The evaluation of the WFP Interim Country Strategy Plan (ICSP) in Syria assessed the strategic positioning, added-value and results of WFP operations in the country from 2018 to 2023.
The evaluation served the double purpose of accountability (performance and result assessment) and learning (why certain results occurred or not, lessons and evidence for decision-making). It is envisioned to enable the Syria WFP Country Office (CO) to use the evidence on past and current performance for the design of the new Syria CSP. The early findings of the CSPE also fed into the development of the extension of the ICSP until end of 2024.
ICSP key sectors and activities included:

• Emergency preparedness and response, including cash-based transfers
• Nutrition and school feeding
• Social protection
• Livelihoods activities
• Institutional capacity strengthening

Cross-cutting themes included: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), centrality of protection, humanitarian principles and access, inclusion of people with disabilities (PWD), social cohesion, and capacity strengthening.
The evaluation was theory-based and relied on a mixed-method approach that triangulates qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of sources. For this purpose, the evaluation team conducted interviews with different stakeholders including WFP staff at HQ, regional and country level, WFP cooperating partners, donors, UN agencies, government entities as well as focus group discussions with the beneficiaries.