GERMAN GOVERNMENT (BMZ) PROPOSES AN EXTERNAL

UNCLAS ROME 005511

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR ACTING A/S IO WOOD, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA WINNICK
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS, DCHA/PPE LYNCH
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS/RTILSWORTH
USUN NEW YORK FOR CSERWER
NAIROBI FOR REDSO
UNCLASSIFIED

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TOKYO FOR USAID REP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN
SUBJECT: GERMAN GOVERNMENT (BMZ) PROPOSES AN EXTERNAL
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF WFP'S DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO -
USMISSION REQUEST FOR PARTIAL USAID FUNDING

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SUMMARY
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1. THE GERMAN MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND
DEVELOPMENT (BMZ) HAS PROPOSED AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF
WFP'S DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO AND EXPRESSED THE WISH THAT THE
EVALUATION BE CONDUCTED WITH OTHER DONOR PARTNERS. DENMARK
AND THE NETHERLANDS ARE SUPPORTIVE. A TERMS OF REFERENCE
(TOR) PAPER WAS DISCUSSED INFORMALLY WITH DONORS DURING THE
RECENT THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF THE WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD AND
IS SUMMARIZED HEREWITH. USMISSION IS FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF A
U.S.G. PARTIAL FUNDING/"BUY-IN" TO THIS PROPOSED REVIEW OF
WFP'S ENABLING DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND REQUESTS USAID/FFP
FINANCIAL SUPPORT. END SUMMARY.

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BACKGROUND
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2. THE GERMAN MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND
DEVELOPMENT (BMZ) HAS PROPOSED AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF
WFP'S DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO. DR. HORST BREIR (HEAD OF
EVALUATION, BMZ) ADDRESSED AN INFORMAL DONOR SESSION OF THE
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THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF WFP'S EXECUTIVE BOARD ON OCTOBER
23, AND PRESENTED A DRAFT TOR NON-PAPER. HE CONFIRMED THAT
GERMANY IS PREPARED TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THIS EXTERNAL
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION AND EXPRESSED THE WISH THAT THE
EVALUATION BE CO-FUNDED AND GUIDED IN COLLABORATION WITH
OTHER DONOR PARTNERS. A QUALIFIED CONTRACTING FIRM WOULD BE
SELECTED THROUGH AN INTERNATIONAL TENDERING PROCESS. DENMARK
AND THE NETHERLANDS AFFIRMED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS
UNDERTAKING.


3. THE STUDY WOULD BE A FOLLOW ON TO A TRIPARTITE EVALUATION
OF WFP, CONDUCTED BY CANADA, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY OVER
THE PERIOD 1991-94. IT WOULD SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE
PRESENT STATUS OF WFP'S FOOD AID AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY, AS
ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IN MAY 1999; THE LEVEL OF
FUNDING, TRENDS AND SCOPE OF WFP'S DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO;
AND THE ABILITY OF WFP TO MEET ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS WITH
REGARD TO TARGETING, PARTICIPATION, RESULTS-BASED MANAGEMENT
AND PROGRAM IMPACT. THE EVALUATION WILL PRINCIPALLY FOCUS ON
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WFP'S 1999
POLICY, INCLUDING IDENTIFICATION OF DEVELOPMENT CONTEXTS IN
WHICH FOOD AID MAKES SENSE AND POSSIBLE NEED FOR GREATER WFP
FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION OF ITS DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS.


4. BMZ PROPOSES A YEAR-AND-A-HALF TIME FRAME (JANUARY 2003-
JUNE 2004). A RESTRICTED STEERING COMMITTEE OF DONOR
EVALUATION EXPERTS (INCLUDING A WFP EVALUATION MEMBER) WOULD
BE ESTABLISHED (TOTAL 5-6 PERSONS) TO GUIDE THE PROCESS. WFP
WOULD BE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL STAGES OF THE
EVALUATION AND ACT AS A FACILITATOR OF THE PROCESS, WHILE
THE DONORS ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT WILL ENSURE THE HIGH DEGREE OF
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INDEPENDENCE OF THE EVALUATION.

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COMMENT
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5. USMISSION SEES THIS BMZ PROPOSED INDEPENDENT EVALUATION
AND OFFER OF PARTIAL FUNDING AS BOTH TIMELY AND HIGHLY
DESIRABLE. THE REVIEW WILL ANALYZE BOTH THE STATUS OF WFP
PROGRESS RELATED TO ENGAGING HOST COUNTRY GOVERNMENTS AND
INSTITUTIONS IN THE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT
OF ITS DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH WFP
AND ITS UN SISTER AGENCIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY
LINK TOGETHER FOOD AID AND FOOD SECURITY STRATEGIES.
USMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT DCHA/FFP AND PPE GIVE DUE
CONSIDERATION TO PARTIAL FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED
EVALUATION. HALL

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME05511 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED