Africa Region Procurement Reform Observatory AFTQK PROCUREMENT GROUP

Why the Need for the Observatory • Progress with procurement reform is essential for improved fiduciary management and better sector/project performance in AFR member countries • Information on the status of procurement reforms proved dispersed and not readily available for managerial assessment at the regional level (RPA) • Progress with reforms was not measured on a comparative basis and available to CDs as inputs for determining country strategy (CAS), project formulation, and lending instruments

Origin of the Observatory • First, a study was carried out to verify the status of procurement reforms in 28 countries in the Africa Region based on 21 CPARs, and the follow-up actions financed in 16 countries with various grants (IDFs), or in project lending. àConclusion: a substantial information gap appeared at the regional management level.

Origin of the Observatory • At the country level, the study noticed weak ownership and fragility of reforms, which reduced sustainability of procurement reforms and showed the need for a regionally managed effort to strengthen on-going actions in the various CDs. • Building the Observatory would provide regional oversight, and enable proactive management: to promote fiduciary improvement, Ú to help put in place financing needed for reforms, Ú to take measures to keep momentum. Ú

Building Blocks of the Observatory • First Step: Preparation of individual country forms stating progress with procurement reforms: Country Procurement Status Forms • Second Step: On the basis of this country information, preparation of a regional index ranking country progress in procurement reforms: AFR Country Ranking Index

Sources for Status Form on Procurement Progress • Progress with CPAR recommendations, action plan and next steps • Follow-up discussion with the government and the procurement agencies on critical issues • Actions taken by the government and the procurement agencies on the basis of procurement measures in project conditionalities and PRSCs

Ranking Index of Procurement Reforms in Africa • The ranking index is compiled on the basis of the Status forms and updated twice per year (June/December) according to progress with reforms in: Ú Ú Ú Legal framework and regulations Procurement procedures Procurement capacity Independency of fiduciary control Effectiveness of anti-corruption measures

Determination of the Five Ranking Indicators • There are five pillars of good public procurement consisting of 1 = “highest” to 5 = “lowest” • 1 = “maturity stage” (procurement system is fully functional) • 2 = “advanced stage” (procurement system functions but still needs improvement) • 3 = “average progress” (reforms are underway but need active support to maintain momentum) • 4 = “initial progress” (initial measures are being taken but progress is still weak) • 5 = “no progress” or “not rated” (CPAR to be launched)

Determination of the Five Ranking Indicators • The performance of each country in the five pillars of procurement reform is assessed and then ranked on a comparative basis in a joint session of the AFTQK Procurement group • The overall ranking is the unweighted average of the individual performance indicators • Immediate steps for improvement are determined and listed in the action column • The ranking index is then sent to the CDs and country economists for information and input in the CAS and lending programs

Current Status of Ranking Index • • Of 47 AFR countries, 21 or 45 percent have a ranking of 5 (no progress or not rated) 15 or 32 percent rank between 5 and 4 (little and initial progress) 11 or 23 percent rank between 4 and 3 (initial and average progress, six francophone (Mali highest at 3. 4) and 5 anglophone (Uganda highest at 3. 3) No country yet at full “average progress” (3)

How is the Observatory Maintained? • AFTQK Procurement Specialists at headquarters and at the procurement hubs in the field review progress with the government and the procurement entities in the countries of their responsibility Ú update the Status Forms quarterly Ú • Adriana Florez: maintains the physical files located in the J Building Ú updates the electronic Status Forms in the Activity Room. Ú

The Observatory in the Activity Room • The Observatory is an internal database • User-friendly tool that allows easy access to the information on procurement reforms • Useful tool for people in the field (electronic access) • At headquarters: electronic access is accompanied by hard copy filing • Database is secured • Database is permanent (doesn’t go to the Archives)

Contents of the Observatory in the Activity Room • Filing system in the electronic Activity Room is the same as the hard copy filing system of the Observatory • A General Folder with : AFR Country Procurement Reform Ú Ranking Index Ú • Country Folder with : Ú Sub-folders: CPAR, latest Status Form, Procurement follow-up, grants & credits, country regulation & legislation, anti-corruption documents and, economic documents

How to Use the Activity Room? • First Step: Ú Send emails on substance matter to the Inbox in the Activity Room: AFRProcurement Inbox@worldbank. org • Second Step: Ú Click on and drag the email to the relevant country folder and release

To be an efficient monitoring tool the Procurement Reform Observatory should be Regularly updated

THE HUBS Hub PS located in Uganda Morocco Hub PS located in Madagascar Libya Algeria Arab Rep. of Egypt Hub PS located in Ghana Former Spanish Sahara Hub PS located in Côte d’Ivoire Mauritania * Cape Verde Senegal Gambia Guinea Bissau Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Mali * Burkina Faso O Beni Ghana n. O Côte * d ’Ivoire Togo Equatorial Guinea Niger Sudan Chad O Eritrea Nigeria O Ethiopia * CAR Cameroon Somalia Gabon Ugand Kenya a O * Démocratique Rwand République a. Burundi of Congo Sao Tome & Principe Tanzania Prime responsibility with PS at HQ * Under recruitment Mala wi Angola Not Accredited Namibia Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Accredited Mozambique O Swaziland O International Recruit South Africa Lesotho Seychelles Comoros Madagascar Mauritius