Report of the Sixteenth Meeting of the CGIAR Oversight Committee

Report of the sixteenth meeting of the CGIAR Oversight Committee, held in Washington, DC on October 24-25 and 27, 1998 in conjunction with CGIAR International Centers Week. The Committee interacted with the Chairman of the CGIAR and the Finance Committee on the System Review.The Committee reiterated the importance of centers using realistic funding projections, given the pressures on development assistance, and on the World Bank contribution. Under System Governance, the Committee urged a closer working relationship between TAC and the IAEG, and strengthening TAC's capacity to provide management and policy advice.The Oversight Committee pursued its concern about potential liability of members for actions by centers or the System in a discussion with Louis Forget of the World Bank Legal Department. It welcomed the proposal to establish a legal entity to hold intellectual property for the centers. The issue of member liability should be pursued after the consideration of the System Review conclusions. While critical of some aspects of the System Review, the Committee decided to work for ownership of the report and finding a consensus on a way forward. It reviewed the changes made in the Group agenda at ICW98, and discussed the structure of MTM 1999 with the Executive Secretary of the CGIAR