Sector issues vary across countries, making alignment of the SSPs with individual country strategies and country programs more challenging. Sector staff and managers in the Regions do not always appreciate the role SSPs play in relation to donors and other global stakeholders and sometimes see them as supply-driven by external stakeholders. Sector staff identify more with some strategies than with others, as some are seen as reflecting the Bank’s own experience and others as impositions that add complexity and difficulty to country operations. Table 2.2 summarizes the distinctions between country strategies and SSPs. The sector strategy process has evolved with additional guidelines introduced in FY08 to increase the focus on operational relevance and results. Managers reported much greater involvement of the Regions and more elaborate consultation processes with stakeholders in the new generation of SSPs in the environment and energy sectors, for example. However, the structural constraints that limit the effectiveness of SSPs remain, warranting some rethinking of how best to provide sector services to country clients at reasonable cost. Some SSPs also serve as vehicles for addressing GPGs, such as communicable diseases in the health sector strategy. Other corporate priorities, such as governance and anticorruption, are issued as stand-alone strategy documents.
Responsiveness and Effectiveness of Country Programs The Bank’s record of delivering responsive and effective country programs that are responsive to client needs is moderately satisfactory. In aggregate, CAS outcomes have been moderately satisfactory or better in nearly two-thirds of country programs. The Bank has been most effective in responding to client
Table 2.2
Key Features of Country Strategies and Sector Strategies
Characteristic
Country strategy
Sector strategy
Typical timeframe
3-4 years
8-10 years
Country scope
One partner country
All partner countries
Sector scope
All sectors relevant to partner country
One sector, sub-sector, or corporate priority
Results framework
Yes
No
Implementation budget
Annual budget allocation, tri-annual IDA allocation
No associated budget unless allocated by country directors on country-by-country basis or by dedicated trust funds
Self-evaluation
CAS Completion Report
None
Source: IEG compilation from OPCS website.
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The Matrix System at Work