Regional Training in Senegal Strengthens MEAL Capacities for SUN Countries

From 23 to 25 June 2025, the in-person phase of the regional training on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) for Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) countries in Francophone and Lusophone Africa was held in Somone, Senegal. The training brought together more than 30 participants, including SUN focal points, MEAL experts and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) officers, following an initial online session held on 10 June. The initiative is part of the EU4SUN project, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, in partnership with the SUN Movement Secretariat (Dakar Hub). 

Over three days, participants took part in interactive sessions, analyzed case studies, and engaged in peer learning to strengthen their ability to monitor and evaluate multisectoral nutrition policies, programs and investments. The Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Francophone Africa (CLEAR-FA), an implementing partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), based at the Centre Africain d'Etudes Supérieures en Gestion (CESAG), provided targeted technical support throughout the training. Participants highlighted CLEAR-FA’s contribution, noting that they are now better prepared to apply key MEAL tools—such as results frameworks, M&E plans, and improved data collection and quality assurance—in their national nutrition programs and policies. 

“This training is a turning point,” said one participant from Benin. “We are not just learning tools—we are building a shared language for nutrition accountability.” 

Eve Gossiaux, Regional Representative for Francophone Africa at the SUN Movement Secretariat, highlighted the importance of the initiative: “This regional workshop is a pivotal moment for the SUN Francophone Africa Hub. It responds to a long-standing demand from countries for capacity building in multisectoral MEAL. We are equipping national platforms with the tools they need to track and implement nutrition commitments, especially in a context where financing is increasingly constrained. Civil society, with its strength in advocacy and accountability, will be key to ensuring that these commitments translate into action.”