Optimizing Development Coordination: Advancing Planning and Reporting through Information System Enhancement

Area of intervention 

Public Administration reform; Digitalisation: Donor coordination

Partners 

General Secretariat of Government of Montenegro National Council for Sustainable Development.

Key objectives 

Enhanced cross-government and institutional coordination efficiency enabling evidence-based policy planning, data-driven decision-making, optimized resource allocation across priority reforms and a dedicated digital approach —primarily through an Information System for Planning and Reporting (ISPI)—for monitoring and reporting of strategic framework and reform processes in the country.

Major expected results 

• All relevant institutions responsible for monitoring reforms are legally mandated and operationally capable of providing timely, unified reporting to the Government, with initial focus on the General Secretariat of the Government as the main coordinating body in the system, with plans to expand soon to other state authorities such as the Ministry of European Affairs, the Ministry of Public Administration, and the Ministry of Finance.”
• A unified monitoring system for tracking prioritized reforms (RA and accession negotiations) is developed, tested, and linked with the Government’s Session IT Platform, with initial data generation, training, and technical support provided to key institutions.

Target groups 

• The General Secretariat of the Government

• Ministry of European Affairs

• Ministry of Public Administration 

• Ministry of Finance

Implementing status

The establishment of a pool of policy and technical experts, alongside the engagement of key stakeholders, is well underway. An assessment of existing IT capacities is currently being conducted to define the specific needs of the respective institutions. Based on these findings, targeted support interventions are being developed to strengthen institutional capacities and enhance the overall efficiency of the system. 

Contribution to EU Accession 

Envisioned interventions contribute to EU accession by supporting public administration entities to align their planning, monitoring, and reporting processes with EU standards. It enhances transparency, accountability, and efficiency in managing government strategies, action plans, and EU-related activities. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and integrating budgeting with specific activities, ISPI helps institutions meet EU requirements for strategic planning and financial management. In this way, better utilization and allocation of available funds is to be achieved, ensuring that resources are redirected towards activities that most effectively contribute to measures necessary for the fulfilment of immediate accession requirements. Additionally, its focus on gender mainstreaming supports alignment with EU gender equality policies, a key criterion in the accession process. their planning, monitoring, and reporting processes with EU standards. It enhances transparency, accountability, and efficiency in managing government strategies, action plans, and EU-related activities. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and integrating budgeting with specific activities, ISPI helps institutions meet EU requirements for strategic planning and financial management. Additionally, its focus on gender mainstreaming supports alignment with EU gender equality policies, a key criterion in the accession process.

Project brief description

The project’s main objective is to strengthen governance by improving strategic planning, institutional coordination, and evidence-based decision-making through digital transformation. It will achieve this by enhancing the Information System for Planning and Reporting (ISPI)—a centralized IT solution that will serve as the primary platform for collecting, analyzing, and reporting reform progress. ISPI will ensure interoperability with government databases, enabling real-time data tracking, automated reporting, and advanced analytics to improve policy planning, budget allocation, and overall reform implementation. By eliminating inefficiencies and inconsistencies in reporting, the project will enhance Montenegro’s institutional preparedness to meet both pre-accession and post-accession obligations. By consolidating multiple reporting streams into a single digital system, it will streamline governance, improve coordination with development partners, and enhance accountability on all levels of governance. 

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