Of 29 ethiopia social accountability program (esap2) midterm review (mtr) final report

 
6. It can thus be argued that there are significant quick wins from program implementation 
progress. Whereas the impacts of the program will be ascertained at the end of implementation, it is 
evident there is positive responsiveness to the application of social accountability by the citizens, 
service providers and public officials and progress on all milestones is promising. The desired 
citizens-state constructive dialogue focused on basic service delivery is gaining momentum in 
implementing areas. A number of implementation challenges that implementers have grappled with 
relate to low capacity, coordination at implementation level, finding more practical ways to enhance 
linkages with the supply-side aspects of citizens engagement and ensuring that citizens follow the 

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prescribed processes for applying the tools as designed. At a strategic level, the key issues emerging 
include how to ensure continuity and scale-up of implementation and maximize learning and building 
evidence on social accountability impacts and benefits, strengthen linkages with supply driven 
interventions such as the Financial Transparency and Accountability (FTA) and identify more 
evidence based options for institutionalization and sustainability. 
7. Institutionalization and Sustainability. Dialogue on institutionalization and sustainability of social 
accountability in Ethiopia after ESAP2 has already started. A study on FTA-SA links was 
commissioned and adopted by the ESAP2 SC and an action plan to implement its recommendations is 
being elaborated. This is expected to facilitate institutionalization in the short and medium term 
among other measures. In addition, the MA is documenting lessons on potential for mainstreaming 
SA tools in some of the existing community based organizations, including sectoral initiatives e.g. in 
health, education and water sectors without eroding the desired independency of the SA objectives. 
An overarching important element of institutionalization and sustainability will be whether alternative 
funding for SA implementation can also be identified and provided other than the current donor-
project funding. The future SC meetings will make key decisions on medium term institutionalization 
and sustainability issues based on evidence from implementation on the ground.
8. Donors currently providing funding to ESAP2 largely remain committed to the current