Supporting earthquake reconstruction in Pakistan

After the devastating 2005 earthquake, the Federal Government of Pakistan and the international community committed more than US$6 billion to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected parts of Pakistan. Reconstruction was managed by the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA), to whom Crown Agents provided a range of services funded by the UK Department for International Development. Crown Agents' inputs commenced with the deployment of a team of advisers specialised in post-disaster reconstruction planning, monitoring and evaluation, management information systems and communications. This extended to further support in the development of ERRA's planning, M&E and communications procedures to reinforce the reconstruction process.

Under a third phase of support Crown Agents also provided IT, financial management and project management technical assistance to ERRA to enhance financial management, ensure better use of funds and reduce the fiduciary risk exposure of donor funds through the installation of the Financial Management Information System (FMIS). Our team analysed the existing systems, including mapping financial management processes, developing the chart of accounts, assessing IT infrastructure and developing and issuing a request for proposals and model contract. The project required complex stakeholder management to address differing expectations and the application of change management tools and techniques in order to deliver process change as well as new systems. The FMIS implementation has enabled ERRA to make better use of reconstruction funds.