Assessing National Evaluation Systems and Capacities

Moderator

• Edoé Djimitri Agbodjan, Director, Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR- Francophone Africa)

Panellists

• Craig Barham, Chief Technical Director, Performance Management and Evaluation Branch, office of the Cabinet, Jamaica
• Jorge Aquimo Sipanela, National Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mozambique
• Prudence Kaoma, Director Morning and Evaluation, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia
• Jose Enrique Velasquez, General Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, Peru (Appearing Virtually)
• Tiarinisaina Olivier Ramiandrisoa, General Director of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Madagascar

How can NEC diagnostic tools support and strengthen evaluation systems? What are the issues, challenges
and opportunities? What is needed to accelerate their implementation to strengthen systems?

• There are a variety of starting points and experience for setting up an evaluation system. The same applies to the pathway and evolution for each country in their NES, including many without an M&E framework in place.
• While the diagnostic approaches and models are different and adapted to each country context, they share the same objective of providing evidence for policy improvement.
• Political will remains critical in all models to support the creation and sustainability of the NES. Senior managers in government can be engaged as champions, Politicians need to be sensitized and brought on board, and civil society needs to be included and supported in the use of evaluation as a policy decision-making tool.
• Despite having set up NES several years ago, most countries still face significant challenges in terms of quality, coordination as well as implementation across ministries. The monitoring component of M&E has seen better implementation than evaluation in most cases.
• Exchange of knowledge between countries on their NES is common and a powerful instrument to create momentum to embark on the NEC journey.
• Clearly the establishment of NES is a process that needs regular checking and possibly course correction.
• Different diagnostic tools address different needs, and it is important to understand your overall need and goal. Some tools just look at sectoral systems or processes. Others may not consider the legal structures needed.
• It is important to include stakeholders throughout the process to ensure you have consensus and buy in. It important to be inclusive when undertaking diagnostic studies and it is also important to manage risk aversion towards both results-based management and M&E.
• Assessing the National Evaluation System is key to push and improve the overall system by better understanding the strengths and weaknesses and identifying gaps, but also for sharing experience and best practices.
• E-governance, automation and digitalization processes can support the NES.

Conclusion

Assessments of NES are instrumental to create the right conditions and pathways toward a more robust system, able to support the development of sound social public policies and resilient systems. However, the establishment of NES requires strong political will which needs to continue beyond the establishment of the systems and frameworks, to ensure NES are used effectively for learning and accountability. The inclusion of stakeholders throughout the process of diagnostic, establishment and implementation of National Evaluation Systems is essential.