Annual Performance and Financial Report FY2019: Fiscal Transparency Activity in Honduras

The activity was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and operated under contract number AID-522-TO-17-00003 from September 2017 to September 2020. The activity was led by Chief of Party Paul Sisk and supported by COR Denia Chavez. The activity focused on three main components: improving transparency and effectiveness of public spending, institutionalizing public-private dialogue on transparency, fiscal policy, and anti-corruption issues, and steps taken to professionalize the civil service. The activity also included cross-cutting support, which aimed to enhance the capacity of government institutions to implement fiscal transparency and accountability measures. In FY2019, the activity made significant progress in achieving its objectives. The activity supported the Honduran government in implementing the Citizens' Budget 2019, which provided citizens with a clear and accessible understanding of the national budget. The activity also facilitated the socialization of the 2020 budget, which involved the participation of civil society organizations and ensured that the budget was aligned with the country's development priorities. The activity also supported the development of the SEFIN's new web portal, which provided citizens with access to information on public spending and budget execution. The activity also facilitated the handover of the IAIP Computer Lab, which enhanced the capacity of the Institute of Access to Public Information to provide citizens with access to information on public spending. The activity also made progress in improving the capacity of government institutions to implement fiscal transparency and accountability measures. The activity supported the development of the National Anti-Corruption Council's (CNA) strategic plan, which aimed to enhance the council's capacity to prevent and combat corruption. The activity also facilitated the development of the Civil Service Directorate's (DGSC) capacity to implement a performance-based management system. The activity also made progress in promoting public-private dialogue on transparency, fiscal policy, and anti-corruption issues. The activity supported the development of the Inter-institutional Cooperation Agreement, which aimed to enhance collaboration between government institutions and civil society organizations on transparency and accountability issues. The activity also facilitated the participation of civil society organizations in the socialization of the 2020 budget. The activity's achievements were monitored and evaluated through a collaborative, learning, and adapting (CLA) approach. The activity used a variety of indicators to measure progress, including the number of citizens who accessed information on public spending through the SEFIN's new web portal, the number of government institutions that implemented fiscal transparency and accountability measures, and the number of civil society organizations that participated in the socialization of the 2020 budget. The activity's progress was also evaluated through a midterm evaluation, which was conducted in FY2019. The evaluation found that the activity had made significant progress in achieving its objectives, including improving transparency and accountability in public spending, institutionalizing public-private dialogue on transparency, fiscal policy, and anti-corruption issues, and professionalizing the civil service. The activity's achievements were also recognized by the Honduran government, which acknowledged the activity's contribution to improving transparency and accountability in public spending. The activity's achievements were also recognized by civil society organizations, which praised the activity's efforts to promote public-private dialogue on transparency, fiscal policy, and anti-corruption issues. Overall, the Fiscal Transparency Activity in Honduras made significant progress in achieving its objectives, including improving transparency and accountability in public spending, institutionalizing public-private dialogue on transparency, fiscal policy, and anti-corruption issues, and professionalizing the civil service. The activity's achievements were recognized by the Honduran government and civil society organizations, and its progress was evaluated through a collaborative, learning, and adapting (CLA) approach.