Glocal 2025: Striking Regional Chords in Anglophone Africa 

During Glocal Evaluation Week 2025, held from June 2–6, 2025, sessions across Anglophone Africa explored how evaluation can drive more inclusive, sustainable, and locally grounded development. From environmental sustainability to cultural relevance and digital innovation, the region’s contributions reflected a vibrant and evolving evaluation landscape. 

In Uganda, the Uganda Evaluation Association, in collaboration with Trend Systems E.A Limited (TSEAL), hosted an online dialogue on “Evaluation for Sustainable Futures (E4SF): Climate Financing, Inclusion, and Peacebuilding in Africa.” This session delved into how climate finance can be directed effectively to foster resilience and peace at the local level. The conversation highlighted the importance of community voice and lived experience, encouraging a rethinking of how long-term social impact is conceptualized and communicated. A separate event, with participation from the Trevor Noah Foundation, echoed similar themes, emphasizing that transformative change is most powerful when rooted in local ownership.  

“Sustainable change is more impactful when driven by community,” said Albertina Cossa, School Liaison Officer at the Trevor Noah Foundation. 

Across the region, another key theme was the role of indigenous knowledge systems in evaluation. Sessions convened by the African Gender and Development Evaluators Network (AGDEN) spotlighted perspectives from Nigeria, Liberia, Lesotho, and Eswatini, focusing on Indigenous and Endogenous Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) practices. These discussions showcased how traditional methodologies can enhance both the relevance and legitimacy of evaluation processes, contributing to greater learning and ownership at the community level. 

Jackson Mutavi, the AGDEN Anglophone secretary, shared some insightful proverbs in his presentation including a Swahili saying, “Shughuli ni wutu—a social event needs people—is when an evaluation is a people-centered and social process that must be guided by respect, cooperation, and shared responsibility for the common good.” 

Building on this focus on local knowledge systems, youth leadership also featured prominently. In sessions led by the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) and the African Evaluation Association’s Young and Emerging Evaluators (AfrEA YEE), emerging evaluators highlighted how youth are co-shaping the region’s evaluation future. Their contributions emphasized co-creation, equity, and efficiency in decision-making—elements vital for the region’s development trajectory. 

Another emerging theme was the intersection of evaluation, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI). As evaluation systems across the region become more digitized, discussions focused on how technology—when used thoughtfully—can help make evaluation processes more inclusive, responsive, and reflective of diverse stakeholder needs. Sessions hosted by Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results, Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA), Monitoring and Evaluation Professionals Association of Kenya (MEPAK), and SAMEA examined the growing role of digital transformation in evaluation practice. These sessions underscored the importance of adopting technology in ways that preserve data integrity and promote inclusive practices, especially in rapidly digitizing policy environments. 

Together, these sessions reflected a coherent narrative rooted in the regional context. They explored how evaluation can contribute to a better future through climate-responsive, inclusive, and culturally grounded approaches. By weaving together themes of environmental resilience, youth engagement, indigenous knowledge, and technological innovation, the contributions from Anglophone Africa offered powerful insights into how evaluation is being redefined across the continent.