DJPRM concludes meetings on evaluating progress of SFD projects

SANA'A, Dec. 23 (Saba)- The Donor Joint Progress Review Mission
(DJPRM) has concluded its eight day meetings focused on evaluating
progress of projects and activities under the third phase of the
Social Fund for Development (SFD III).

Representatives of the WB, DFID, EC, KfW and the Netherlands took
part in the meetings which also followed up on reviewing the
achieved results and its impacts on the targeted impoverished
communities.

They also discussed the Global Food Price Crisis Response (GFRP)
Trust Fund which is being implemented by the SFD in 80 sub-districts
all across the country.

The team also discussed a number of cross-cutting issues including
poverty targeting, gender mainstreaming, impact evaluation and
financing. They discussed preparations of a road map for its longer
term vision for its role to national development and its plans for
the 4th phase after 2010.

They also reviewed the SFD's preparations for the 2009 impact
evaluation and its communication and influence strategy.

In its final report, the team has emphasized that the project
continues to make excellent progress in achieving its development
objectives and agreed results. The report praised the SFD's
continuing endeavors to develop its technical and administrative
systems in order to achieve more impact in development, more
cost-effective performance and more transparency in outreach.

They urged the SFD to enhance its outreach by promoting its
activities and projects so that the public is informed of its
successes. The team agreed initially to hold similar meetings to
check on the projects' progress and to visit some of them in mid
2009.

YA