## IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE BOARD-ENDORSED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IEO EVALUATION OF RECURRING ISSUES FROM A DECADE OF EVALUATION—LESSONS FOR THE IMF

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### Executive Summary
- Management’s response to the Independent Evaluation Office’s (IEO) evaluation of Recurring Issues from a Decade of Evaluation: Lessons for the IMF is presented.
- The implementation plan (MIP) proposes specific actions to address the recommendation supported by the Executive Board: preparing a high-level status report to monitor progress the IMF has made in addressing recurring issues within two years, possibly followed by similar reports every five years thereafter.
- Document date: September 18, 2015.

### Introduction
- Purpose: forward-looking management implementation plan for the IEO evaluation.
- Recurring issues identified in the IEO report include:
  - Executive Board guidance and oversight;
  - organizational silos;
  - attention to risks and uncertainty;
  - country and institutional context such as political economy issues of ownership and implementation capacity under IMF programs;
  - evenhandedness.
- Board discussion highlights:
  - Directors encouraged by broadly positive findings that actions have been taken to address major recurring issues.
  - Directors agreed issues are likely to pose ongoing challenges as they are to varying degrees intrinsic to the culture, policies, and governance arrangements of the IMF.
  - Directors emphasized continuing efforts to address these issues to enhance the Fund’s effectiveness and credibility.
  - Most Directors supported IEO recommendation for similar evaluations every five years and a separate high-level staff report on status of initiatives addressing recurring issues.

### IEO Recommendations and Board Reactions
- IEO recommendation:
  - Prepare high-level staff reports on the status of initiatives that address recurring issues identified by the IEO.
  - Establish a framework of reviewing and monitoring recurring issues to create incentives for progress, strengthen Board oversight, and provide learning opportunities.
  - The first status report expected within two years (by July 2016), followed by similar reports every five years thereafter.
- Board reactions:
  - Executive Directors broadly endorsed the recommendation; most supported preparing an additional high-level status report by staff.
  - Some Directors saw limited merit given existing resource constraints and mechanisms already in place to keep the Board informed.
  - The Managing Director did not support the preparation of a separate status report by staff, noting that a report prepared only two years after the IEO evaluation would yield few new insights and would not justify the associated resource cost in the tight budget environment.

### Implementation Plan
- Management decision:
  - Staff would complete the proposed high-level report by Summer 2016.
  - Management will consult with members of the Evaluation Committee on the merits of continuing the preparation of such reports, taking into account associated costs and existing Board information mechanisms.
- Recommendation (explicit):
  - Prepare a high-level status report to monitor progress of initiatives addressing recurring issues.
- Scope and evidence base for the staff report:
  - Provide a big-picture, high-level view of ongoing and planned efforts to address recurring issues and their impacts.
  - Gather evidence mainly from existing sources, including:
    - recent IEO evaluations, MIPs and PMRs;
    - the latest available staff reviews of surveillance, conditionality, and technical assistance;
    - other relevant staff policy papers submitted to the Executive Board;
    - summing up of Executive Board meeting;
    - recent statements by International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) members;
    - HR briefings.
  - To obtain additional perspectives, a limited number of interviews could be conducted with the Board and senior staff.
- Submission and review:
  - High-level status report(s) will be submitted to the Evaluation Committee.
  - Report to be prepared by the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR), in consultation with other departments.
  - Progress in implementing the proposed status reports will be evaluated in future PMRs.

### Resource Implications
- Estimated total resource cost: 0.2 FTE in staff time, covering elaboration of the high-level status report and interdepartmental review.
- Funding timing: Required resources would need to be allocated in the FY2017 budget.

### Annex I — IEO Recommendation, Board Response, and Proposed Follow-Up (summary)
- IEO recommendation: Prepare a high-level report to monitor progress of identified recurring issues.
- Executive Directors’ responses:
  - Most Directors supported preparing an additional high-level status report by staff.
  - A number of Directors saw limited merit given resource constraints and existing Board information mechanisms.
- Follow-up plan and timeline:
  - High-level report will gather evidence from staff reviews of surveillance, conditionality, technical assistance, HR briefings, and documents from Executive Directors.
  - Report expected to be available by July 2016.
  - Accountability: Report to be prepared by the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR), in consultation with other departments.

*Source: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE BOARD-ENDORSED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IEO EVALUATION OF RECURRING ISSUES FROM A DECADE OF EVALUATION—LESSONS FOR THE IMF (September 18, 2015).*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/np/pp/eng/2015/_091815d.pdf_