Evaluation of Strengthening the Financial Management and Control in Georgia implemented by Swedish National Financial Management Authority (Ekonomistyrningsverket)

This is an evaluation of the project “Strengthening the Financial Management and Control (FMC) in Georgia”, implemented by the Central Harmonisation Unit (CHU) at the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, and the Swedish National Financial Management Authority (Ekonomistyrningsverket – ESV). The project began in July 2020 and, after a no-cost extension period after August 2022, is expected to end in December 2022. The purpose of the evaluation was to assesses the level to which the established outputs and outcomes have been implemented, the project’s relevance, sustainability, cost-efficiency and to what extent the implementing partners have addressed gender equality in the project. The evaluation found that the project is highly relevant. However, the project has low cost-efficiency, is not sustainable in its current form and failed to address gender equality. The evaluators see the need to continue supporting CHU in implementing FMC, but with CHU’s limited capacity factored in and with pilot ministries reduced. The evaluators suggest two approaches for going forward and provide recommendations for a more realistic
project design.