The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is releasing its 2006 Annual
Report on Operations Evaluation (AROE).

www.worldbank.org/ieg/2006aroe?intcmp=5284885

The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is releasing its 2006 Annual Report on Operations Evaluation (AROE). The report assesses the progress, status, and prospects for monitoring and evaluating the development effectiveness of Bank activities.

This year's AROE asks to what extent the Bank's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems provide staff with the information they need to better manage for results. The report consists of two parts. The first focuses on the Bank and addresses monitoring and evaluation (M&E) within the Bank. The second focuses on the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) and assesses IEG's effectiveness.

Since 2003, the Bank has taken a number of steps to better manage for development results, especially at country and project levels. The evaluation finds that the quality of results frameworks needs to be improved further to turn them into effective tools for managerial decision-making. Staff report a lot of difficulties in developing and utilizing results frameworks in their day-to-day work. The Bank is facing a key challenge in changing culture and perceptions within the organization, with corporate leadership and informal incentives supporting a consistent results orientation. The report recommends that the Bank intensify its efforts to provide training and practical support to operational staff and strengthen incentives to encourage effective use of M&E information.

Reviewing IEG's effectiveness, the report finds that IEG has an important role to play in the Bank's efforts to achieve results. But it needs to make its products more timely and useful for operations.

To download a free copy of the report, request a hardcopy, or browse the website, visit:  www.worldbank.org/ieg/2006aroe?intcmp=5284885