This presentation was delivered at the 24th Open Forum hosted by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) and was designed to facilitate discussion on the broader learning of the Poverty Impact Monitoring Unit of the GTZ,which concluded its operations in April 2005. The author based his presentation on over 6 years of experience inrelation to poverty monitoring in Sri Lanka, and focused on the broader learning in relation to national policy and institutional structures. The author indicated that, while poverty reduction maintains its priority position on the national and international development agenda,