Annual Report 2013: Evaluation of Norwegian Development Cooperation

This annual report presents summaries of findings and recommendations based on last year’s evaluations and studies. Based on these reports, we highlight some lessons that we believe may be relevant for development cooperation:

Firstly, we see that proper preparations are important for results measurement and evaluation. Evaluations are often complicated by a failure to make provision for obtaining important information from the outset. Practical preparatory work is an important part of the solution, but organizational change is also required.

Secondly, coordination of aid is an important prerequisite to achieve the greatest possible impact. This concerns coordination between donors and local authorities, but also between donors, especially in humanitarian aid.

Thirdly, we address how fostering local participation requires knowledge of local conditions. One should have knowledge of local power structures and be aware of how aid impacts on these.

The need for good preparatory work is a recurring topic throughout this annual report. We put forth how a Theory of Change can be an important first step, but that this must in due course be adapted as the conditions alter. The three experiences we highlight should also be considered at a preparatory stage. Moreover we have included a separate section on evaluation at the outset of an aid intervention, in which we share some examples of how evaluations benefit from thorough preparatory work.

The annual report also provides an overview of the follow-up status for our evaluation and studies since 2009.