The evolution of IDEV’s evaluation practice and its use for post-pandemic recovery

1. Rationale: The world has been dealing with an unprecedented situation, the COVID-19 pandemic, for over two years now. Like the rest of the world, Africa was hit hard by the pandemic. The economic and social costs have been enormous and far-reaching, with numerous socioeconomic and environmental consequences. During this time, Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV) at the African Development Bank (AfDB) -like other evaluation offices- has faced several challenges in conducting evaluations, including with empirical data collection and site visits. Local and international travel restrictions resulted in limited access to governments, beneficiaries, and partners, hindering IDEV evaluation teams’ ability to conduct face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders. Given the many constraints and limitations, the IDEV evaluation teams had to be creative and innovative in their job in this new working environment.
At the same time, the COVID–19 pandemic also presented opportunities. Certainly, it accelerated the adoption of technologies, including in the evaluation practice, and pushed the world faster into the future. And it strengthened the demand for evidence to inform an agenda to “build back better” from the pandemic: addressing infrastructure gaps and economic and social challenges, and building resilience to face future crises.
Therefore, the primary purpose of this round table is to discuss how IDEV evaluation methods and approaches have evolved since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how evaluations can help inform the “building back better” agenda.
2. Objective: The objective is to discuss creative and innovative approaches to conducting independent evaluations during the pandemic, and how evaluations can contribute to the post-pandemic recovery. How the evaluation teams demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and responsiveness by delivering and remaining engaged and attentive to demands, including demands for evidence to inform decision-making.
3. Format: A 1.5-hour round table between AfDB Evaluator General and IDEV evaluators.
4. Host:
• Karen Rot-Münstermann, Evaluator General, IDEV, AfDB
5. Discussants:
• Andrew Anguko, Chief Quality and Methods Advisor, IDEV, AfDB
• Joseph Mouanda, Chief Evaluation Officer, IDEV, AfDB
• Girma Kumbi, Chief Evaluation Officer, IDEV, AfDB
• Akua Arthur-Kissi, Principal Evaluation Officer, IDEV, AfDB
• May Mwaka, Principal Evaluation Officer, IDEV, AfDB

6. Focus: The focus will be on:
a. The evolution of the evaluation practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
b. Importance of evaluation during crises and preparing for future crises.
c. How the Bank is using evaluation in supporting its Regional Member Countries to build back better by addressing infrastructure gaps and economic and social challenges, and building resilience. .

7. Guiding questions:
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, how did evaluation adapt? Did the pandemic change the way we evaluate?
• What role did creativity and innovation play in addressing the challenges and opportunities in your respective evaluations?
• From the COVID-19 pandemic, what evaluative lessons are there for Africa? What lessons can we draw from this crisis to inform the response to future crises?
• As the Bank continues to support its Regional Member Countries to build back better from this pandemic, in addressing infrastructure gaps, economic and social challenges, and building a resilient continent in facing future crises, how can evaluation help?

8. Date and Time: Thursday, 2 June 2022, 14:00 - 16:00 (Abidjan time)

9. Target audience
a. The AfDB's Board of Directors, Senior Management, staff, and consultants;
b. Technical officers, evaluators, policy - and decision-makers from African governments,
c. Researchers, Think-tanks, and civil society
d. Students
e. Multilateral Development Banks, development organizations, and donors
f. The evaluation community: AfrEA, ECG, OECD/DAC EvalNet, Twende Mbele, APNODE, 3ie, National Evaluation Associations/Networks in Africa
g. Private sector