Evaluation Highlights

Promoting inclusive growth is one of the two overarching objectives of the Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022) of the African Development Bank (“AfDB” or “the Bank”). While there has been substantial progress over the past decade, limited access to finance continues to be a key constraint for households and firms in Africa, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The environment in which African financial systems operate has also changed significantly in recent years, as recalled in the Bank’s 2014-2019 Financial Sector Development Policy and Strategy (FSDPS).

This report presents the findings and recommendations as well as lessons learned from an independent evaluation of the quality of project supervision and exit processes of the African Development Bank Group. It covers both public and private sector operations during the period 2012-2017.

Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV) at the African Development Bank (AfDB) has conducted an evaluation of the Bank’s Country Strategy and Program (CSP) in Eswatini for 2009-2018. The evaluation covered a Bank portfolio of 14 projects representing a total of UA 119 million in seven sectors: (i) agriculture; (ii) water supply and sanitation; (iii) transport; (iv) finance; (v) power/energy; (vi) environment; and (vii) multi-sector (governance).

This report provides a summary of the findings of the Eastern Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP). This evaluation is timely as it will inform the preparation of the new Eastern Africa RISP. As such, the objective of the evaluation is two-fold: 1) assess the extent to which development results have been achieved in the context of the RISP; and 2) suggest potential improvements that will feed into and help guide the preparation of the next Regional Integration Strategy (RIS).

This evaluation reviews the assistance provided by the African Development Bank (the Bank) to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from 2006 to 2013. The evaluation assessed the relevance, additionality, effectiveness, sustainability, and efficiency of SME assistance operations, as well as the Bank’s approach to SME development. The exercise involved a combination of desk work, including review of all relevant documents from various sources, and field work, including missions to six countries (Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia).

This synthesis outlines the key findings of 33 evaluations of support for private sector development (PSD) undertaken by bilateral and multilateral institutions over the past five years. The purpose of the synthesis is to inform the strategic direction, design, and implementation of future PSD initiatives so as to leverage the sector’s role in spurring economic growth and advancing development effectiveness in Africa.

This report presents the findings of an evaluation of the Bank Group’s Equity Investments. This evaluation was conducted in order to inform Bank’s decisions on the future use of equity investments by identifying lessons and potential areas for improvement. As such, the purpose of the evaluation is two-fold: 1) assess the relevance and performance of the Bank’s equity investments; and 2) identify lessons, recommendations and areas for improvement.

The evaluation of AfDB-funded power interconnection projects covers a cluster of energy sector operations approved by the Bank during the period 1999-2013. The selection of power interconnection was driven by the fact that it can significantly contribute to regional integration and help reduce the cost of electricity generation, thereby improving the overall energy supply in Africa. During the period under study, the Bank approved 48 projects related to power interconnection, amounting to UA 822 million.

This document summarizes the principal findings of the evaluation of the African Development Bank’s 2004-2013 strategy in Togo. The evaluation was initiated and carried out by the Bank’s Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV). Methodologically speaking, the evaluation is structured around 18 questions. It also specifically addressed questions of fragility by including an analysis of Togo’s fragility, how the Bank’s strategies took fragility into account, and how these have contribute to changes in the factors that create fragility.    

As a key component of the Comprehensive Evaluation of the African Development Bank’s Development Results (CEDR), this evaluation measures the relevance, effectiveness, sustainability and efficiency of Bank Group assistance to Senegal over the period, as well as the institutional performances of the Borrower and the Bank between 2004 and 2013. The Government, civil society and the other actors concerned hope to learn lessons that will be reflected in the design and smooth implementation of the Bank's 2016-2020 Country Strategy Paper (CSP) for Senegal.