0.42 linear feet of textual records

This sub-series is a collection of memoranda and related records compiled by Christopher R. Willoughby who was among the first employees of the Operations Evaluation Unit and was appointed the first director of the Operations Evaluation Department in July 1973.

• The first set of files consists of memoranda (dated November 1970 - November 1972; February - April 1973; and February - August 1975) sent to President Robert McNamara from Christopher R. Willoughby and also John Adler, who was director when the Operation Evaluation Unit was established in 1970. The memoranda concern the early workings of Operations Evaluation including: the decision to begin with an in-depth look at the Bank's work in one country, Colombia, and in one sector, electrical power; the development of the format for these first two reports; progress reports on the work of the unit and on the development of future work programs; and the relationship between evaluation and supervision. Some of the original memoranda to McNamara were returned to Operations Evaluation marked with a red stamp indicating President has seen. One long memorandum for the record summarizes the January 1971 visit with the Colombia Operations Evaluation team of Dr. Lauchlin Currie who headed the Bank's General Survey Mission to Colombia in 1949. Included in this first set of files are handwritten notes and memoranda for the record summarizing meetings Willoughby and others had with McNamara.

The second set of files consists of memoranda (dated April 1970 - February 1976) sent and received by Willoughby and his copies of key memoranda documenting the development of the operations evaluation function and the changing position of the Operations Evaluation staff within the Bank. Included are Willoughby's handwritten drafts and final copies of the key issuances affecting Operations Evaluation and his notes from key meetings. One folder contains Willoughby's drafts of a September 29, 1975 memoranda from Mohamed Shoaib, Vice President, Operations Evaluation Division, outlining the history of the evaluation function from 1971 to 1975.

Accruals are not expected.

The memoranda in the first set are arranged chronologically; those in the second set are arranged by subject.

Records are subject to the Internal Evaluation Group's Access to Information Policy.

Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.

• English

Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).

17 September 2009