Polish aid

The evaluation was conducted in Poland as well as in Georgia, Tunisia, Ukraine and Moldova.

The main goal of the evaluation was to identify the factors that had the most influence on the efficiency of the Polish Development Assistance as well as to provide recommendations with respect to the measures planned for the upcoming years. The projects were analysed in terms of their appropriateness, usability, sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness.

The assessment was divided into two components. Component I covered the analysis of the initiatives conducted by the Fund under the tasks commissioned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Act on Development Cooperation. Component II covered Polish Development Assistance in Moldova.

The analysis of the completed undertakings showed that:

Component I

1. The assistance initiatives related to supporting democracy were usually addressed to persons who, due to their profession, would share the newly-acquired knowledge and skills further. The appropriateness of the implemented measures is confirmed first and foremost by the discernible change in the attitudes and the working style that arises from gaining the new skills and learning new patterns and models.
2. Usability of the projects for the beneficiaries was also e.g. due to the high quality of the measures conducted, considering local character and the partner approach which was particularly appreciated by the beneficiaries. It is also important that due to the recent transformation experience, Poland is perceived as a more reliable country than other assistance donors.
3. For the sustainability of the projects, it is of key significance to continue the project measures after the external financing is no longer provided, which requires continued organisational and financial involvement of local partners. In the case of some analysed initiatives, these conditions were not met. The annual system of financing has also an unfavourable impact on the sustainability of many projects.
4. The institutional system within which the Fund realised the tasks commissioned by MFA within the territories of Georgia, Tunisia, and Ukraine facilitated the improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of Polish Development Assistance.
5. For the upcoming years, it is e.g. recommended as follows:

• to introduce systemic solutions that facilitate the implementation of projects and cooperation with the project initiators, including the implementation of multi-annual projects and increasing their scale;
• to put more emphasis to the comprehensive and methodical needs analysis at the stage of preparing project concepts;
• to re-implement the supporting scheme for Polish entities in the area of obtaining financing for development projects from the sources other than the state budget of Poland by providing a part of the own contribution required by the grant donors;
• to increase the involvement of diplomatic posts in the implementation of the Polish Assistance measures, e.g. by creating dedicated positions in priority countries;
• to improve the presence of the Fund in priority countries of Polish Assistance, where the Fund’s operations will be carried out;
• to introduce a clear division of tasks between MFA and the Fund,  which will allow you to avoid overlapping of measures financed from different sources;
• to improve the synergy among Polish Development Assistance projects implemented in the given country;
• to improve the relationship between the effects of the projects with the business benefits of Polish entrepreneurs.

Component II

1. The implemented measures were consistent with the policy of introducing reforms by Moldova intended to bring the country closer to the European Union. The effects are most clearly visible in the projects related to the development of agriculture and entrepreneurship in rural areas. It concerns both the initiatives undertaken by the administration as well as by the Polish local governments and NGOs. The projects were mostly well-adapted to the needs of their beneficiaries, which resulted from a good knowledge of the conditions in Moldova and from the experiences of individual coordinators. The results are sustainable; which is mostly related to a high involvement of the Moldovan partners. From the viewpoint of the conducted measures, it was also important that Poland was perceived as a more reliable country than other assistance donors due to the recent transformation experience.
2. Detailed analysis was conducted with respect to the results of the project that involved establishing and running an Information Center for the local authorities in Ialoveni. The evaluators assessed the operation of this facility very highly.
3. The initiatives realised under the Small Grants Scheme were accurate, usable, effective and sustainable, yet consideration should be given in the future to improve their relation with the objectives of the Polish Development Policy.
4. For the upcoming years, it is e.g. recommended as follows:

• as regards projects implemented by the administration, to put emphasis on granting support in drawing up acts of law or in implementing the existing law, while resigning from the projects that focus on improving the qualifications of the employee of the institution;
• to continue the business support projects in rural areas and the implementation of ecological technologies;
• to implement projects that facilitate combating corruption;
• to introduce systemic solutions that facilitate the implementation of projects, including the introduction of multi-annual financing and strengthening the cooperation with the project initiators;
• to improve the potential of Polish organisations operating in Moldova, e.g. by supporting them in the application process for external funds;
• to increase the involvement of the Polish Embassy in Kishinev in conducting Polish Assistance activities;
• to further support the operations of the Information Center for the local authorities in Ialoveni;
• to undertake actions intended to involve Polish business in development projects;
• to improve information-promotional activities concerning both the Polish Development Policy and individual projects;
• to consider ending the implementation of projects in the field of democracy support in Moldova;
• to improve the cooperation between MFA and project initiators.