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JICA supports public investment plan
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has conducted a detailed planning survey to formulate a new technical cooperation project with the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
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Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong ( right ) shakes hands with Dr Nobuhisa Takeda after signing the agreement. | Deputy Minister Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong and JICA Senior Advisor Dr Nobuhisa Takeda signed an agreement last week for the conclusion of the survey for the project, which will be named “The Project for Establishing Public Investment Plan under NESDP (PCAP3)”, according to JICA.
The public investment scheme is an essential and effective way to achieve National Socio-economic Development Plan (NSEDP) targets. The proper management of these public investment projects is essential to increasing transparency and accountability of development activities conducted by the Lao government.
However, the Lao government has had difficulty managing its projects. Very few of them were properly planned, given necessary resources, smoothly implemented, or regularly monitored and evaluated. As a result, they were ineffective in contributing to the development of the country.
JICA has continuously supported the Ministry of Planning and Investment through a series of technical cooperation projects to establish workable standards, procedures and tools for public investment project management.
The “Project for Capacity Building in Public Investment Programme Management” (PCAP1) was conducted from November 2004 to October 2007 to develop basic methods and tools for monitoring and evaluating public investment projects, JICA reported.
This was followed by the “Project for Enhancing Capacity in Public Investment Programme Management” (PCAP2) launched in March 2008, aiming to further improve reporting, assessment, monitoring and evaluation procedures of public investment projects for submission to the National Assembly to obtain annual budget approval.
PCAP3 will continue its work with the ministry and its subordinate organisations, aiming to develop a comprehensive framework so that public investment projects will be managed through a newly developed Mid-Term Public Investment Plan.
PCAP 3 will co-develop this Plan, which will be closely linked with the NSEDP targets and more inclusive of financial management aspects, aiming to balance the goal with financial capability.
The project will also develop measures for effective operation of public investment projects through terminal and post evaluation, ODA project information management and capacity development in district-level public investment management.
The project will closely work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and its subordinate organisations at the provincial and district levels in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and development partners.
The project is scheduled to be launched in March 2012, after the official signing of a Record of Discussions between the ministry and JICA.
vientiane times
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