Online Observatory Supports Monitoring and Evaluation in Francophone Africa

In December 2023, the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Francophone Africa (CLEAR-FA) launched the Observatory for Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Policies in Francophone Africa. The online platform was developed in collaboration with the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) to provide a comprehensive overview of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the region, facilitate access to government M&E documentation, and promote dialogue and collaboration between regional M&E practitioners. 

CLEAR FA developed the platform with support from Le Baromètre Institute, one of the winners of GEI Launchpad, a 12-week structured pre-incubation program for early-stage enterprises in developing countries. The Observatory aims to promote the sharing of good practices, strengthening the capacities of the actors involved and promoting a culture of quality evaluation. 

The evaluation of policies, programs, and projects is crucial to measuring impact and effectiveness and to strengthening evaluation capacities in the region. 

“The Observatory meets a need for information on the state of national evaluation systems in French-speaking African countries,” said Edoé Djimitri Agbodjan, Director of CLEAR-FA, at the launch. “It aggregates the latest information in one place and makes it available so that decision-makers, development partners, and evaluation practitioners in the region can access it quickly and easily.” 

On the platform, regional evaluation practices are depicted on a map highlighting country-level key indicators such as the presence of an institutional framework for public policy evaluation, funding, the dynamics of voluntary organizations for professional evaluation (VOPEs), and academic courses and events focused on M&E.

"By encouraging collaboration among evaluators, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide, the Observatory aligns with GEI's goal of creating a strong and effective evaluation community in all countries,” said Patricia Cocca, Communications and Knowledge Management Lead at GEI.

CLEAR-FA is currently updating the country pages in collaboration with evaluation stakeholders at the national level. In addition, CLEAR-FA has implemented a triangulation system to verify information provided by focal points in different countries before it is published on the platform.