Transformation Triggering Facility (TTF) in Ethiopia

Project Description

The Transformation Triggering Facility (TTF) is a project designed to support Ethiopia in its economic transformation. Through targeted interventions in selected sectors and institutions, the TTF aims to contribute to transformative and poverty reduction growth through enhancing investment, creating jobs and improving productivity. The TTF engages with a wide array of stakeholders/target groups including Public Technical Institutes, Intermediary organizations and SMEs. The main partners are the Ministry of Finances and Economic Cooperation, the Ministry of Industry, the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Addis Ababa University. The TTF has four main components:

Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) and markets development;

Business skills enhancement and the fostering of innovation;

Hubs development;

Capacity building and policy fine-tuning.

The overall objective of the Mid-term Review was to assess the implementation of the TTF since August 2013 and provide recommendations for the way forward. The NAO and the EUD used the recommendations of the evaluation report as a tool to further improve implementation of TTF until the end of its implementation period (2019). The tasks included preparatory work including designing checklists and questionnaires for conducting interviews and review of management and administrative records, data collection, analysis, report drafting, feedback, editing and report finalizing.

Services Provided

Assessed to what extent the objectives set at the design phase of the program are still valid and assess if progress in the implementation is consistent with the EU Program framework and the financing proposal

Assessed if the project has set out clear and logically coherent project objectives (Goal, purpose, outputs with SMART indicators)

Assessed the consistency of the expected results with the resource/cost budget

Assessed stakeholders’ participation, opportunities, challenges and level of local ownership

Assessed project management and the extent to which timely and appropriate decisions are being made

Assessed functions, activities and operation of the technical assistance team (TAT) including reviewing its workload and budget

Assessed the adequacy of the procedural environment (approval process for program estimates, selection of non-key experts), of the performance measurement system (reporting, monitoring, review and evaluation), of the accountability system and of the communication/visibility strategy implementation;

Evaluated how TTF is complementary to other donor programs in the country;

Evaluated the achievements of the project so far in light of the overall program objectives as well as it adequacy in terms of EU support to the transformation of the Ethiopian economy

Provided suggestions and recommendations on different transition (e.g. reallocation of funding from underperforming components, designing incentive mechanism for local coordinators, improved capacity at implementing agencies level, improved coordination needs between components)

Provided recommendations for the improvement of the implementation for the remainder of the project, including on the adequacy, efficiency and effectiveness of EU support