MESA helps identify what is working well and where improvements are needed, informing capacity‑development strategies that strengthen the economic, political, and social conditions that enable effective M&E.

The GEI MESA:

• adopts a mixed‑methods approach, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies;
• is comprehensive yet flexible, allowing adaptation to local contexts, needs, and priorities; 
• can be used to analyze an entire M&E system or specific components;
• can be customized for national governments, subnational units, or line ministries;
• produces a report that can inform the design of a capacity‑development strategy; and
• can serve as a baseline against which progress can be measured over time.