| General Information |
Project/Program |
Project |
| Project Name |
KH - Cambodia Sac |
| Duration |
February 2000 to December 2003 |
| Donor |
World Bank |
| Implementiong Organization |
World Bank |
| Sector and/or Subsector Classification |
Forestry
|
| Region |
Cambodia |
| Financing |
30.00US $M |
| Analytical Information |
Stakeholders |
World Bank, Sweden, , Central government administration, Other social services, General industry and trade sector, Agriculture fishing and forestry; Law and justice and public administration; Health and other social services |
| Cross-cutting Issue |
Environment |
|
| Gender |
|
| Impact Analysis |
1) The macro-economic framework was kept on track.
2) The main impact of the project has probably been a much greater awareness among politicians and Government officials of the complexity in tackling a wide range of reforms. In the case of Cambodia, isolated for three decades, increased exposure to the policies, practices and procedures of multilateral and bilateral donors is a very important learning process.
3) Initial steps were taken in raising transparency and in bringing public opinion exposed to the issues of corruption and lack of governance in public sector management and in the forestry sector.
4) Budgetary allocations to the social sectors were increased to match the Government's strategy on poverty reduction. |
| Effectiveness |
Ownership/Partnership |
Evaluation |
Governance: (i) conducting surveys on governance and corruption; (ii) preparation of a diagnosis of the problems based on the results of the surveys; (iii) preparation of an action plan to enhance governance and fight corruption; (iv) dissemination of the findings of the surveys; and (v) begin implementation of the action plan. Other measures in the governance area were: (i) preparation of a new Commercial Code and (ii) submission to the National Assembly of the ratification act related to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Awards and its related implementing regulations. |
| Rating |
3/5 |
| Policy Coherence/Harmonization |
Evaluation |
An improved pre-shipment inspection system was adopted tightening customs duties collection and speeding up shipments. Little progress was achieved in tax administration due to weak capacity. In forestry management, a crucial issue in Cambodia, progress was achieved but with many difficulties and much delay in reaching program expectations. The Government pursued its policy of cracking down on illegal logging and of reporting forest crimes on a quarterly basis. |
| Rating |
3/5 |
| Evaluation Framework |
Evaluation |
The ICR is broadly satisfactory in providing the information to make an assessment of performance under the project. The following should be noted, however. First, the ICR should rate each component and the information/evidence presented should explain and justify the rating in each case. Second, there are too many repetitions concerning the conditions for Board presentation and tranche release, in the text and again in annexes. Third, by concentrating on the SAC-specific conditions, there is little discussion of the status of and/or progress in the accompanying policy actions (column 5 of the PR matrix), which could have provided a broader picture. Finally, the ICR would have benefited from editing. |
| Rating |
4/5 |
| Alignment/Composition of Finance |
Evaluation |
With respect to the second tranche, Cambodia was not able to meet two of the eight conditions for release and two waivers were granted by the Board in December 2003. One waiver related to the length of the tax holiday period under the revised LOI: the condition was to limit the tax holiday period to three years while the amended law provides for three years plus a possible extension after evaluation by the Government. The second waiver related to the requirement that the ratio of disbursements for the priority sectors combined (health, education, agriculture and rural development) to their allocation in the FY 2000 budget year be at par with the ratio for all the other sectors combined. |
| Rating |
3/5 |
| Other Remarks |
One-tranche operations are better suited to borrowers with very low institutional and administrative capacity as they allow more flexibility during preparation and supervision and avoid the embarrassment of multiple extensions of the closing date. |
