POLITICAL PARTICIPATION FOR DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION IN SOUTH ASIA A SRI LANKAN PERSPECTIVE KABIR HASHIM

BRIEF HISTORY OF MfDR IN SRI LANKA 1999- “SRI LANKA EVALUATION ASSOCIATION” (SLEvA) FORMED 2003- NATIONAL OPERATIONS ROOM AT MINISTRY OF PLANNING 2003- NATIONAL EVALUATION POLICY FORMULATED In order to institutionalize performance budgeting systems, the Department of National Budgets and Treasury has revised its budget circulars to focus on “results”. The governments 3 years medium term expenditure framework incorporates outcome based key performance indicators to justify public expenditure. This helps to allocate resources rationally in a results oriented manner. Similarly National audits are moving towards “performance audits”

Ministry of Plan Implementation KEY INSTITUTIONS THAT ENABLE A COUNTRY TO MONITOR & EVALUATE ITS DEVELOPMENT GOALS Supreme Audit Office Ministry of Finance Parliament Ministry of Plan Implementation

ROLE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL IN SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION Article 154 empowers the A.G. to audit the accounts of all departments of government, ministries … Article 154(1) – The A.G. shall also perform and discharge such duties and functions as prescribed by Parliament by law Article 154 (5) -A.G. will have unlimited access to information The A.G.’s mandate is not only to audit the financial statements, but to look into accountability and performance THE AUDITOR GENERAL IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL MACHINE TO ASSIST THE PARLIAMENT TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE EXECUTIVE AND ITS DIRECTIVES

PARLIAMENTARY MECHANISMS FOR M&E ARTICLE 148- Parliament shall have full control over public finance OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES – Consultative committees Public Accounts Committees Committee on Public Enterprise Select Committees

HOW DOES IT WORK IN REALITY? Committee on Public Enterprise(COPE)- Ist report -2007 Failure and omissions on the part of the relevant secretaries to supervise and follow up the performance of the institutions Lack of effective monitoring & evaluation Non compliance with financial rules and regulation Uneconomical transactions and mismanagement of funds…. Committee on Public Enterprise(COPE)- 2nd report -2012 Transactions with poor accountability Outcomes and Goals not kept in focus Lack of performance monitoring Poor coordination with line ministries

FUTURE DIRECTION Need for more ownership of the Government in Evaluations- For this more JOINT EVALUATIONS may be the way forward Quick results needed by Politicians- IDENTIFY POLITICAL CHAMPIONS AND DEVELOP A NETWORK THROUGH THEM

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION FOR DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION IN SOUTH ASIA IDENTIFY THE POLITICAL CHAMPIONS IN THE REGION STRENGTHEN THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION INVEST IN KNOWLEDGE SHARING PROCESS WITH POLITICIANS

THANK YOU KABIR HASHIM SRI LANKA