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The mid-term evaluation of the project "Boosting Rural and Rurban Economy in Times of Crisis and Beyond" (BOOST) was commissioned by WFP Nicaragua. BOOST is expected to run from 2018 to 2024 and aims to promote sustainable and resilient agri-food systems in five departments and one autonomous region of Nicaragua. The support package includes three components (including gender-transformative approaches): support to smallholder farmers and their cooperatives in the production of basic grain and market access; links with the National School Feeding Programme; and support to the creation of home gardens by vulnerable (peri-)urban families. The European Union is the main donor of the project.

The evaluation served the double purpose of accountability and learning. The evaluation period covered the first three years of the BOOST project (August 2018 to June 2021), and the findings and recommendations were expected to inform the next phase of the project.

The evaluation adopted a theory-based mixed methods approach to answer the five evaluation questions linked to different evaluation criteria (effectiveness; relevance and coherence; sustainability; efficiency) and gender equality and empowerment of women. Data were collected remotely and during a two-week field mission. The evaluation team conducted interviews at national and local levels with WFP and other agencies, government institutions, the donor, cooperatives, and schools; as well as two dozen focus group discussions with beneficiaries; field visits; a comprehensive document review; and an analysis of existing M&E data.

In addition to the evaluation report, Particip produced a short video (produced by a film team in the field) for dissemination purposes. The evaluation report and the video are available at: https://www.wfp.org/publications/nicaragua-boost-project-nueva-segovia-madriz-esteli-matagalpa-jinotega-and-raccn-areas

The purpose if this evaluation was the assessment of both budget support and blending operations of the EU in the Kyrgyz Republic between 2010 and 2019. The EU has implemented ten budget support programmes in the country. All programmes contain, in addition to the funds transferred to the national budget, funds covering the provision of technical assistance for institutional capacity development, support to the elaboration of coherent policies, and/or evaluation, visibility and communication activities. The EU is using blending as financing modality in Kyrgyzstan since 2011. The funds for the EU blending operations in Kyrgyzstan come from the envelope for regional cooperation and are channelled through the Investment Facility for Central Asia (IFCA). Almost 40% of the total portfolio of funds managed by the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic is channelled through the blending instrument. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan is the main beneficiary of the IFCA funds, with 75% of these funds going to this country.

This evaluation entailed two components. First, it provided an assessment of EU budget support in the country applying the 3-Step approach of the OECD-DAC guidelines on the evaluation of budget support. In particular, building on smaller, more specific evaluations and other studies produced in recent years, it assessed to what extent EU budget support contributed to Kyrgyzstan´s achievements in terms of the outcomes and impacts of its education and social protection sectors and of the country’s latest electoral reform policy. The analysis focused on how EU budget support, by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of Kyrgyzstan’s policies, strategies, spending actions, administration capacities and PFM system, contributed to sustainable outcomes in the sectors supported and, in turn, to growth and poverty reduction.

Second, the evaluation focused on EU blending operations in Kyrgyzstan’s Energy and Water management sectors. Specifically, the evaluation looked into the overall logic of these operations as a whole and assesses to what extent their design and implementation are suitable to achieve the expected results of this instrument in said sectors.

Report available here: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/publications/evaluation-eu-budget-support-and-blending-kyrgyz-republic-2010-2019_en

The European Union deployed Election Observation Missions (EOMs) to Sierra Leone in 2007, 2012 and 2018. This Election Follow-up Mission (EFM) was be the first to be deployed by the EU to Sierra Leone. The 2018 EU EOM put forward 29 recommendations to strengthen future electoral processes in the country.

Out of the 29 proposed recommendations, 21 require a change of the legal framework in order to be implemented.

The main objectives of this mission included:

• Assess the state of play of the implementation of the recommendations of the 2018 EU EOM to Sierra Leone;
• Assess any electoral reforms adopted since the last EOM or which are under consideration (e.g.draft legislation) or planned and the degree to which these reflect EOM recommendations and their alignment with international standards for democratic elections;
• Identify which EOM recommendations are most relevant to the prevailing country situation and the current phase of the electoral cycle;
• Generate additional impetus for – or contribute to ongoing debates on – electoral reform;
• Identify areas of agreement and disagreement on EU EOM recommendations among the stakeholders and any political, technical, financial obstacles to electoral reform;
• Propose actions to overcome obstacles to electoral reform, including measures to develop support for and national ownership of the recommendations;
• If helpful and requested, assist the EU Delegation, EEAS and INTPA in their assessment on whether ongoing cooperation and conflict prevention projects are addressing the recommendations made by EU EOMs. Based on a brief overview of existing programmes, provide needed information to support identification of potential additional election/democracy support action that could contribute to strengthening the implementation of the recommendations and/or to the overall improvement of the electoral framework;
• Contribute to analysis by the EU Delegation, EEAS and INTPA with information to originate any other possible EU actions that could contribute to strengthening the implementation of the recommendations and/or to the overall improvement of the electoral framework;
• Prepare/update with EU Delegation a follow-up plan to EU EOM recommendations.

In order to achieve this objective, the EFM met relevant election stakeholders, including the national authorities, the election authorities, political actors, civil society, representatives of the international community and the media.

The overall objective of the project was to continue positioning the EU as a strong partner of Pakistan. The purpose of the project was to ensure the visibility of cooperation programmes in complementarity with the messages of the EU Delegation to Pakistan, in order to enhance the image and visibility of EU as a strong partner of Pakistan.

The following results were achieved:

• A communication strategy is developed by EUD together with the contractor
• Clear EU image and messaging is established, rooted in an agreed set of overall and specific messages.
• Comprehensive and strategically sequenced communication campaigns implemented.
• Sustained links with the media are established, with improved coverage – in terms both of quantity and quality – across print, broadcast and digital media.
• A mechanism to monitor and evaluate the progress of how the EU is monitored on a yearly basis.
• The profile of the EU and the awareness of how EU official development aid and cooperation benefits Pakistan is increased.
• Organisation of ad hoc public diplomacy events in accordance with the EU Delegation's communication strategy.