to manage the workload identified in its Annual Work plan and priority activities identified in CDCFs JMI
Based on the TWG progress reports, resources to manage the workload identified in the TWG 2009 Action Plans remained a challenge for majority of TWGs. Currently, there are eight TWGs (TWG- AW, PSD, HIV/AIDS, PPR, PAR, D&D, IRI, Land, and Gender), which have insufficient resources to implementing their Action Plan and to accelerating their operational works. However, some TWGs (RWSSH, MA, Education, Fisheries, LJR and Health) have the sufficient resources to improve their operational works, policies and strategies, especially their hold functioning.
For instance, TWG-PPR has insufficient resources to accelerate its operational work due to the lack of attention of development partners. Some of them need support as the Block Grant from CRDB/CDC. For example, TWG-Health and RWSSH have mentioned that most of their resources depend on the Block Grant Support from MDSP/CRDB. Besides, TWG-F&E has just partly-sufficient resource to manage its workload, due to the funding of development partners is not fully supported. In this case, development partners provided fully fund to support JMI 9.1 (Implement all provisions of the applicable laws and regulations, including establishing and making public the log book of Economic Land Concessions, Mining Concessions and other concession forms under the jurisdiction of MAFF, MoE, MIME.), but not fully support JMI 9.2 and 9.3 (9.2. At least 1,000 Km of forestland boundary and two more protected areas demarcated both on the map and ground, 9.3. At least 100 Community Forestry Sites and 10 Community Protected Areas officially approved). In addition, TWG-IRI needs technical support to produce road map in sector of TWG-IRI; therefore, the initial resources is interested by JICA, but it needs to discuss more on some issues occurred.
b. Challenges in securing resources for TWG Annual Work Plan and resolutions
Most of challenges in securing resources have been occurred among TWGs (AW, F&E, RWSSH, PPR, Education, IRI and Land), while other TWGs have not yet confirmed about their challenges (TWG-PSD, FSN, PAR and D&D). The main challenges in securing resources of those TWGs usually come from DPs sides; those challenges are caused by the use of external resources provided by DPs. Some DPs provides assistance to TWGs with different ways and conditions; that it may challenge the sustainability of work of those TWGs. For instance, TWG-PPR has mentioned the challenge in securing TWG resources is caused by the limited support from DPs. Furthermore, most of TWGs have not raised resolutions in securing their resources. Therefore, TWG-Land, for its resolution, has mentioned that Block Grant Support as MBPI component would be requested. The Ownership of line Ministries within the TWG-IRI in producing the Roadmap of their relevant sector is the key challenge in securing its resources. However, JICA will support to improve the issue. |
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