In 2006-2007, Crown Agents conducted an evaluation of the World Bank's Post-Conflict Fund (PCF). The PCF is a trust fund designed as a quick and flexible disbursing mechanism to support planning, piloting and analysis of ground-breaking activities in post-conflict environments. Our report was published in early 2008.
The evaluation concluded that, at the grant level, the Fund is largely achieving satisfactory outcomes from its projects. It also found that the Fund's activities were for the most part timely, flexible and innovative - key objectives for the PCF.
The report recommended that the Fund seek to build further on these achievements by defining a clearer overall purpose or mission; and by aiming to be more strategic and pro-active in shaping demand for grant funds, particularly at the country level.
As part of the evaluation we took the views of a wide range of stakeholders from the Bank itself, UN agencies, civil society and bilateral donors. We also conducted field assessments in Kosovo, Macedonia and Sri Lanka, looking at PCF-funded projects concerned with reintegrating former combatants, providing early childhood development services, and promoting inter-ethnic dialogue, among other issues.
Since its creation in 1997, the PCF has awarded grants for physical and social reconstruction initiatives in dozens of countries where normal WB instruments and budgetary provisions would not apply. Grant recipients include governments, institutions, non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies, transitional authorities and other civil society institutions.
To read the evalaution report and for further information on the Bank's efforts in the context of fragile and conflict affected states, please follow the link in the resources section below.