Gambia, The - Second Fiscal Management, Energy and Telecom Reform Development Policy Financing Project (English)

Ratings for the Second Fiscal Management, Energy and Telecom Reform Development Policy Financing Project for Gambia, the were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the relevance of prior actions was satisfactory, and the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: despite efforts from the WBG since the 2017 emergency DPF to support institutional capacity building on data requirements and overall monitoring arrangements needed for a DPF, and the decision by MOFEA for the sake of the current series to create an inter-ministerial DPF committee tasked with coordinating the program, more needed to be done to improve monitoring during the implementation phase of the program. The lack of quantitative data on result indicators linked to telecom and SOE reforms prevented an accurate assessment of progress made and the design of corrective measures to ensure an effective success in reaching expected results. Change in leadership should also be monitored to anticipate any repercussion on program implementation resulting from changes in priorities by newly appointed Government Officials. In the energy and telecom sectors, but also for SOE transparency, RI targets should not underestimate the time needed for measurable results. Improving financial viability, reducing technical and commercial losses, increasing the coverage of the 4G network, and publishing audited financial statements, may require more time and with significant, complementary investments. Strong ownership is key to implementing difficult reforms, including fiscal risks and debt management, but limitations posed by weak coordination power may also need to be addressed in implementing sectoral reforms.