2007
–
2010 External
 Evaluation
 of 
ECDPM: Striking
 the 
Balance


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    External 
evaluation 
and
 internal
 assessment


    In 
order
 to 
provide 
accountability 
for 
its 
activities 
and
 to 
further 
its 
internal 
learning 
and
 institutional
 development,
 ECDPM
 has
 requested
 the
 external
 evaluation
 team
 to
 review
 the
 context
 and
 performance
 of
 the
 ECDPM
 during 
the 
period
 2007–2010, 
to
 assess 
how
t he
 Centre 
is 
evolving 
as 
an
 institution
 and
 to
 formulate
 recommendations
 for
 improvement.


    For
 this
 evaluation,
 the
 team,
 consisting
 of
 two
 evaluation
 experts
 from
 Africa
 and
 two
 from
 Europe,
 analysed
 documentation,
 undertook
 several 
‘site
 visits’, 
interviewed
 about
 100
 stakeholders 
(mainly
 in 
Africa 
and 
Europe)
 and had
 discussions
 with
 ECDPM
 staff.
 In
 preparation
 of
 the
 evaluation,
 ECDPM
 undertook
 a
 major
 internal 
assessment,
 which 
not
 only
 served 
well
 as
 a 
good
 starting 
point
 for
 the
 evaluation 
team, 
but
 also
 provided 
a 
peak 
learning 
event
 for 
all
 ECDPM 
staff
 and
 a 
good 
first 
step 
for 
preparing 
for 
its 
next
 multi‐annual
 strategy 
cycle.



    Main
 conclusions


    • ECDPM’s
 strategy
 2007–2011
 forms
 a
 comprehensive,
 solid
 and
 well‐balanced
 framework,
 and
 contains 
relevant
 choices
 and
 well‐founded 
approaches.
 The
 Centre 
has 
been 
successful
 in 
elaborating 
and 
implementing
 this 
strategy.


    • Its
 three
 programmes,
 Development
 Policy
 and
 International
 Relations
 (DPIR),
 Governance
 and
 Economic
 and
 Trade
 Cooperation
 (ETC),
 were
 well
 designed
 along
 relevant
 policy
 processes
 and
 have
 resulted
 in
 substantial
 outcomes
 and
 impact
 in
 EU‐ACP
 policies,
 cooperation 
and
 related 
capacities. 
The 
Centre 
has 
provided 
‘high 
value
 for
money’.


    • The
 challenge 
now 
is
 to 
remain 
relevant 
and
 effective 
in
 a 
complex
 and 
dynamic
 policy
 arena
 where
 institutional 
uncertainties, intrinsic, 
bottom‐up
 processes 
and
 major 
external 
factors,
 such
 as
 the
 role
 of
 China
 and
 various
 global
 crises,
 put
 the
 EU‐ACP
 relationship
 under
 pressure.
    • Another
 challenge 
is 
to
 reinforce 
ECDPM’s 
presence 
in
 Africa—for
 reasons
 of 
legitimacy
 and,
 among
 other 
things,
more
 intensive
 and
 direct
 interactions 
with
 key
 actors.

    • ECDPM
 is
 a 
centre 
of 
excellence 
in
 terms
 of
 facilitation
 of 
policy 
processes
 and 
knowledge
 management.
 It 
has 
made
 progress 
with 
its 
partnerships, 
but
 the
 successes 
a e
mixed
 and
 transaction
 costs
 substantial.

    • The
 Centre’s
 current
 funding
 structure
 can
 optimally
 support
 its
 typical
 process‐oriented
 approach,
 but
 there re
amain considerable 
challenges
 regarding 
funding 
in 
the 
future.


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