SOLUTIONS

Goals (SDGs), I believe the issue of evaluation of global policies will mark the world over the next decade. Despite
largely positive results, many developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have lagged behind
with respect to the MDGs. Although progress against the MDG targets could be assessed easily, evaluating
and understanding reasons for the trends both locally and globally has been a much greater challenge. With
the adoption of the SDGs, including a comprehensive M&E framework, global public policy will take on a
new dimension with an increased consideration for
important development factors such as human and
environmental rights, gender, equity, sustainability,
inclusion, and so on. The prescribed use of evaluation
in the SDG framework will put greater emphasis on
the relevance and effectiveness of public policies by
responding to the dual question: “Are we doing the
right things and are we doing them the right way”?
The strength of Evaluation remains its ability
to focus on value, including timeliness.
Whether looking at economic value, value for
money, social or societal values, evaluation
remains a fascinating discipline that adapts to
new development challenges.”
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In this context, questions such as happiness or quality of life induced by public policies gain a central
place. Whether evaluating the operations of the African Development Bank or the national policies of a
state, one of the major concerns is now the ultimate beneficiary: the citizen. It is henceforth the ability of
interventions and policy to change lives for the better that is sought.
The strength of evaluation remains its ability to focus on value, including timeliness. Whether looking
at economic value, value for money, social or societal values, evaluation remains a fascinating discipline
that adapts to new development challenges. It also has the ability to make the most of the potential of
communication technologies to improve its tools and methodologies and thus constantly strengthen the
participatory approach by taking into account the views of all key stakeholders.
The use of mobile phone-based communications has proved useful for evaluation and it is certainly an
emerging practice to be encouraged as networks spread fast throughout Africa. The challenge for the near
term is how we can continue to expand horizons and use technology to bring increased participation and
value for money without compromising quality and robustness. Lack of imagination and creativity is the
only barrier to strengthening development outcomes and increasing value for money.
Another concern is raised by the boom of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a privileged instrument
of development financing by states. After several decades of experimentation by states and development
institutions, there are now numerous studies on the impact of PPPs, their successes and failures. In a
structural context of limited public resources, evaluators and leaders share a common interest in knowing
the real ability of PPPs to provide a solution for infrastructure deficits and the optimal conditions for
their use. Of course, PPPs as such can only be as good as the environment in which they are undertaken,
and this should spur countries to undergo the structural reforms that are needed for better governance
and an enabling business environment. A body of evidence will continue to be built in order to provide
more precise answers to these questions.
At this time, the question is no longer how to evaluate a particular project or development initiative, because
much expertise has been acquired in this field. The major challenge for countries and organizations such as
the African Development Bank is to demonstrate how broadly their policies have brought a positive change
in the lives of African people. This calls for deployment of more appropriate (complex) methodologies to
address global concerns about the validity and legitimacy of public action itself.
A quarterly knowledge publication from Independent Development Evaluation, African Development Bank Group