AID REGIONAL OFFICE FOR CENTRAL AMERICA AND PANAMA (ROCAP), GUATEMALA SIECA INSTITUTIONAL ASSISTANCE (11/15/72-2/23/73)

EVALUATION BASED ON ROCAP AND SIECA DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS PLUS STAFF INTERVIEWS. ASSISTANCE FROM ROCAP AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS HAS ENABLED SIECA TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED AND VALUABLE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION. ROCAP SUPPORT HAS STRENGTHENED SIECA"S TECHNICAL CAPACITY, AND PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRADE EXPANSION, AND REGIONAL STATISTICS. FURTHER, SIECA HAS ATTAINED WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE DUE TO: 1)ITS PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY OF SHAPING THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMON MARKET; 2)ITS RECOGNITION BY CENTRAL AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS; AND 3)ITS COMPETENT STAFF. DESPITE SUCCESS,SIECA HAS ITS WEAKNESSES. THERE IS AN INABILITY OF SIECA TO RELEASE KEY PERSONNEL FOR SHORT PERIODS (UP TO 4 MONTHS).SUCH WAS THE CASE DURING THE NICARAGUAN EARTHQUAKE,COSTA RICAN MONETARY CRISIS,AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMON MARKET. ABSENCE OF AN ADEQUATE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK (LOG FRAME) SHOWING MAJOR PROJECT ACTIVITIES IMPEDES PROGRAM MONITORING AND FUTURE INSTITUTIONAL ASSISTANCE. LIKEWISE,AID REPORT (PAR OF 10/31/72) HAS BEEN BRIEF IN DESCRIBING NEW ACTIONS,AS A RESULT OF EVALUATIVE ACTIVITIES. TEAM CONCLUDES ROCAP SHOULD COLLABORATE WITH SIECA TO DESIGN FUTURE SUPPORT ACTIVITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW AID LOG FRAME SYSTEM. THIS LOG FRAME SHOULD REQUIRE SUFFICIENT PROJECT INFORMATION SO THAT PROJECTS,SUB-PROJECTS,AND OTHER ACTIVITIES MAY BE EFFECTIVELY MONITORED. ROCAP SHOULD ALSO DETERMINE EXACT STATUS OF ROCAP SUPPORTED PERSONNEL WITHIN SIECA AND CLASSIFY SUCH PERSONNEL AS CONTRACT COSTS. IF SIECA CANNOT DEVELOP A DEFINITIVE PLAN FOR PARTICIPANT TRAINING,ROCAP FUNDS FOR TRAINING SHOULD BE EITHER REPROGRAMMED OR DEOBLIGATED. FINALLY,ROCAP SHOULD IMPROVE ITS PROJECT FILES TO ASSURE MORE COMPLETE HISTORICAL AND FINANCIAL DATA ON SIECA ACTIVITIES.