Africa 2002–2006
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EVALUATION OF UNDP’S SECOND REGIONAL COOperATION FRAMEWORK FOR AFRICA 2002–2006 Evaluation Office, May 2007 United Nations Development Programme RepoRTS PUBLISHed Under THE RCF EVALUATIon SerIES RCF for the Arab States 2002-2005, (2005) RCF for Asia and the Pacific 2002-2006, (2007) RCF for Latin America & the Caribbean 2002-2007, (2007) EVALUATION TEAM Team Leader Richard Beattie Team Members Pamela Branch Bjorn Johansson Hubert LeBlanc, Adviser Asif Chida, Adviser Ahmed Mohiddin, Adviser Elaine Ward, Gender Specialist Bruce Branch, IT Specialist Ian Cameron, Researcher Evaluation Office Task Manager Ruth Abraham Copyright © 2007 United Nations Development Programme Evaluation Office One United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017, USA Website: http://www.undp.org/eo Email: [email protected] FOREWORD This report presents the findings of the evaluation However the evaluation found that generally links of the Second Regional Cooperation Framework between the regional programme and country for Africa. It is one of three evaluations of regional programmes were absent; coordination and com- programmes carried out this year. The aim of the munication were weak as were gender mainstream- evaluation is to assess performance, and help iden- ing and integration of environment concerns. The tify successful approaches and lessons which would programme also lacked indicators, baseline and feed into the development of the third regional timeline data which limited attribution, and links cooperation framework for Africa. between expected results, required resources and monitoring and evaluation needed improvement. The particular aims of the RCF were support to The evaluation also found that the time horizon good governance, globalization, peace building and for capacity development initiatives were generally disaster management, HIV/AIDS, and management unrealistic and exit strategies were not developed of energy and environment for sustainable develop- during the design stage of an initiative. ment. Managed by the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA), it provided a framework for the implemen- Some key lessons learned from UNDP’s experience tation of regional projects and programmes and a in implementing the regional programme in Africa provision of policy and advisory services. include: first, maximum impact from relatively lim- ited resources came from focusing on those areas The evaluation examined UNDP’s regional pro- where African priorities and UNDP strengths gramme and its contributions to regional devel- intersected (governance, conflict prevention and opment in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, peace building). Second, building partnerships efficiency and sustainability. It found that the and capacities was easier when UNDP established themes of the RCF were aligned well to regionally a direct relationship with local institutions rather expressed priorities, and with UNDP’s global pro- than working through an executing agency. And gramme, and that UNDP’s presence and reputa- third, strong financial and management systems tion throughout Africa gave it a natural and viable and performance measures must be in place for role to play in the areas of democratic governance, effective management, including an integrated globalization and conflict resolution and peace system of reporting, monitoring and evaluation. building. The regional programme was found to be It is expected that in the development of the third successful in implementing initiatives of a sensitive regional cooperation framework for Africa, these nature, in conducting policy analysis and advocacy, lessons will provide a useful basis for learning what in handling trans-boundary issues and in enhanc- worked well and what didn’t work so well. ing capacity. It was successful in bringing partners from throughout Africa together to share best prac- A number of people contributed to this evalua- tices and lessons learned and to develop joint action tion, particularly the evaluation team composed of plans to address trans-boundary issues. Opportuni- Richard Beattie, team leader, and Pamela Branch ties were availed moreover for building relation- and Bjorn Johansson, team members. Ruth Abra- ships and confidence between groups, particularly ham was the task manager of the evaluation at the among countries that otherwise had little access to Evaluation Office. We would also like to thank official development assistance resources or had a Kutisha Ebron, Thuy Hang To and Anish Pradhan long history of not interacting with one another. of EO and Khadidiatou Sylla-Ba of UNOPS, who The programme was also found to be successful in provided excellent administrative and technical mobilizing funds for the programme. support. We would also like to express our appre- ciation to Shreya Dhawan, Editor of this report. The preparation of the evaluation was also thanks Jonas Ottosen in Gaborone, Fatoumata Maiga in to the excellent collaboration of the Regional Bamako, Laba Toure and Seynabou Diop in Dakar Bureau of Africa led by the Regional Director, and Eloi Laouroui in Geneva. This report would not Gilbert Houngbo, Martin Fianu, Chief of Staff, have been possible without the interest and support Lamin Manneh, Head of the Strategic Regional of African government representatives, Advisory Initiatives Unit, and the support of many UNDP Board members, regional partners, donors, repre- staff members in New York and in the field, espe- sentatives of civil society, and executing agencies. cially, Illuminate Maerere, Jessie Byron and Habiba I hope that the findings and recommendations Ben Barka, New York, Aguere Yilma and Hannah of this evaluation will assist in improving the Gutema in Addis Ababa, Nardos Bekele-Thomas effectiveness of UNDP’s regional level assistance in and Jacqueline Anyona in Nairobi, Isaac Chivore Africa in the coming period, and contribute to the and Chris Opar in Pretoria, Kristan Schoulz and achievement of its development goals. Saraswathi Menon Director, Evaluation Office TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ vii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... ix 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Evaluation methodology ..........................................................................................................................2 1.2 Limitations of the evaluation ..................................................................................................................3 2. Background ................................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 The African development context ...........................................................................................................5 2.2 Objectives of the Second Regional Cooperation Framework .................................................................7 2.3 Current status ..........................................................................................................................................8 2.4 Financial resources .................................................................................................................................. 8 2.5 Oversight and management arrangements ......................................................................................... 9 3. Analysis and Findings.................................................................................................................11 3.1 Relevance ............................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Effectiveness .......................................................................................................................................... 14 3.3 Efficiency ...............................................................................................................................................29 3.4 Sustainability .........................................................................................................................................32 4. Conclusions, Lessons Learned and Recommendations ............................................................... 34 4.1 Conclusions ...........................................................................................................................................34 4.2 Lesson learned .......................................................................................................................................35 4.3 Recommendations for the future ...........................................................................................................35 AnneXES Annex A. Terms of Reference .....................................................................................................................37 Annex B. List of people consulted ...............................................................................................................42 Annex C. Key documents consulted ............................................................................................................ 51 ANNEXES AVAILABLE WITH ONLINE VERSION OF THE REPORT AT WWW.UNDP.ORG/EO Annex D. RCF Africa II Portfolio (June 2006) Annex E. Data Collection