b'IMPACT STATEMENT 2022Supporting government reform inChampioning sustainable public GOVERNANCEchallenging environments: The procurement for everyones benefit Lebanon Technical Assistance Facility As the UNs 2030 Agenda for Sustainable The Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) initiative inDevelopment draws closer, organisations have Lebanon, funded by the European Union (EU), isstarted to look at additional ways to meet its ambitious goals. An example is the integration of IMPACT implemented by Crown Agents. The TAF programmethe Sustainable Development Goals into public supports the Lebanese Government in undertaking legal, regulatory, and procurement-related reformprocurement systems and processes, with the projects. Since it began in 2017, the project haspotential of creating significant cross-sectoral continued to operate successfully despite economicimpact. Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) turmoil, national COVID-19 lockdowns, and theensures that procurement policies and practices STORIES inauguration of a new government. generate benefits not only for organisations, but also Recent nationwide fuel shortages and electricityfor citizens and their environments.blackouts have further highlighted the urgent2022 marked the implementation phase of the Global need for comprehensive reform of how the countryCapacity Development Programme on Sustainable operates. Working with the key governmentPublic Procurement, funded by the Swedish institutions responsible for procurement, the projectInternational Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), has helped them prepare to avoid similar futurewhich aims to develop effective SPP practices. The programme is led by Crown Agents and the Finnish Spending public funds efficiently to improve health andchallenges by embedding good practices in howConsulting Group (FCG) and aims to make sure the tenders are managed. This led to awarding three gas education in Zambia: the USAID AGIS Project and oil contracts through proper and transparentpurchasing processes of participating governments procedures, saving the Government of Lebanon someare aligned with their national development goals, US $25 million.such as energy and water efficiency, ensuring the The USAID Accountable Governance forIn 2022, the project facilitated PFM training forsustainable use of natural resources and increasing Improved Service Delivery Project (USAIDmore than 25,000 teachers, ensuring that 8,300Throughout 2022, our TAF project continued to play ayouth employment.AGIS), implemented by Crown Agents inschools qualified for government funding after thecritical role as part of the EUs support to Lebanons collaboration with RTI and Connexus,president introduced free education. This training wasReconstruction, Recovery, and Reform Framework,In the programmes first few months, Crown Agents worked with the Ministries of Healthconducted in all 10 provinces covering 116 districts. Tothe response following the 2020 Beirut Port explosion.worked with key procurement organisations from and Education in Zambia to improveachieve this, AGIS worked through Technical WorkingThrough this initiative, we are helping to restoreZambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, accountability and transparency in theGroups (TWGs) at the provincial and district levelssustainable livelihoods to those affected by theRwanda, Guatemala, Bolivia and Colombia to design management of public funds to deliverand facilitated nationwide virtual trainings via Zoomblast, reconstruct critical infrastructure, and improvestrategies to enable them to move from traditional better services for citizens. Carried out inand Microsoft Teams for the first time in Zambia. Theequitable access to public services. to sustainable public procurement methods. We nine districts located in three provinces,TWGs stand ready to train new teachers, ensuringtrained more than 150 staff members and provided the project worked closely with central,local ownership and sustainability beyond the life ofmentoring to assist them in implementing their plans provincial and district administrations tothe project. for change.improve internal controls, auditing andAGIS also spurred various reforms and oversightThe programme will continue these activities over procurement capacities, training somemechanisms, such as a national monitoringthe next year with further training and mentoring to 2,000 key officials.framework for the resolution of outstanding issueshelp partners make maximum use of sustainable arising from reports of the Auditor-General and aprocurement opportunities in their countries.PFM Accountability Dashboard for the Ministry of Education, tracking performance.Saved the Government Facilitated PFMof LebanonUS $25 training for25,000 millionby embedding teachers acrossbest procurement Zambia in just practices in awarding three weeks oil and gas contracts14 15'