AfrEA at IDEAS 2025: Strengthening Africa’s Voice in Global Evaluation

AfrEA made a significant impact at the IDEAS 2025 Conference, held from March 4 to 6, 2025, at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The conference, themed “Multi-dimensional Evaluation for Influence and Transformation,” brought together global experts to discuss evaluation’s role in shaping policy, sustainability, and equity.

AfrEA’s Contributions

AfrEA’s delegation, led by the Vice President, Dr. Awuor PONGE, and comprising other Board members, and members of the AfrEA Council of Elders, actively participated in panel discussions, roundtables, and professional development workshops. Their contributions focused on:

Strengthening Evaluation Capacity in Africa: AfrEA showcased its initiatives in building evaluation expertise across the continent.
Youth and Emerging Evaluators: The AfrEA Young and Emerging Evaluators (YEE) Network highlighted its efforts in mentoring and empowering young professionals.
Equity and Inclusion in Evaluation: AfrEA emphasized the importance of culturally responsive evaluation practices tailored to Africa’s diverse contexts.

Key Highlights

AfrEA’s presence reinforced Africa’s leadership in global evaluation discourse. Some key moments included:

Presentation on SDG Evaluation: AfrEA experts shared insights on how evaluation can drive sustainable development in Africa.
Networking with Global Partners: The conference provided opportunities for AfrEA to collaborate with international organizations and strengthen partnerships.
Recognition of African Innovations: AfrEA’s work in participatory evaluation and indigenous knowledge systems was widely acknowledged.

Looking Ahead

AfrEA’s engagement at IDEAS 2025 marks another milestone in its mission to advance evaluation practices in Africa. The association continues to advocate for inclusive, impactful, and locally driven evaluation approaches, ensuring that Africa’s voice remains strong in global evaluation conversations.