In 2020, IDEV conducted an evaluation of the Bank’s engagement with Civil Society at the corporate, regional member country and project levels over the period 2012-2019. It examined the extent to which the Bank’s conceptualization of Civil Society Engagement (CSE) has been relevant and coherent, and how effectively and efficiently CSE has been operationalized in the Bank, on the basis of the Bank’s CSE Framework.
The purpose of the evaluation is to facilitate effective implementation of the Bank’s CSE Action Plan (2019–2021) and to inform the design of a new AfDB CSE Strategy.
The evaluation found a lack of clarity and understanding around what the Bank aims to achieve with CSE. The lack of a Monitoring and Evaluation framework has also hampered monitoring, learning and knowledge management of CSE experiences. There has been progress with respect to disclosure and access to information at the corporate level, but communication remains one-way from the Bank to CSOs. The CSO Forum has been the most sustained example of corporate level dialogue. Internal and external collaborations and partnerships were found to be a substantial driver in enhancing meaningful CSE by the AfDB. However, the Bank’s strategic and convening positioning has not fully reflected CSE in the design of the Bank’s strategies and priorities, and its dialogues at the regional member country level.
Some of the evaluation’s recommendations include:
- Enhance awareness and common understanding of the purpose and potential value-added of CSE to the Bank’s mandate;
- Enhance the resourcing approach for effective implementation of CSE; and
- Strengthen CSE in policy dialogue at the country and regional levels to contribute to the Bank’s agenda of inclusive growth and good governance.
Evaluation task managers: Svetlana Negroustoueva, Principal Evaluation Officer, and Girma Earo Kumbi, Chief Evaluation Officer.