Country Program Evaluation: Costa Rica (1990-2001)

This Country Program Evaluation (RE-277) covers the period from 1990 to 2001. The paper identifies development issues in Costa Rica, explores the performance of the programming and portfolio execution, and assesses the effectiveness of operations. The study holds that the country's development issues and vulnerabilities were adequately identified in the Bank's country papers. The Bank decided how it would help identify the alternative responses that the country was seeking by proposing a path based on structural reforms in the Costa Rican public sector that were not viable and had not been previously legitimized. Three aspects stand out as lessons to be learned from the evaluation of performance problems. First, the crucial importance of the delays, difficulties in meeting and complying with the initial or special loan conditions, and difficulties in committing the necessary resources to allow for timely execution of operations.