Improving Transport Project Appraisals

In the Islamic Countries

Quality review

For projects funded through the budget allocated to MRUD-affiliated organisations by the PBO

(and which can be government-based or PPP projects), the standard practice is to have the

internal planning department of the relevant MRUD-organisation reviewing the appraisals

prepared by certified consultants (particularly the final design and appraisal corresponding to

phase 2). A group of internal specialised reviewers thus checks all projects before approving

them. Therefore, the MRUD and its organisations have the final responsibility on project

approval.

This is however not the case for so-called

national proj

ects

(funded by the general budget and

included by the PBO in a priority list). For these investments, the report submitted by

consultants will be evaluated in the MRUD by the

Working Group on Evaluation and Approval of

Projects

. Members of this Working Group come from different bodies: the MRUD itself (the

Deputy of Planning and Resource Management and the Deputy Chief Transportation Officer);

the relevant MRUD-organisation (e.g. RAI, PMO, etc.); academia; other organisations related to

the project.

A check of the appraisal in terms of completeness and technical quality is thus performed by

quality reviewers

; their activity, however, is not grounded on formal and homogeneous quality

standards.

Publicity and stakeholders

In Iran, project appraisal reports are not made public, and no evidence has been found of

appraisal results being used to inform public consultations and debate. Moreover, the role of

stakeholder consultation

appears to be overall limited. In the case of Ports and Maritime

Organisation, stakeholder consultation takes place during the appraisal process only when there

is a direct relationship with another infrastructure (e.g. railways) or economic activity.

In case of projects involving land acquisition, a study on its social impacts is carried out for the

project appraisal and, according to interviewed stakeholders, informative meetings with the

local population take place. In addition, the MRUD needs to send relevant documentation to the

local governor. As a result of this process, variations to the initial project may be added.

For foreign investments, the provisions set out in Art. 21 of FIPPA apply, according to which

OIETAI “is required to ensure the access of the general public to all information” concerning the

investment, the investors, the fields of activity and other available information. However, no

evidence on the actual use of this Article could be found.

No evidence could be found on the depth of the quality review, and particularly if such control is only compliance-driven

or if it includes a thorough discussion of the adopted approach and assumptions.