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Evaluating Country Programmes
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Responsibilities: When all aspects of project design have been participatory
and monitoring, when feedback and evaluation modalities are known by the actors
(i.e. local programme partners), then accountability for project management and,
consequently, the development process is handled by local partners. In order to be
timely, therefore, the tasks for evaluation and self-assessment at lower levels (e.g.
target groups or communities) should be handled by local partners and programme
support organisations. A donor would only be involved in keeping track of results
for inclusion in the final CPE. The tasks for evaluations (i.e. other than CPEs) on
higher levels of involvement (e.g. with government partners) should be shared
between the programme/project local partners and donors. To enhance capacitybuilding,
accountability and ownership in this respect, a local partner should
always take a lead in the process. Tasks for CPEs should be shared equally
between the donor and host government, and with adequate participation of
target group representatives.
Accountability: Accountability in any form presumes vested interests (including
political and material) and investment (i.e. resources – human and material) by
both the donor and local partner. This determines the basis for ownership of both
the programme and results. Furthermore, accountability presumes a level of
empowerment which will allow for a genuine dialogue (transparent and free from
politics) among partners. For this to happen, information flow must be open so as
to enable informed decisions and choices. This applies to all levels of partnership
concerned. The CPE then evaluates the results of this kind of partnership, which are
subsequently used for mutual benefit in development co-operation.
Planning: During the planning and undertaking of CPEs, partners should allow
enough time for donor and partner alike to reflect critically on their concepts and
values in order to be able to fit them into the realities of development co-operation
partnership. Hence, adequate time needs to be allocated for CPE events.
Information-sharing: Host governments and donors should initiate countryspecific
forums for exchange of information and experiences in relation to the CPEs
and for searching for new and better ways of learning and of relating to local people.
The outputs of such forums could have significant value worldwide in shaping the
principles of development co-operation.
Partnership: Partnership becomes real only when there is a shared sense of
purpose and commitment, without which it is merely ideological. Partnership is
not static and may not need to be sustained indefinitely. However, it has to be
mutually built and cultivated to grow to a level suitable to impact positively on
its stakeholders. Partners in development co-operation should be able to determine
the level of partnership attained during a certain period under evaluation
by using simple (and perhaps contextual) criteria and indicators to be designed
at the initial stage of a programme. This will help to broaden the traditional
OECD 1999