Evaluation report: Supporting sustainability aspects in the implementation of EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)

This evaluation, conducted within the framework of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), serves to support evidence-based decisions, promote transparency and accountability, and foster organizational learning, particularly within the context of contributing to effective knowledge management. Undertaken by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the evaluation assesses a project that concluded in April 2020, utilizing a remote evaluation design due to ongoing restrictions from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Structured on standardized evaluation criteria encompassing relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability, along with considerations for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and cross-cutting issues, the evaluation also employs the Kirkpatrick framework to evaluate training effectiveness, adapting its dimensions to assess the project's capacity-building initiatives.

Findings from the evaluation identify key success factors, including a participatory approach, reflection on learning experiences, utilization of local knowledge, and efficient implementation of international cooperation perspectives. However, weaknesses such as a lack of structured monitoring, limited sustainability of capacity-building efforts, and challenges arising from changes in project management were also noted.

Recommendations derived from these findings aim to enhance export facilitation, deepen institutional partnerships, engage civil society more meaningfully, empower regional stakeholders, address post-COVID recovery needs, and improve project monitoring, with a focus on aligning GIZ partner reporting and implementing digital monitoring systems. Additionally, recommendations for target regions include consolidating efforts to address export challenges and acknowledging the need for financial investment to meet EU market standards and utilize Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) effectively.