Final Evaluation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Capacity Building II

Systematic and timely evaluation of its programmes and activities is an established priority of the European Commission. The focus of evaluations is on the assessment of achievements, the quality and the results of Actions in the context of an evolving cooperation policy with an increasing emphasis on result-oriented approaches and the contribution towards the implementation of the SDGs.

From this perspective, evaluations look for evidence of why, whether or how these results are linked to the EU intervention and seek  to identify the factors driving or hindering progress.

Evaluations provide an understanding of the cause and effect links between: inputs and activities, and outputs, outcomes and impacts. Evaluations serve accountability, decision making, learning and management purposes.

The main objectives of this evaluation are to provide the relevant services of the European Union, the interested stakeholders and the wider public with:

– an overall independent assessment of the past performance of the Economic Partnership Agreement – Capacity Building II paying particular attention to its results measured against its objectives;

– key lessons and recommendations in order to improve current (if relevant) and future Actions.

In particular, this evaluation served to carry out the following:

– an assessment of the progress achieved against the performance indicators established in the log frame; this assessment will include an analysis as to what progress is directly attributable to the EPA intervention;

– an appreciation of unexpected results and achievements made under the EPA II programme;

– an analysis of the appropriateness of inputs provided by the technical assistance, both short and long-term experts, the quality of the outputs produced and their utilization and impact of their contributions in shaping the Secretariat;

– an assessment on the sustainability of the intervention's benefits and what (if any) actions are recommended to ensure consolidation and sustainability of the results achieved under EPA;

– an appreciation of the contributions and effectiveness of the different stakeholders, including the structures such as Management Team, Steering Committee in guiding and implementing the programme;

– an assessment of the major constraints faced in the implementation of the programme;

an assessment of the programme’s support and effectiveness of mainstreaming cross cutting issues (HIV/AIDS, gender and environmental issues).