Evaluating Development Projects and Programmes in Africa: The Case of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)

Abstract

This article begins with a brief introduction on monitoring and evaluation concepts, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and challenges of its performance
evaluation. It is indicated that NEPAD has not prescribed any internal or external
monitoring and evaluation of its projects and programmes, and therefore calls into
doubt the level of professional competence in its delivery strategies. The article
also examines selected monitoring and evaluation strategies such as the African
Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and others, which are embedded in the NEPAD
workplan, but not suffi ciently applied in its operations. Monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms such as the Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and a few benchmarking
evaluation techniques are recommended as possible introductory tools that could
assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the NEPAD projects and programmes.

Africa Insight Vol. 37 (4) 2008 pp. 61-74