Experts discuss evaluation practices

AMMAN — Experts from 12 countries discussed this week generalising evaluation theoretically and practically in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 

Several sessions and workshops focused on evaluating development based on facts and evidence and best practices in evaluation, according to a statement sent from the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation to The Jordan Times. 

The aim of the conference, Middle East and North Africa Evaluation Network (EvalMENA) held on Monday in Amman, was to learn prioritising, raise performance and enhance institutional governance and decision making mechanisms.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Saif said  attention should not be paid only to finance development projects from aid, but also to finance productive investment projects, especially under the current circumstances prevailing in the region.

“This can be achieved by effective evaluation of the development programmes and practices to improve these communities and raise their performance in the future,” the statement quoted him as saying. 

The best practices underlined the importance of development through an effective agenda which is based on improving local and regional evaluation efficiencies and expertise. 

“Middle East and North Africa region is undergoing profound transformations. The evaluation profession is called into play an important role in shouldering these transformations towards an inclusive and equitable better future, otherwise the whole region will get constantly entangled in a never-ending spiral of social unrest,” Saif said.