AfrEA impulsiona a agenda para políticas baseadas em evidências na Cimeira DIWA 2025

At the Development Impact West Africa (DIWA) Summit 2025, held on 26 and 27 August in Accra, Ghana, Carlos Akligo, Executive Director of the African Evaluation Association (AfrEA), issued a strong call to action for stronger evaluation ecosystems across the region. Participating in a high-level panel discussion, Mr. Akligo highlighted the critical role of rigorous evaluation in measuring and maximizing development impact in West Africa.

Addressing an audience of development partners, government officials, and researchers, Mr. Akligo emphasized that “impact” is a measurable outcome that requires robust institutional capacity. He used the platform to outline AfrEA’s recent milestones and future strategic initiatives designed to elevate the standard of evaluation on the continent.

A Historic Milestone: AfrEA’s Silver Jubilee

Mr. Akligo began by reflecting on the 25th Anniversary of AfrEA, a landmark event celebrated in Addis Ababa in June 2025. He noted that the jubilee was a defining moment for the association, celebrating a quarter-century of advocacy while charting a new path for “Made in Africa” evaluation. According to him, the anniversary was a recommitment to ensuring that African voices and methodologies are central to the global development discourse.

Launch of the National Evaluation Capacities Index (INCE) in Africa

A central theme of the panel was the necessity of data-driven governance. In this context, Mr. Akligo highlighted the launch of the National Evaluation Capacities Index (INCE) in Africa by AfrEA in collaboration with the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

He explained that INCE serves as a vital diagnostic tool for African governments, allowing them to benchmark their national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. The index provides a clear picture of institutional strengths and gaps, thereby aiding to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based policymaking across the continent, directly supporting the development goals discussed at the DIWA summit.

Building the Future: The African School of Evaluation

Looking toward the immediate future of capacity building, Mr. Akligo shared updates on the African School of Evaluation (ASE). He announced that the program is currently being finalized and is scheduled to launch in November 2025. Set to become a premier institution for professional development, addressing the “capacity gap” often cited in development reports, Mr. Akligo expressed confidence that the school will cultivate a new generation of West African experts capable of leading complex impact evaluations.

Mr. Akligo’s engagement at the DIWA Summit 2025 reaffirmed AfrEA’s position as a strategic partner in West Africa’s development trajectory. He linked the historical context of AfrEA’s 25th anniversary with forward-looking tools like INCE and the ASE, demonstrating that AfrEA is actively building the infrastructure needed to prove and improve development impact.