GEI, CLEAR-SA Conduct Mission to Strengthen Monitoring and Evaluation in Bhutan

Representatives from the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) and the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for South Asia (CLEAR-SA), a GEI implementing partner, visited Bhutan in December 2023 to provide technical support for the design of Bhutan’s national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.

Upon the request of the Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination (OCASC) of the Royal Government of Bhutan, GEI and CLEAR-SA led consultations and working sessions to support Bhutan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its M&E system; develop recommendations for institutional procedures, regulatory guidelines, policies, and capacity development on M&E; and facilitate collaboration, accountability, and ownership of the project among stakeholders. The UNDP Deputy Resident Representative hosted the mission and facilitated high-level meetings with government officials and heads of agencies.

In December 2023, Bhutan became the seventh nation to graduate from the list of least developed countries (LCD) in the world. According to the UN, this change in status indicates a country’s improved economic resilience and development, greater self-reliance, and a stronger position in the global economy. The national government is also pursuing new economic ambitions, civil service reforms, and its recently unveiled 13th Five-Year-Plan.