Poverty Reduction Strategy Initiative : An Independent Evaluation of the World Bank's Support Through 2003

Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Foreword -- Acronyms and Abbreviations -- Summary of Findings and Recommendations -- 1 The PRSP Initiative: Objectives and Relevance -- What Is the PRSP Initiative? -- What Is This Review Evaluating? -- An Assessment of Relevance -- 2 Implementation of Design Features -- Application of the Underlying Principles -- The Value Added of Process Requirements -- 3 Preliminary Results -- Value Added in Planning and Links to Implementation -- Capacity Enhancement -- Preliminary Outcomes -- 4 Alignment of the Bank's Assistance -- Alignment of CAS Formulation -- Alignment of the Bank's Financial Assistance -- Alignment of the Bank's Analytical Work -- 5 Findings and Recommendations -- PRS Process -- PRSP Content and Analytical Underpinnings -- Partnership and Alignment -- Looking Forward -- Annexes -- A: Summary of the BWI Policy Papers on the PRS Initiative -- B: Guidelines for Country Case Studies -- C: PRSP Status of 81 IDA-Eligible Countries as of May 2004 -- D: Survey of National Stakeholders in the 10 Case Study Countries -- E: Review of Joint Staff Assessments of PRSPs -- F: Management Response -- G: Chairman's Summary: Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) -- Endnotes -- References -- Boxes -- 1.1 Stated Objectives of the PRS Initiative -- 1.2 Key Evaluative Material for This Review -- 1.3 Some Common External Criticisms of the PRSP Initiative -- 1.4 The PRSP Initiative Means Different Things to Different People -- 2.1 Parliaments and the PRSP -- 2.2 Participation Has Largely Not Been Sustained -- 2.3 Coordinated Donor Support for PRSP Formulation in Ethiopia -- 2.4 PRSP Helps Donors Coordinate Budget Support and Streamline Performance Monitoring -- 2.5 JSAs Play Different Roles for the Bank and the Fund -- 2.6 Key Findings of IEO Review of JSAs.