Photo caption & credit: container port in Mauritius; Shutterstock
On 5 February 2019, Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV) at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB or ‘the Bank’) presented its evaluation of the Bank’s strategy and program in Mauritius to the AfDB Board of Directors. It is the first country strategy and program evaluation conducted by IDEV in Mauritius.
The purpose of the Country Strategy and Program Evaluation was twofold: First, to assess the extent to which planned development results from the Bank’s key interventions in Mauritius have been achieved and the reasons for their achievement or lack thereof. Second, to provide AfDB Management with evidence and lessons learned to consider as it develops the Bank’s next Country Strategy for Mauritius.
The evaluation covers the Bank’s assistance to Mauritius from 2009 to 2018. During this period, the Bank approved 10 operations amounting to USD 854 million.
“This evaluation provides an opportunity to assess the sustainability of the reforms implemented in the country following the 2008 global financial crisis. It will help to inform the ongoing operations by the Bank to support the country’s structural transformation and economic diversification to strengthen the country’s competitiveness,” says Karen Rot-Münstermann, AfDB acting Evaluator General.
The evaluation found that the Bank’s operations in Mauritius were relevant for achieving the country’s most pressing development aspirations, in particular: public sector efficiency, infrastructure development, technological innovation and transfer, and competitiveness.
In terms of shortcomings, the evaluation reports an underutilization of the resources made available to the country partly due to the changing political environment and the reluctance of the Mauritian government to rely on AfDB sovereign loans. In addition, the effectiveness and sustainability of the reforms that the Bank supported were reduced by political challenges in the country. Finally, the Bank did not fully succeed in identifying and securing business development opportunities from its private sector window in Mauritius.
For stronger impact of its operations in Mauritius, the evaluation makes several recommendations to AfDB management:
- Maintain an active strategic dialogue with Mauritius when there is a change in leadership or policy orientation.
- For private sector development, consider suitable financing mechanisms including partial risk guarantees, loan syndication and private equity participation in Mauritian firms that have investments in the country.
- Adopt a programmatic approach to allow the Bank the flexibility to adjust to the country’s changing political environment, and to devise alternative instruments and adequate resources to enable it to respond effectively and rapidly to the expectations of the country in terms of advisory services and dialogue.
- Mainstream crosscutting issues such as the environment, youth employment and gender equality into the design and implementation of its upcoming country strategy.
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