The 'Inclusive Local and Economic Development' (ILED) programme comprises 14 individual interventions in Somalia. The overall objective of ILED is to contribute to stability in Somalia by extending state authority and services, promoting local reconciliation and peacebuilding, creating inclusive economic opportunities, and protecting the most vulnerable. In line with this objective, the 14 interventions are organised under three thematic pillars: stabilisation and governance, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and social safety nets. Using an integrated territorial approach, the programme is implemented in four strategic corridors of Somalia: Juba River, Shabelle River, Central-North, and Somaliland. ILED is financed by the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa with a total budget of almost 100 million EUR.
The evaluation has been commissioned by the EU Delegation to Somalia. Its global objective is to provide the relevant services of the EU and interested stakeholders with an overall independent assessment of the performance of the ILED programme, paying particular attention to the results achieved and the underlying reasons of these achievements. It also seeks to identify lessons learned, conclusions, and recommendations to improve current and future interventions. The object of evaluation is the programme level (rather than the individual interventions). The evaluation scope covers the entire implementation period from September 2018 to December 2025, all three thematic pillars, and all four geographic corridors.
The methodology to answer the six evaluation questions (EQs) relies on a reconstructed Theory of Change and a mixed methods (albeit predominantly qualitative) approach. After a comprehensive document review, the evaluation team conducted a three-week field mission in the four corridors of the programme in Somalia, as well as meetings in Nairobi. The evaluation findings are presented in a dissemination seminar in Mogadishu