Catalyzing Sustainable Growth and Development through Evaluative Evidence – Lessons from Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Webinar | Online
-
Organized by:
Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV/AfDB)
- In partnership with: UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa
About the Event
Join us for a dynamic and thought-provoking session that unpacks how evaluation is shaping more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development outcomes in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Drawing on recent evaluations by the African Development Bank’s Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV) and UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO), this session brings together voices from across the development spectrum.
From country-led reforms to multilateral development bank strategies and private sector engagement, our speakers will share how evaluation is used to inform investments, strengthen systems, and build partnerships to scale.
• Discover actionable lessons for policy and practice.
• Learn how different institutions collaborate for greater impact.
• Engage in a lively Q&A to share ideas and ask tough questions.
From country-led reforms to multilateral development bank strategies and private sector engagement, our speakers will share how evaluation is used to inform investments, strengthen systems, and build partnerships to scale.
• Discover actionable lessons for policy and practice.
• Learn how different institutions collaborate for greater impact.
• Engage in a lively Q&A to share ideas and ask tough questions.
Speakers
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Souraya Hassan | Regional Evaluation Advisor, UNICEF in West and Central Africa (WCARO) | Dr. Hassan has diverse experience in results-based management, evaluation, strategic planning, and social policy across Africa. Prior to her current role, she served as UNICEF Deputy Representative in Algeria. She holds a PhD in Economics and has published peer-reviewed articles and books. |
| Ms. Sevara Hamzaeva | Multi-Country Evaluation Specialist, UNICEF in West and Central Africa (WCARO) | Ms. Hamzaeva led evaluation, and evidence functions for UNICEF in Nepal and Afghanistan and managed evaluations in Eastern and Southern Africa. She worked with the UN-AU Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur on community stabilization projects. She holds master’s degrees in Sociology and International Affairs. |
| Ms. May Esther Mwaka | Principal Evaluation Officer, IDEV at AfDB | With over 22 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, Ms. Mwaka has worked with governments, NGOs, USAID, and EU and DFAT-funded projects. May holds a master’s in development Evaluation and Management from the University of Antwerp (Belgium). |
| Mr. Boubacar Ly | Principal Evaluation Officer, Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV) at AfDB | Mr. Ly joined IDEV in 2014, where he evaluates private sector, infrastructure, and regional integration operations. He previously worked in academia and banking in Toronto and interned at the World Bank. He holds degrees in Development Studies, International Development and Economics. |
| Hon. Jocelia Jaywloh Taplah | Deputy Minister for Rural Development, Ministry of Public Works, Liberia | Hon. Taplah is a geotechnical engineer with 20 years of experience in civil engineering, project management, and public works administration. She leads climate sensitive rural infrastructure development. She holds a Master’s in Geotechnical Engineering from Wuhan University of Technology. |
| Dr. James Edwin | Director General and Chairman of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Agency (NaMEA), Sierra Leone | With over 20 years of experience in results-oriented management, Dr. Edwin has served as Head of M&E at the WTO’s Enhanced Integrated Framework, Principal Evaluator at AfDB, and Professor at the University of Alaska. He holds a PhD in Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation from Purdue University. |
| Ms. Alice Nenneh James | National Coordinator of Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (SLANGO) | Ms. James has over 25 years’ experience in strategic leadership and program management across various sectors. She has held leadership roles at ActionAid, British Council, FORUT, and Purposeful. She holds master’s degrees in Public Health and Strategic Human Resource Management. |
Moderators
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Prosper Charle | Country Economist for Sierra Leone, at the African Development Bank (AfDB) | Mr. Charle is an economist with over 23 years of experience. He previously worked with the World Bank Tanzania Office, the Economic and Social Research Foundation, and the International Development Center of Japan. He holds a Master’s in Economics from the University of Dar es Salaam. |