I. General introduction

I.1 Background
I.2 Reference framework objective

I.1 Context

The PRSP, a new approach for heavily indebted poor countries

Since the launching of the enhanced initiative for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1999, many States have embarked on preparing PRSPs. These documents aim to outline strategies and actions envisaged for implementation by these States with a view to reducing poverty.

Poverty monitoring and evaluation: a major concern expressed by PRSPs

In end-2001, some development partners, notably the World Bank and IMF, conducted preliminary reviews on PRSP formulation and implementation. The reviews mainly established that the system of monitoring and evaluating strategies is a key component that deserves special consideration in the coming years. This fact was reasserted by many African countries which, in conferences and seminars,[1], drummed support for the establishment of PRSP and MDG monitoring and evaluation systems through the reorganization of existing information systems.

Observatories, tools for enhancing statistical information, on condition that…

On the strength of these findings, development partners, notably the UNDP, embarked on developing databases and putting in place poverty and human development observatories. There is a prior intermediate phase that seeks to cross check data quality, ensure data comparativeness and harmonization. Observatories were set up in number of countries (Benin, Burkina, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda and Senegal) to use existing information for the sake of improved poverty reduction strategy monitoring and evaluation and assessment of sustainable human development trends at country level, in keeping with commitments made by States at the Millennium Summit in September 2000. There is a need to review the pioneer poverty observatories before replicating the experience to other countries. In this regard, the review should thoroughly analyse the objectives assigned to these bodies, their institutional scope and sustainability requirements.

A daunting challenge amid numerous constraints

However, these initiatives have prompted overwhelmingly huge statistical requests demands, without giving consideration to the human and financial resources constraints in national statistical systems (NSS). This explains the huge delays in publishing survey findings as well as poverty indicators and profiles. These constraints have brought to bear the sustainability problems facing such information systems.

PRSP support programme and millennium development indicators: a UNDP initiative promoted by AFRISTAT

To support these initiatives in a score of Sub-Saharan Francophone African countries, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and UNDP initiated the PRSP Monitoring Support Programme and Millennium Development Indicators, in conjunction with AFRISTAT. The current situation marked on one hand by the emphasis on poverty reduction strategy monitoring and evaluation, and on the other hand, by the weakness of national statistical systems, justifies the implementation of such a programme that ultimately seeks to improve these information systems.

The objective of the PRSP Monitoring Support Programme and millennium development indicators is to build appropriate, coherent and efficient information systems in beneficiary countries with a view to responding to needs for timely production and analysis of relevant PRSP and MDG monitoring and evaluation indicators. In Sub-Saharan Francophone African countries, the programme targets national institutes of statistics, other producers from national statistical systems involved in poverty monitoring and evaluation (education, health, etc), PRSP monitoring units and poverty monitoring observatories, as appropriate.

It is worth mentioning that the programme does not replace ongoing country activities; on the contrary, it is expected to play a complementary role as a good number of multilateral and bilateral development partners already support the development of statistics and databases in many countries. The main objective of the program is to help countries organize such initiatives in a coherent manner based on available financial and human resources

This programme aims to address numerous requests from States on the development of operational information systems to monitor and evaluate poverty reduction strategies (PRS). The needs assessment and system design should be premised on a diagnosis of the prevailing situation that takes on board the specificities of States (caterization, constraints, needs) and maintains a pragmatic and across-the-board approach. This experience pooling approach was thoroughly analyzed in specific countries, before moving to the operational phase

One of the main expected outcomes of the programme is the development of a reference framework and common minimum methodological guidelines for designing a PRSP and MDG information tracking system.

Diagnosis of existing initiatives as the cornerstone of the programme approach

To achieve this objective, a review[2] was conducted on the strength of a documentary review and AFRISTAT experts reports subsequent to information system design evaluation missions fielded in ten countries[3] between February and July 2004.

The review on designing PRS and MDG information tracking systems generate the following findings:

• quasi-general lack of data recording and valuation;
• inadequate institutional coordination within NSSs;
• monitoring and evaluation systems are generally separate and complex. They make no room for spontaneous and systematic feedback from various users, especially policymakers, for the purpose of making necessary adjustments;
• links between monitoring and evaluation and budget programming are still vague;
• impact assessments that seek to match performance with development targets are solely planned, in most States, under long-term planning;
• except in a few cases, current and, to some extent, potential capacities are inadequate. The relevant institutions lack qualitative or quantitative resources to conduct monitoring;
• templates of annual PRS progress reports are not clearly defined and vary from one country to another.  Moreover, the existing tools cannot adequately ensure timely production of various monitoring reports (National Human Development Report (NHDR), PRS Implementation Report, MDG Progress Report, etc.);
• most countries do not have capacity building plans.

I.2 Reference framework objectives

This document seeks to propose a reference framework for an enabling PRSP and MDG information tracking system, including tracking of poverty and living conditions of the population, project and programme implementation, impact assessment and data dissemination.

The specific objectives include:

• proposing components of the reference framework and methodological guidelines;
• identifying and profiling all the dimensions of the information system;
• defining criteria to gauge progress in the design of the information system;
• reviewing alternative solutions to be implemented in a consistent manner with available resources in various countries;
• formulating a strategy to operationalize the information system.

Accordingly, the document outlines major guidelines to guide States in implementing these activities in a specific and coherent framework based on available financial and human resources with a view to developing a coherent PRSP and MDG information tracking system. In this respect, the adopted strategy hinges on three central dimensions:

• participatory approach: it will be prioritized in the institutional arrangements that will be developed for monitoring indicators;
• building the capacities of States: the implementation of this process will further strengthen institutions supervising PRSP, NISs, and all stakeholders involved in the process;
• harmonization of measurement, monitoring and evaluation tools used in the collection, analysis and dissemination of socio-economic data in each country.

This document is structured as follows:

• definition and objectives of a PRSP and MDG information tracking system;
• content of a PRSP and MDG information tracking system;
• recommendations and general guidelines for implementing the reference framework.

The following elements are to be found in the annexes:

• proposed list of minimum performance and impact indicators for each area;
• definitions of proposed indicators;
• matching MDG indicators with proposed indicators;
• presentation of major statistical operations for tracking poverty and household living conditions;
• intervention areas of technical and financial partners;
• medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF);
• classification of expenditure for tracking project and programme implementation and cost assessment methods;
• main impact assessment methods.

I.1 Context
I.2 Reference framework objective

[1] Forum on MDGs (Dakar, February 2003),
PRSP Monitoring and Evaluation Seminar (Ouagadougou, February and August 2003),
PARIS21 Workshop on the use of Statistics in Poverty Reduction and Development Policies (Dakar, January 2003).

[2] Review on designing PRSP and MDG information tracking systems in Sub-Saharan francophone African countries.

[3] Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cap-Vert, Congo, Comores, Guinea, Mauritania, Madagascar, Chad, Togo..