70803 The World Bank Group Impact Evaluations: Relevance and Effectiveness and Draft Management Response Report to the Board of Executive Directors from the Committee on Development Effectiveness ∗ Meeting of May 18, 2012 The Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) considered the IEG report entitled The World Bank Group (WBG) Impact Evaluations: Relevance and Effectiveness (CODE2012-0018) and Draft Management Response (CODE2012-0021). The Approach Paper entitled World Bank Group Impact Evaluations: Relevance and Effectiveness (CODE2011-0009) was endorsed by CODE on February 9, 2011. The committee welcomed the IEG review and acknowledged its findings, namely that while the WBG portfolio of Impact Evaluations (IEs) is relevant to project objectives and sector strategies, there are areas for improvement. Members noted that the WBG Draft Management Response identified broad areas of agreement with the review’s recommendations. The committee appreciated the WBG’s demonstrated leadership in IE, and praised the comprehensiveness of the evidence-based evaluation. Members acknowledged that increases in the WBG IE capacity, global learning and identification of priority projects at the Bank are largely attributable to the Development Impact Evaluation Initiative (DIME) and welcomed the IDA strategic selection framework attached to the MAR in response to IDA 16 Deputies’ request for a more strategic approach to IE selection. The committee encouraged greater strategic selectivity to enhance IE credibility, avoid fragmentation and make IEs more operationally relevant. Moreover, they encouraged a better feedback loop between evaluations and operations. Members also discussed the high costs of undertaking IEs, its heavy reliance on Trust Funds, as well as measurability and long-term sustainability of the impacts. They stressed the essential role that IEs play within the Bank’s knowledge framework and asked how the IEs fit into the WBG’s knowledge priorities and into the broader monitoring and evaluation system. The committee strongly recommended the integration of IE findings into WBG operational work and underlined the value of optimal timing of IEs to better inform relevant projects or strategies. Members noted a concern about sustaining quality assurance and recommended the development of guidelines on quality practices and standards and their consistent application. Members noted the limited stakeholder involvement in IE design, but were pleased to learn that this is on the rise. ∗ This report is not an approved record.