Annual Report 2006: Evaluation of Norwegian Development Cooperation

In 2006 there was more debate on development cooperation in the Norwegian media than there has been for a long time.
Much of the debate focused on the need to evaluate development assistance. It is true that we do not know enough about the long-term effects of the development assistance provided by Norway and other countries. Nor has it become any easier to evaluate impact as aid modalities have changed with greater emphasis being placed on more donor cooperation, various forms of budget support and stronger integration into administrative systems in recipient countries. Most of the evaluations have therefore been unable to provide answers as to the real results of the programmes.

At the international level, we are now seeing a shift of focus, and a growing interest in learning more about the results of development assistance. The Evaluation Department participates in international collaboration aimed at improving knowledge in this field. In Norway we are responding by making evaluation projects more result-oriented. In several of the evaluations that are being initiated in 2007, we will focus more directly on registering the impact of development cooperation.
The fact that we know too little about the long-term effects of development cooperation does not mean that we cannot see any results from the aid provided. Results are documented both in connection with individual projects and programmes and at the macro level. Many of the evaluations can demonstrate good results. A more general picture of the results of Norwegian development assistance will be provided in the first edition of Norad's new annual report on results, which will be published in October 2007.

In this annual report, we present the most important lessons learned from our evaluation activities in 2006. We begin by singling out four main findings from the whole range of evaluation projects, and then presenting the main conclusions in each valuation. This year we can also for the first time present an overview of the efforts being made to follow up the evaluations.