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Public investment project management improves through JICA
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) technical cooperation Project for Enhancing Capacity of Public Investment Programme (PCAP II) comes to an end in August this year.
Ahead of the project's close, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong and senior representative of the JICA Laos office Mr Yoshiharu Yoneyama yesterday exchanged the minutes of the Meeting for the Conclusion of its Terminal Evaluation Studies.
According to a JICA press release, the public investment project is one of the most essential and effective means to achieve National Social-Economic Development Plan targets. Proper project management is essential to increase the transparency and accountability of the development activities conducted by the Lao government.
The government has faced difficulties managing their public investment projects in the past. Very few of them were appropriately planned, provided with proper resources, smoothly implemented, or regularly monitored and evaluated. As a result, many of them were ineffective in advancing development.
In response to the urgent need to establish effective standards, procedures, and tools for public investment project management in Laos, JICA has been supporting the Ministry of Planning and Investment with a series of technical cooperation projects.
The first PCAP was conducted from November 2004 to October 2007 to develop basic methods and tools for monitoring and evaluating public investment projects.
This was followed by PCAP II, launched in March 2008, to further improve reporting, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation procedures for submission to the National Assembly for annual budget approval.
The Terminal Evaluation Studies team concluded that PCAP II has contributed greatly to the improved management of public investment projects and increased the capacity of the ministry and organisations involved in public investment projects to better manage their work.
The enactment of the Public Investment Law in December 2009 also enhanced the authorisation of methods and formats developed by PCAP II.
It was agreed by both the ministry and JICA that further cooperation is still needed to improve effectiveness and efficiency in public investment project management.
vientiane times
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