Ensuring CDIA’s Smooth Transition into an ADB Trust Fund

This year was welcomed by two important milestones – the start of the implementation of CDIA Strategy 2018-2022; and the creation of a CDIA Trust Fund hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the initiative.

As CDIA has yet to complete its transition process this year, an external consultant, Mr. Christian Berg was engaged to conduct an evaluation of this ongoing process. Its key objective was to document the organizational changes in the management structure in the new trust fund model and its possible consequences, which correlate directly to CDIA’s aim of keeping our successful practices in the future.

During the consultant’s two-week assessment within the team and on missions to Bangladesh and Indonesia, he has interviewed members of partner institutions, stakeholders, funding partners as well as the management team of CDIA, including personnel from ADB and GIZ to get their insights on what needs to be strengthened henceforth.

The CDIA Trust Fund Management has acknowledged the significant achievements and high value addition of CDIA in the past decade. As reflected in the evaluation, it is taking all necessary measures to ensure that CDIA retains its original structure, independence, functionality, systems and processes as far as possible while moving towards a more institutionalized form of a Trust Fund.

Specifically, CDIA will retain the following features:

• Support cities in the areas of project preparation and capacity development;
• Take up Projects based on cities’ needs;
• Support various development partners in addition to ADB and remain an open multi-donor initiative;
• Retain its high development orientation and impact through its focus on development results;
• Prioritize its efforts on innovation, knowledge sharing, and capacity development strategy;
• Make its services available to more cities, projects and infrastructure investments per year to continue its growth trajectory;
• Keep its own visual and organizational identity, handle financial and in-kind contributions, and provide all information and concrete products to individual donors, as requested;
• Have competent experts and an inter-disciplinary team comprising both project preparation and broader advisory and capacity building skills. To ensure smooth transition to TF, the CDIA will continue to proactively engage with all important stakeholders including its current and potential donors.

The final report provided by the consultant will help CDIA’s management to facilitate the smooth transition in the coming months.