Regional Forum on Successful Project Design and Implementation: Strengthening Project Quality through Enhanced Readiness, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation
22 to 24 January 2024

The Regional Forum on Successful Project Design and Implementation (SPDI) gathered developing member countries’ policymakers, practitioners, and project implementers for solution-seeking discussions, training, and knowledge-sharing sessions to improve project management processes and results in ADB-supported projects.

The theme of 2024 SPDI was Strengthening Project Quality through Enhanced Readiness, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation. The event brought together executing agencies and implementing agencies across Central and West Asia from 22 to 24 January 2024 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Organized through One ADB Approach

The event was organized using OneADB approach and is co-led by the Operations and Coordination Unit, the Central and West Asia Regional Department, and the Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department (PPFD), in collaboration with the Pakistan Resident Mission Capacity Development Resource Center.

The 2024 SPDI is funded by ADB’s Regional technical assistance RETA 9692: Enhancing Project Readiness and Implementation in Central and West Asia and KSTA 9765: Strengthening Project Design, Procurement, and Implementation in Asia and the Pacific.

For any information about the event, please get in touch with Shaista Hussain at shussain@adb.org and Sevil Maharramova at smaharramova@adb.org

Read about the 2024 Forum Highlights here.

Program and Learning Materials
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
OPENING SESSION Welcome Remarks Ms. Xiaohong Yang, Deputy Director General, Central and West Asia Department (CWRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB)
OPENING SESSION Opening Remarks Mr. Rehan Kausar, Director, Portfolio Management Division, Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department (PPFD), ADB

Mr. Yong Ye, Country Director, Pakistan Resident Mission (PRM), ADB
OPENING SESSION Keynote Address Ms. Samar Ehsan Baig, Joint Secretary, Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan
SESSION 1 Project Cycle and Readiness
This session provides insights into the ADB project cycle, discussing the use of project readiness filters and advance actions during project…
Anders Pettersson, Shaista Hussain
SESSION 2 Plenary Panel Session: Strengthening Project Quality and Enhancing Project Readiness Experience in Pakistan Ms. Sarah Rehman, Chief Foreign Aid, KP, Government of Pakistan
Ms. Nazish Amjad, Deputy Secretary, Economics Affairs Division, Government of Pakistan
Mr. Rehan Kausar, Director, Portfolio Management Division, PPFD, ADB
CASE STUDIES: IMPROVING PROJECTS QUALITY AT ENTRY: PAKISTAN (PRF), UZBEKISTAN (PRF), AND KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (SEFF) Project Readiness Case Studies
This session provides insights into the ADB project cycle, discussing the use of project readiness filters and advanced actions during project…
Anders Pettersson
CASE STUDIES: IMPROVING PROJECTS QUALITY AT ENTRY: PAKISTAN (PRF), UZBEKISTAN (PRF), AND KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (SEFF) Case Study: Pakistan
This session demonstrates how a ‘readiness checklist’ for projects under preparation helps achieve the expected project key results through improved…
Muhammad Hamza Salick, Nilufar Nurkuzieva
CASE STUDIES: IMPROVING PROJECTS QUALITY AT ENTRY: PAKISTAN (PRF), UZBEKISTAN (PRF), AND KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (SEFF) Case Study: Uzbekistan
This session demonstrates how a ‘readiness checklist’ for projects under preparation helps achieve the expected project key results through improved…
Nilufar Nurkuzieva, Bobur Khamraev
CASE STUDIES: IMPROVING PROJECTS QUALITY AT ENTRY: PAKISTAN (PRF), UZBEKISTAN (PRF), AND KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (SEFF) Case Study: Kyrgyz Republic
This session demonstrates how a ‘readiness checklist’ for projects under preparation helps achieve the expected project key results through improved…
Dilbara Omorova, Cesar Llorens
Group Discussion / Q&A on Experience and Practices in Project Readiness
Feedback in Plenary from Table Discussions on Experience and Practices in Project Readiness Mr. Anders Pettersson, Principal Operations Specialist, Operations and Coordination Unit, CWRD, ADB
SESSION 3 Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Asia and the Pacific is the frontline in the battle against climate change. ADB is helping developing countries shift to low-carbon growth and…
Nathan Rive
SESSION 4A Environmental and Social Safeguards
This session discusses the importance of environmental and social safeguards as integral to good project design and implementation, especially in…
Jose Tiburcio Nicolas, Syed Asim Sabzwari
SESSION 4B Gender
This session discusses the importance of gender mainstreaming as integral to good project design and implementation, especially in engaging with…
Mary Alice Rosero, Samina Sabir
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
SESSION 5 Procurement
This session highlights the measures taken to achieve procurement readiness, such as the preparation of detailed engineering designs and advanced…
Bisma Husen, Mohsen Islam Khan
SESSION 6 Financial Management
This session defines FM project design requirements, shared responsibilities, financial due diligence processes, FM risks and mitigating measures and…
Oksana Nazmieva, Musaddiq Shaikh
SESSION 7 Learning From Evaluation - Institutional Readiness Supporting Project Implementation
This session is a stage-setting session. It emphasizes the value of using evaluation lessons and findings to improve project performance and…
Arjun Guha
SESSION 8 Monitoring During Project Design and Implementation
This session discusses effective project monitoring during design and implementation for improved developmental results.
Shaista Hussain, Anders Pettersson
Project Specific Discussion: Project Monitoring & Management in DMCs Open house – DMC speakers invited to share insights.

Facilitator: Ms. Shaista Hussain, Principal Operations Specialist, Operations Coordination Unit, CWRD, ADB
SESSION 9 ADB’s Anticorruption and Accountability Framework
ADB’s Office of Anticorruption and Integrity will present data on projects, discuss integrity risk mitigation, share a case investigated by OAI…
Steven Wong, Frances Lynette Sayson
SPOTLIGHT FEATURE Pakistan’s Capacity Development Resource Center
This gives an overview of the Capacity Development Resource Center's objectives and activities.
Dinesh Shiwakoti
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
GROUP DISCUSSION BY SECTOR: PROJECT READINESS FOR ENHANCING SECTORS DEVELOPMENT Group 1: Transport
Country representatives share best practices, success stories, innovations, and project readiness challenges specific to Transport.
Masahiro Nishimura, Khurram Ghafoor
GROUP DISCUSSION BY SECTOR: PROJECT READINESS FOR ENHANCING SECTORS DEVELOPMENT Group 2: Energy
Country representatives share best practices, success stories, innovations, and project readiness challenges specific to Energy.
Catherine Santiago
GROUP DISCUSSION BY SECTOR: PROJECT READINESS FOR ENHANCING SECTORS DEVELOPMENT Group 3: Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development
Country representatives share best practices, success stories, innovations, and project readiness challenges specific to Agriculture, Food, Nature,…
Manjula Amerasinghe, Asad Ali Zafar
GROUP DISCUSSION BY SECTOR: PROJECT READINESS FOR ENHANCING SECTORS DEVELOPMENT Group 4: Human and Social Development
Country representatives share best practices, success stories, innovations, and project readiness challenges specific to Human and Social Development…
Aziz Haydarov, Omer Bin Zia
GROUP DISCUSSION IN PLENARY BY SECTOR GROUP: Feedback Session
ACTIONS TO STRENGTHEN PROJECT QUALITY Preparation of Country Presentations Country COH/ PAU Heads, CWRD, ADB
SESSION 10 CAPACITY STRENGTHENING and KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE for BETTER RESULTS Mr. Rehan Kausar, Director, Portfolio Management Division, PPFD, ADB

Mr. Khurram Amin - Additional Secretary (Technical) Punjab Irrigation Department, Government of Pakistan
Closing Closing Remarks Mr. Jesper Klindt Petersen, Regional Head, Operations Coordination, CWRD, ADB

Mr. Yong Ye, Country Director, Pakistan Resident Mission, ADB

Disclaimer

The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

Event Coordinator/s

  • Ivylaine R. Europa

ADB Organizer/s

  • Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department

Topics

  • ADB Administration and Governance
  • Finance