Addressing gaps in the development of infrastructure projects in cities in Asia

A woman riding her bike in Tblisi

ADB Cities Development Initiative for Asia Midterm Evaluation

Type of service
Evaluation
Client
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date
2015
Location
Regional
Beneficiaries
Regional
Funding
ADB, Governments of Germany, Switzerland

Mid-term Evaluation of CDIA: Bridging the gap between planning and financing in Asia

Urbanization in Asia and the Pacific is progressing at an unprecedented rate, placing significant pressure on medium-sized cities to develop sustainable infrastructure. The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) was established to assist these cities in bridging the gap between their development plans and financing for infrastructure projects.

The Mid-term review of CDIA assessed its effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, using OECD DAC criteria. It provided strategic recommendations to enhance CDIA’s ability to link cities with financial institutions and facilitate the long-term viability of infrastructure projects.

Services

  • Comprehensive assessment of CDIA’s program design and expected outcomes.
  • Analysis of pre-feasibility studies (PFS) as a tool for bridging the planning-financing gap.
  • Identification of key success factors, including the need for a higher ratio of PFS linked to financing.
  • Stakeholder interviews across multiple cities.
  • Recommendations for streamlining governance, strengthening regional ownership.

Thematic areas

  • Urban infrastructure planning
  • Climate and environmental urban development
  • Territorial governance and urban finance
  • Capacity building

Results

  • Complementing the city level entry point with a programmatic approach that responds to objectives identified at the national level.
  • Working closely with both cities and financiers to develop a leaner, more flexible and explicit definition of pre-feasibility studies focusing on what is essential while improving cost and time to completion.
  • Increasing the ratio of CDIA’s engagement to realization through integrating capacity development modules that provide practical knowledge at the right stage of the project cycle.

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