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MANAGING for DEVELOPMENT RESULTS (MfDR)

MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THE WADAKKIN WASANTHAM PROGRAMME - Field Visit to Jaffna District

	A team of officials of the Ministry of Plan Implementation (MPI) visited the Jaffna District from 28th February to 02nd March, 2010, to monitor the progress of the Wadakkin Wasantham Programme. During the visit, discussions were held with Mr. K. Ganesh, District Secretary, Jaffna, the Divisional Secretaries in the Jaffna District and the Director (Planning) of the District Secretariat. Field visits were conducted to assess the progress in selected Wadakkin Wasantham development projects. The Ministry team was led by Mr. C.M.M.Chandrasekera, Additional Secretary, who made a presentation on the Managing for Development Results (MfDR) initiative of MPI to the District Secretary and other key officials at district level. This presentation helped to create among these officials, a better understanding of MPI's monitoring role and process towards the achievement of real results in development projects and also helped to establish a better link to obtain the support of district level officers, for MPI's monitoring activities

Progress Review Meeting of Foreign funded Mega Development Projects

	The Ministry of Plan Implementation (MPI) organized a series of progress review meeting for selected mega projects to discuss project progress, implementation issues and constraints during the month of March 2010. 15 Project Directors and other officers attended these meetings. Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation chaired the meetings. Director General of the Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring also participated in the meetings. The Project Directors presented their projects progress and discussed issues in relation to the land acquisitions, procurement problems, delay in releasing of imprest which had been identified as key concerns in project implementation. Senior officers from the line Ministries, representative of the Department of the Budget, Department of External Resources and Department of National Planning participated and discussed as to how some of these issues could be addressed.

UNDP/TA Project for Strengthening Plan Implementation Capacity Project Board Meeting - 2010

The Project Board meeting under the UNDP funded Technical Assistance Project for Strengthening Plan Implementation Capacity was held on February 23rd, 2010 at the National Operations Room of the Ministry of Plan Implementation.

The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary, MPI and was attended by UNDP officials Ms. Beate Trankmann, Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), Dr. Fredrick Abeyratne, Senior Project Analyst and Mrs. Geraldine Ratnasingham, Programme Associate.

Representatives of the National Council for Economic Development also attended this meeting. Further, the Additional Secretaries of the Ministry of Plan Implementation and the Director General, Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring also participated. Director General presented last year achievement of the project. After that discussions were held.

Exposure Visit for the Course on Advanced Project Analysis Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management University of Peradeniya

University of Peradeinya – Post Graduate Students visited the National Operations Room of the Ministry of Plan Implementation on 10th December 2009 to study the National Monitoring and Evaluation system and the Managing for Development Results (MfDR) initiative.

The team was headed by Dr. Anoma Ariyawardana and Dr. Jeevika Weerahewa Senior Lecturers of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management of the University of Peradeniya and included 40 over participants from University.

The presentations on National Monitoring and Evaluation Systems was delivered by the Secretary / Ministry of Plan Implementation and Director General of the Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring and it was followed by discussion.

Asia Regional Forum: Mainstreaming Managing for Development Results (MfDR)t

A meeting of government institutions who are leaders in aid utilisation, donors and development partners took place on Thursday 15th October. The purpose of the meeting was to consult with stakeholder to obtain their ideas in formulating an action plan for improving aid effectiveness. The half day meeting was organised by the Ministry of Plan implementation and the Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring.

After key presentations from the Secretary MPI, the Director General FABM and Senior Operations Officer WB set the context by describing facts and figures, and the principles of aid effectiveness and relevant data from previous years on donor funded initiatives, a brainstorm session was held to gather do-able realistic actions. These were collected and classified under themes; three major themes emerged. The themes were distributed among participants working in groups who then made suggestions for actions and assigned responsibilities to create a draft plan of action.

The draft plan of action pointed out cruicial areas for further action. The government agencies that participated in the meeting will be invited back for consultation in order to finalise an action plan for improving capacities for the effective utilisation of aid.

Enhancing Aid Effectiveness � short report

Budget Call 2010: Introduction of MfDR/ Performance Budgeting to the line Ministries.

The Ministry of Plan Implementation in close collaboration with Ministry of Finance and Planning and Department of National Budget introduced and operationalised the concept of Performance Budgeting by integrating MfDR initiative to the National Budget process. All 55 line Ministries were oriented to identify KPIs with thrust areas to operationalize the Budget Call 2010 issued by the Secretary to the Treasury.

Consequent to the Budget Call 2010, MPI and FABM assisted Line Ministries to select key indicators and targets for inclusion with budget estimates for 2010. Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy DG/FABM and Mr. S. Rahubadde, Consultant /MPI facilitating at one such meeting.

Institutionalization of Performance Budget in Government: Workshop held with the Ministry of Finance and Planning on Linking MfDR to the Annual National Budget 2010

The workshop was held on 16th July 2009 for the senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Planning. This workshop was chaired by Secretary Ministry of Plan Implementation Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake and the participation included two Deputy Secretaries to the Treasury, four Heads of Department of the Ministry of Finance and over 40 senior officials from the Treasuary.

Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary Ministry of Plan Implementation delivery the opening address outlined the strategy formulated and the implementation mechanisms that have been put in place, in the initiative of institutionalizing MfDR in Government. She also expressed appreciation of the high importance given by the Secretary to the Treasury to this initiative and also thanked the Director General, Department of National Budget for the cooperation extended.

Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunga, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury in his address outlined the significance of placing focus on planning and performance based budgeting to ensure the achievement of National Development Plans. He stressed on the necessity to work towards implementing the concept of Managing for Development Results (MfDR) to make progress in this regard.

Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy, Director General/ Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring made a detailed presentation on the overall concept of Managing for Development Results and Performance Based Budgeting. His presentation provided insight into the strategies and implementation mechanisms adopted in several States in USA, the approach of the Canadian Government as well as the focus of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and OECD/DAC in this regard.

Mr. S. Rahubadda, Consultant MfDR/ Ministry of Plan Implementation delivered his presentation on Agency Results Frameworks and Development of Sectoral Performance Frameworks targeted towards linking the budget and achievement of the goals of the overall National Development.

All participants agreed on the need to introduce MfDR in the 2010 budget and the budget call 2010 has incorporated the MfDR considering its national importance. The workshop also discussed the follow up actions needed to support the implementation of the national budget guidelines.

UNDP/TA Project for Strengthening Plan Implementation Capacity Project Board Meeting

The first meeting of the Project Board under the UNDP funded Technical Assistance Project for Strengthening Plan Implementation Capacity was held on March 24th, 2009 at the National Operations Room of the Ministry of Plan Implementation. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary, MPI and was attended by UNDP officials Ms. Beate Trankmann, Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), Dr. Fredrick Abeyratne, Senior Project Analyst and Mrs. Geraldine Ratnasingham, Programme Associate. Representatives of the Department of National Planning and the National Council for Economic Development also attended the meeting. Further, the Additional Secretaries of the Ministry of Plan Implementation and the Director General, Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring also participated. A Copy of the Agenda is attached.

Study Visit to Sri Lanka by members of the IPDET and IDEAS to study the MfDR Institutionalization initiative and the Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

The above study visit was facilitated by the Ministry of Plan Implementation and its Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring from 17th � 20th February, 2009. The event was inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Plan Implementation at the Ceylon Continental Hotel in the morning of 17th February. A 17 member study team was lead by Dr. Ray Rist, President of the IPDET and comprised of the alumni of the International Programme for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) and members of the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS) representing governments of several developing countries, donors and international and regional evaluation organizations.

The coverage of the study focused on the initiatives of the Government of Sri Lanka to institutionalize the Managing for Development Results (MfDR) concept, and the systems, applications and procedure that have been adopted for Monitoring and Evaluation of government development programmes. The Results Based Management approach adopted for development programmes in the Health Sector, Information and Communications Technology Development, Implementation of Development Projects and the systems of Development Information and Poverty Mapping as well as the performance review arrangements put in place by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) of Parliament were presented and discussed at length during the study visit.

At the conclusion of the study visit the team expressed that they were impressed with the approach adopted and work being done in regard to inculcating a results based management and also expressed appreciation of the willingness, opportunity and cooperation extended by the Hon. Minister and the Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation in hosting and facilitating the study visit. The IPDET also expressed a keenness establish a closer collaboration with the Ministry of Plan Implementation by including a study visit to Sri Lanka in the regular annual training curriculum of the institute.

Study Visit on Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in Sri Lanka, by a Delegation from the Ministry of Finance, Afghanistan from 26th January to 3rd February, 2009

A thirteen (13) member delegation from the Ministry of Finance, Government of Afghanistan visited the Ministry of Plan Implementation and the key Ministries and development projects on a one (01) week Study Tour to study the monitoring procedure, systems and applications being used in Sri Lanka to monitor the progress and result achievement of development programmes and projects.

The scope of the study for the visiting delegation was drawn-up in order to provide the team an in-depth exposure to the following areas:

Current National Monitoring arrangements
Project Evaluation Methodology and Evaluation Information System
Managing for Development Results (MfDR)
Managing Results: Application of Readiness Assessment Tool
Monitoring Non ODA Development Programmes of the NGO
Evaluation Information System
Sectoral Monitoring Procedures

Water Sector Performance Indicators

Health Sector Development Results.

Development Information ; Poverty Mapping and Poverty Monitoring.

Community Development and Livelihood Improvement.

Application of Managing for Development Results at the Ministry level

The presentations on the subject areas were made by Senior Staff Officers of the Ministry of Plan Implementation and Senior Officials representing the key institutions in the relevant sectors which were covered in the study visit and followed by discussions.

The visiting delegation expressed their satisfaction and appreciation of the scope of coverage of the study topics and the level of development of the M&E system in Sri Lanka, which they indicated would be considered for modeling the development and implementation of the M&E Systems in the Government of Afghanistan.

Launch of the Project Management Capacity Enhancement Programme

The Project Management Enhancement Programme, an initiative of the Presidential Secretariat which is implemented by the Ministry of Plan Implementation was launched on 15th January, 2009. The event was conducted in collaboration with the Project Management Institute – Colombo Chapter.

The programme was launched with a Workshop for Ministry Secretaries.

Mr. Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary to the President, addressing the participants at the launch, emphasized the need for Ministry Secretaries to give their unstinted support for the development initiatives being taken by the Government. He stated that as Chief Executive Officers, Ministry Secretaries have an enormous responsibility to ensure that projects are completed on time, that they are cost efficient and that the intended benefits are delivered to the target beneficiaries. Mr. Weeratunge further said this Initiative had been conceived by the Presidential Secretariat in collaboration with the Project Management Institute – Colombo Chapter, to enable public officers who are responsible for implementing the Government's development programme to be better trained and equipped to deliver results in programmes coming within their purview.

Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary to the Ministry of Plan Implementation addressing the gathering stated that the Ministry was currently engaged in introducing Managing for Development Results (MfDR) as a strategy to all Government Ministries so as to ensure a focus on achieving real results from the Government’s development programme and to shift the focus from mere activities and outputs to outcomes and impacts. The MfDR strategy, if followed will ensure that the development programmes will contribute meaningfully towards improving the quality of life of our people. The current initiative of building Project Management capacity is one which complements the MfDR initiative since it focuses on one important component of project implementation.

Mr. Grant Jefferson, CEO, NEO Vartis, Middle East, whose services were made available by the Project Management Institute – Colombo Chapter, delivered a presentation on the ‘Best Practices in Project Management’. Mr. Lalith de Silva, President of the PMI-Colombo Chapter discussed findings of studies undertaken by the PMI-CC to ascertain the extent to which best practices our followed in Sri Lanka in some of the key projects.

The Secretaries to Line Ministries who participated at the Workshop expressed their appreciation of the effort and indicated that it would be valuable to develop capacity in Project Management among key staff who are engaged in project implementation.

Workshop for Project Directors to Discuss Project Implementation Issues

The Ministry of Plan Implementation (MPI) conducted a workshop for selected Project Directors in charge of mega projects to discuss project implementation issues on 13th January 2009. 22 Project Directors attended the meeting.

Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary Ministry of Plan Implementation made the opening address and explained the objectives of the workshop.

The workshop discussed issues in relation to the following areas which had been identified as key concerns in project implementation, by the Project Directors themselves.

Land Acquisition
Procurement
Contract Management
Project Management
Financial Management

Senior officers from the line Ministries and Departments participated as Resources Persons and discussed how some of these issues could be addressed.

The forum enabled Project Directors to share experiences and learn best practices.

Asia Pacific Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results - 2008 Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 11th November 2008 to 14th November 2008 and was co-hosted by the Ministry of Plan Implementation and Asian Development Bank. Delegates from 25 countries in the Asia Pacific Region attended this meeting to obtain first hand progress made to institutionalize Managing for Development Results (MfDR) Government wide in Sri Lanka.

It is indeed an honour for Sri Lanka to be selected as the venue for this meeting, given the fact that the country has made considerable progress on MfDR efforts. This forum was also attended by the Senior Government officials, donors and development partners. The UNDP is supporting the institutionalizing of MfDR within government; and the ADB has provided assistance towards readiness assessment and capacity building.

The Asia Pacific Annual Meeting of the CoP- MfDR was supported by the Asian Development Bank and this meeting offered an excellent forum for the mutual exchange of ideas in the region.

The Asia Pacific CoP-MfDR appreciated the emerging good practices of MfDR in Sri Lanka.

Launch of the e-DIMS

Minister of Ministry of Plan Implementation Hon. P. Dayaratne is Launching the e-Development Information Management System(e-DIMS) of the Ministry of Plan Implementation on 02nd October 2008 at the Waters Edge .
Several donors, NGOs and senior officials participated in the programme.

International Round Table on Managing for Development Results in Accra, Ghana , 2nd September 2008

The International Round Table on Managing for Development Results held in Accra on 2nd September 2008 and discussed the MfDR initiatives in the global context and the issues in institutilising at country level.

Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy, Director General, Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring of the Ministry of Plan Implementation was the key note speaker in this forum. The global issues and Sri Lankan initiative was also discussed.

This global forum was attended by Ministers, Senior Government officials, Donors and Civil society organizations and the discussion focused on using county systems for MfDR ,capacity building, incentives and importance of peer learning.

National WorkShop on the Evaluation of the Implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness , held on 12th August,2008

The Ministry of Plan Implementation in keeping with its mandate as the National Focal point for monitoring and evaluation undertook the evaluation of the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in Sri Lanka and based on these finding provided inputs for the global evaluation of the Paris Declaration.

The National workshop was conducted to disseminate the findings of the two studies - the Sri Lankan Evaluation and the Global Evaluation Synthesis. Secretaries to Ministries and other Senior Government officials, representatives of the donor community in Sri Lanka and representatives of the Civil Society organizations participated at the workshop.

Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary Ministry of Plan Implementation made the Opening address and referred to the need to focus on the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness with the view to improve the quality of aid to realize the objective of ensuring highest level of impact on the country’s developments programmes, for which aid is obtained. She also made specific reference to the importance of the concepts of institutionalizing Managing for Development Results (MfDR), which is an important principle of the Paris Declaration on which the major focus of the Ministry of Plan Implementation has been placed.

Mr. Neil Buhne, Resident Representative, UNDP spoke on the importance of the Paris Declaration from the country perspective and appreciated the role played by MPI in national and global context to take the aid effectiveness agenda forward.

Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy Director General Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring presented the synopsis of the Global Evaluation synthesis on the Implementation of the Paris Declaration while Mr. Asoka Gunawardena, Consultant to the Ministry of Plan Implementation presented the findings of the Evaluation in respect of the implementation of the Paris Declaration in Sri Lanka.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion which included Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary Ministry of Plan Implementation, Mr. S. Amarasekera, Secretary Ministry Highways and Road Development, Mr Neil Buhne Resident Representative UNDP and the two presenters.

The emphasis to broaden and deepen ownership, use country systems, harmonize donor procedures and arrangements, institutionalize results focus and improve accountability, transparency and governance were strongly stressed.

Medium term predictability, use of country systems, untying of aid, mutually agreed conditionalities, division of labour and need based capacity development were identified as core for aid effectiveness.

The need to localized an action agenda on Paris Declaration for Sri Lanka was endorsed by the forum.

Yemen Study Team Visited Sri Lanka

A four-member government delegation from the Republic of Yemen were in Colombo from 4 –8 June to learn from Sri Lanka’s experiences in implementing M & E system and MfDR in the public sector.

The delegation which was hosted by the Ministry of Plan Implementation (MPI) met with officials of the MPI and Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring (D/FABM) to discuss issues such as national monitoring arrangements, electronic project monitoring system, (e-PMS) Evaluation Methodologies and the Evaluation Information System to promote evidence based decision and policy making. They were oriented on these systems by MPI and Department of FABM.

They were also introduced to Sri Lanka’s system for monitoring development programmes implemented by NGOs, e-DIMS which is at the initial stage of design.

Yemen is taking the first steps to implement a comprehensive M&E system and MfDR; the delegation which included the Deputy Minister of Planning Economic Studies & Forecasts, Dr Mohamed Ahmed Al– Hawri and the Head of the Monitoring and Evaluation in the Ministry of International Cooperation, Mr. Ali Dahhaq were specially interested in learning the best practices and M &E systems including MfDR initiatives. The delegation also met with the line Ministry of Health, Department of Census and Statistics, World Bank funded Gamidiriya Project and Sri Lanka Evaluation Association (SLEvA).

Workshop On Institutionalizing Management for Development Results (MfDR) in the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage

A workshop on Institutionalizing Management for Development Results (MfDR) in the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage, which is one of the Phase 11 Ministries for institutionalizing MfDR, was held on 23rd May 2008.

The Agency Results Frameworks and the Score Cards of the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage and the institutions coming under its purview were presented at the workshop. Over 30 Key Performance Indicators (KPI) which had been identified were subject to intense discussions, based on which further work to develop the MfDR process will be carried out by the stakeholders..

While the Ministry of Plan Implementation gives the required inputs to develop the MfDR process, leadership for its institutionalization in the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage will be given by the Secretary to that Ministry and its other senior officials.

Workshop On Impact Evaluation

A workshop on Impact Evaluation was conducted under the sponsorship of the UNDP-TA Project of the Ministry of Plan Implementation on 21st May, 2008 with the participation of Dr. Howard White, Executive Director, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) as the Resource Person.

Dr. White elaborated on the necessity for stakeholder engagement, maintenance of an active loop for feedback and for results to be packaged and re-packaged in a usable way to ensure proper design of impact evaluation, relevant to the policy frameworks. He also stressed the need for lesson learning and their use for evidence based policy making in sectors and within sectors.

Among those present at the workshop were the UNDP Resident Representative, WB Country Director, Ministry Secretaries, representatives of research institutions and senior government officials of the 17 Ministries with which the Ministry of Plan Implementation is collaborating in institutionalizing Management for Development Results (MfDR) (also known as Results Based Monitoring) with a view to ensure efficient and effective implementation of Government Policies, Programmes and Projects.

Workshop to Institutionalize the Managing for Development Results

Ministry of Plan Implementation (MPI) conducted a workshop on 13th March 2008 to present the Agency Results Frame works (ARF) and score cards developed by the following line ministries in Phase I under the UNDP TA Project.

i. Ministry of Education
ii. Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition
iii. Ministry of Highways and Road Development Board
iv. Ministry of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Board
v. Ministry of Plan Implementation Board

This workshop chaired by the Mr. Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary to the President who addressed participants on the importance of this endeavor and the benefits that will accrue when the MfDR approach is institutionalized in Government.

Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake. Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation made the opening remarks which emphasized on the importance of institutionalizing managing for development results in the Ministries and Agencies.

This Workshop was attended by Secretaries, Senior Officers of line Ministries and Development Partners.

The workshop also discussed the experiences of the five Phase I Ministries in developing the ARF’s and the way forward. The workshop concluded that MfDR should be institutionalized all line Ministries and Departments.

Paris Declaration for Aid Effectiveness March 2005

Ministry of Plan Implementation conducted a National stakeholder workshop on Implementation of Paris Declaration for Aid Effectiveness for the senior officers of the line ministries and Donor partners on 31st August 2007 in Colombo. This National workshop was intended to create awareness on Paris Declaration and to review the implementation progress in Sri Lanka.

The workshop was inaugurated by the Hon. P. Dayaratne, Minister of Plan Implementation and Hon. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprises Development and Investment Promotion. The Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake delivered the opening remarks and emphasizes on the importance of monitoring the implementation of Paris Declaration to improve aid effectiveness.

A presentation on Paris Declaration was made by Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy, Director General, Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring of Ministry of Plan Implementation. ( See Presentation )

The panel discussion on implementation of Paris Declaration was chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake and included other members Mr. Neil Bhune, UN Resident Representative, Mr. Richard Vokes, Country Director, Asian Development Bank, Mr. Asoka Gunawardana, Chairman, Finance Commission, Dr. Lloyd Fernando, member, National Economic Council, Mr. Daya Liyanage, Chairman National Procurement Agency, and Mr. Patrick Vanden Bruen, Coordination Facilitator, Development Partners.

The Ministers of developed and developing countries and Heads of multilateral and bilateral donor institutions at a high level meeting in Paris in March 2005 agreed and committed to a set of far-reaching actions to reform the ways of delivering and managing aid to improve aid effectiveness and improve development performance. The commitments were known as Paris Declaration and the effective implementation of these commitments are expected to improve Aid Effectiveness. Over 100 countries signed the declaration. Multilateral and bilateral donors also signed the declaration. Sri Lanka is also a signatory to the Paris Declaration.

Paris Declaration is ambitious attempt to improve development impacts through more effective use of aid. The agreed principles of the Declaration emphasizes on country ownership, harmonization, alignment, mutual accountability and managing for development results. The Declaration goes beyond committing parities to clearly specified set of actions and behavioral changes. It also provides for periodic monitoring at the country level, so the governments of developing countries and their development partners are increasingly accountable to each other for the progress being made on the use of aid and its effectiveness.

The workshop concluded the need to effectively monitor and implement the Paris Declaration to ensure development effectiveness.

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Annual Review of UNDP TA Project

The Ministry of Plan Implementation initiated a project titled Strengthening Plan Implementation Capacity with financial support of the UNDP in Colombo.

After completion of one year, the Annual Tripartite Review of the TA Project was held on 13th August 2007 at the National Operations Room in the Ministry of Plan Implementation. This meeting was chaired by Mrs. Dhara Wijayatileka, Secretary, MPI and attend by a UNDP officers headed by Ms. Beate Trankmann and officials representing the Department of External Resources, Department of National Planning, Director General of D/FABM along with other officials of the Ministry of Plan Implementation.

The objective of this meeting was to assess the progress during the past year and to revise plan of action for the next year in order to achieve the goals of the project. At this meeting the progress on Results Based Monitoring initiatives and electronically progress monitoring system launch by the Ministry was highly appreciated. Further, it has been discussed that harmonization of ePMS and eDIMS systems so as to introduce single data entry system. The UNDP authority was also appraised that though the financial progress of the project was moderate, the physical progress of the project was highly impressive. The project contributed to introduce on RBM system, strengthen M&E capabilities of officers, strengthened electronic monitoring system, capital expenditure, progress monitoring and helped on staff capacity development. The overall progress is satisfactory.

Introduction of an Electronic Monitoring System to Monitor the progress of
capital expenditure and projects over Rs. 50 mn

The Ministry of Plan Implementation introduced an electronic monitoring system to track the progress of capital expenditure and projects over Rs.50 mn to all line Ministries. This Electronic System is capable of capturing data from line Ministries and generates reports progress of on capital expenditure and projects over Rs. 50 mn on a quarterly basis.

These reports will be submitted to the cabinet of ministers on a quarterly basis.

An awareness programme was launched under the leadership of Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation on 17th August 2007 to orient the senior officers and chief accountants of the line ministries.


	Monitoring of the Foreign Funded Projects


			Four senior government officers from the Republic of Yemen visited Sri Lanka for the 3 days study tour from 13th to 15th August 2007. This study visit focused on Monitoring and Evaluation of development projects and programmes and the Electronic Web-based Project Monitoring System maintained by the Ministry of Plan Implementation. The team comprises of the following. Ms. Lamis Abbas Mohammed - Unit Head, M&E Mr. Khaled Ahmed Ali � M & E unit Mr. Samer Ameen Noman - IT unit Head Mr. Ghamdan Abdulsamad Hazaea - Database Administrator, IT unit In this 3 days visit Yemen team met officers of the Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring, Ministry of Plan Implementation and other line ministries to study the Monitoring and Evaluation System in Sri Lanka. The Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation Mrs. Dhara Wijayatilake and senior officers with the study team.