Evaluation

The evaluation was undertaken in response to the requirement of the UNIDO Industrial Development Board to assess the performance of the Cooperation Agreement between UNDP and UNIDO signed 23 September 2004. The objective of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the work carried out under the Agreement succeeded in achieving its intended goals.

This evaluation of the role and contribution of the United Nations system to the Republic of South Africa was conducted between August 2008 and March 2009 by an independent, external team of South African and international evaluation specialists. The report is the outcome of a new approach to evaluation in the United Nations based on partnership between a national government and the UN Evaluation Group. It is an attempt to address the call in the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review for nationally led evaluations and capacity development in evaluation.

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Assessment of Development Results (ADR) conducted in Uganda, with a time-frame covering country programmes; from 2001 to 2009. More specifically, the ADR provides forward-looking recommendations to assist UNDP Uganda and its
partners in formulating an action plan for the next programming cycle (2010–2014). The evaluation looked at the range of support provided by UNDP to Uganda in the areas of poverty reduction, sustainable environment democratic governance, and crisis prevention and recovery in a post- conflict and human development context. Uganda has made significant progress in social and economic development in the past two decades and is moving steadily towards sustainable growth and poverty reduction.

The ADR Republic of Guatemala covered the period from 2002 to 2008. Guatemala has been one of the not-so-frequent cases in which the United Nations closely combined the peace-building mandate of its General Assembly with post-conflict development. As a result, UNDP in Guatemala continues to enjoy high recognition as a neutral agency, a broker and promoter of dialogue on sensitive issues.

UNDP has contributed in the areas of governance and crisis prevention and recovery. The record is less strong in the areas of poverty and the environment. Yet with the global economic crisis, poverty and environment are likely to acquire more prominence in the near future and challenge the past orientations of UNDP in these areas. UNDP has been heavily involved in the management of public programmes: this has brought about more impartial, transparent and faster execution. On the other hand, replacing the state’s function may create a risk of perpetuating dependency without promoting long-term capacity of national institutions.

The ADR Islamic Republic of Afghanistan covered the period from 2002 to 2008. From its initial focus on early recovery, the UNDP programme has evolved towards an increasingly substantive contribution to the cause of security and development in Afghanistan. UNDP has increasingly understood the importance of the institutions of democracy, state and rule of law in ensuring a smooth transition process with prospects of long-term peace and development. Yet, not enough attention was paid from an early stage to stimulating and creating conditions and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and employment creation.

The ADR covered the sub-regional programme of the nine member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and Barbados over the ongoing (2005-2009) and previous (2001-2004) programming cycles. The ADR notes that UNDP is working in a challenging and multifaceted development context, where relatively high levels of gross domestic product per capita and political stability occur side by side with considerable poverty, underemployment, gender and social inequities, institutional capacity weaknesses and vulnerability to risk, including extreme weather events. The ADR concluded that although UNDP has undertaken a subregional programme with a strong profile and reputation it has achieved only moderate progress towards longer-term outcomes. The ADR also found that the UNDP subregional programme had many commendable features and is respected by stakeholders and partners due to its consistent focus on improving human and social development in the Eastern Caribbean.