Country Program Evaluation: Paraguay (2009-2013)

This document is the evaluation of the IDB's Country Program with Paraguay for the 2009-2013 period. The period evaluated here (hereinafter, the 'review period') was characterized by a political crisis and the intensification of the agricultural export model. This evaluation has been conducted in accordance with OVE's mandate (RE-238 corr.) and the Protocol for Country Program Evaluation (RE-348-2). Its main purposes are to facilitate accountability and identify lessons learned that may help improve the Bank's future program. The evaluation took into account the new country strategy document formats (CSD, GN-2468-6) developed by Management. The most significant practical effects of the new CSD formats were: (i) the de facto separation between the preparation of the CSD and country programming; (ii) the new emphasis on sector notes; and (iii) the update of the strategy's results matrix and the programming documents. To achieve the dual purpose of accountability and learning, the team has put together a portfolio that includes all the operations approved in the period (2009-2013) together with those approved previously, but executed during this period. The specific details of the portfolio and the main sectors are included in the annexes to this document (Portfolio, Energy, Water and Sanitation, Roads, Social Sector, and Agriculture). During the preparation of this document some 150 people were interviewed, including the Bank's main counterparts (the Minister of Finance and his two predecessors), executing units, members of civil society, scholars, representatives of multilateral and bilateral agencies with a presence in Paraguay, the Bank's Representative (ad interim), and two former Representatives of the Bank in Paraguay, IDB staff at the Bank's Country Office and at Headquarters. The mission also visited eight projects to observe the outcomes and challenges of the Bank's program in situ.