Infographic - Independent Country Evaluation - The People´s Republic of China (2016-2024).pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU
#Asia and the Pacific #China #Project evaluations
Evaluation reports
Independent Country Evaluation - The People’s Republic of China (2016-2024).pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU
#Asia and the Pacific #China #Project evaluations
The main purpose of this independent country evaluation in China was to assess UNIDO's engagement in and with China and the extent to which expected results under the previous and current UNIDO-China Country Programmes (CP) have been achieved. The evaluation results will inform future UNIDO interventions in China and the development of the next UNIDO-China Country Programme. The evaluation focused on UNIDO's cooperation with China from 2016 to 2024, with emphasis on the ongoing Country Programme for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID) (2021-2025). While covering all UNIDO activities in China in principle, the evaluation selected key projects as case studies to focus on major activities while allowing for answering the evaluation questions. A mixed-methods and an inclusive and participatory approach were used to respond to the questions. The main findings support the contribution of the Country Programmes to the progress of the national industrialization agenda and UNIDO ISID's objectives to improve the performance of China's manufacturing sector. To this end, UNIDO-China cooperation has contributed to improving the performance of the sector\/area priority objectives, including rural revitalization, mainly by accelerating green growth and green transformation. This could be achieved through innovation. UNIDO has also played a pivotal role in transforming China's position in international cooperation, facilitating the country's transition from primarily a recipient of development assistance to an active contributor in global sustainable development efforts. The main opportunities for improvement are focused on the coordination, communication and project management processes between UNIDO’s headquarters, field office, and other UNIDO projects in China. The recommendations are focused on strengthening UNIDO's project management and operational efficiency in China; establishing a high-level industrial policy dialogue mechanism with key Chinese ministries to share international perspectives on emerging industrial development trends and challenges; developing a comprehensive programme to support Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in transitioning to greener production methods; and optimizing UNIDO’s role in promoting innovation-driven industrial growth in China centred on Four Industrial Revolution technologies.
Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Africa #Africa #Strategic evaluations
This report presents the independent strategic evaluation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), an initiative launched by the United Nations General Assembly to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) across Africa from 2016 to 2025. The initiative, led in its execution by UNIDO, aimed to overcome hindrances to ISID in Africa, including limited economic diversification, weak physical and economic infrastructure development, and shortages in human capital, among others. IDDA III leveraged strategic partnerships with the African Union, regional economic communities, and various international stakeholders to achieve its goals. The evaluation focused on the implementation and outcomes of IDDA III, assessing its effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence, sustainability, and impact on Africa's industrial development journey. The findings reveal that IDDA III has significantly contributed to raising political commitment and mobilizing resources for Africa's industrialization. Through high-level advocacy, technical cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives, IDDA III has supported the development of industrial policies, enhanced institutional capacities, and facilitated the creation of industrial infrastructure. However, its implementation has been hindered by several challenges, including a lack of effective coordination, weak knowledge management, and limited funding. The evaluation concluded that IDDA III has been a relevant programme for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Africa, and it is also coherent with existing major flagship frameworks. However, IDDA III fell short of its full potential due to the challenges faced in its implementation. The specific recommendations derived from the findings and conclusions include a need for better resource allocation to the coordination of future similar initiatives, the creation of a database for knowledge management, and a need for a programmatic approach in future initiatives. Moreover, the design of a potential successor to IDDA III should be radically different. It should follow the ECOSOC Guidelines for International Decades by allowing sufficient time between the proclamation of the decadal plan and the start of its implementation. It should also be framed within an enhanced African ownership, stronger governance and coordination, enhanced resource mobilization, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.
Infographic - Independent terminal evaluation of SwitchMed II (UNIDO project No 180228).pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Project evaluations
Project: 180228
Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
Evaluation report on SwitchMed II (UNIDO project No 180228).pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Circular economy #Global #Project evaluations
Project: 180228
The SwitchMed II programme, implemented from January 2019 to June 2024 by UNIDO, UNEP, and MedWaves, aimed to support the transition to a green, blue, and circular economy in eight Southern Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia. Funded by the EU, the programme also received co-financing from the Catalan Waste Agency and the Italian Government. The programme demonstrated high alignment with global and national sustainable development goals, notably contributing to SDGs 8, 9, 12, and 17, and national environmental priorities. However, gaps in project design flexibility and access to financial markets were identified. While the programme’s coherence with national policies was strong, coordination across project components and regional integration remained limited, reducing potential synergies. Administrative and financial challenges, including complex partnership agreements and delays in funding disbursements, hindered project efficiency, though results were delivered cost-effectively by leveraging existing resources. In terms of effectiveness, 76% of outcome indicators were fully met, with substantial progress in resource efficiency, circular economy, and green business development, supporting the creation of 121 new businesses. However, institutional gaps and economic instability posed challenges. The programme also generated positive impacts on policymaking and sustainable business ecosystems, though its transformative impact on job creation and entrepreneurship remained moderate. Sustainability was evidenced through lasting benefits, particularly in policy integration and institutional changes. Key recommendations for future programmes include enhancing stakeholder engagement, regional-national integration, and project governance, along with improving financial management, collaboration, and support for green entrepreneurs. The evaluation emphasized scaling SwitchMed II’s achievements to further promote sustainable economic growth in the region.Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
Evaluation report on Towards sustainable energy for all in Mozambique.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Africa #Mozambique #Project evaluations
Project: 150263
The TSE4ALLM project in Mozambique aims to enhance the use of renewable energy in small to medium-sized farms and rural agro-food processing industries, focusing on Solar Photovoltaic (PV) pumps and waste-to-energy systems. It seeks to mitigate climate change and provide socioeconomic benefits to the rural population of Mozambique.\nThis project evaluation aimed at independently assessing the project, used mixed methods and covered the period August 2017 to April 2024.\nThe evaluation found that the project aligns with Mozambique’s energy policies and the UN’s\nSustainable Development Goals, especially in expanding rural energy access, and with UNIDO’s strategy for decentralized renewable energy. It is also consistent with the Global Environment Facility's objectives. The project faced significant challenges, such as delays caused by cyclones and the COVID-19 pandemic and insufficient stakeholder engagement, which hindered its success\nin creating a conducive policy environment and building capacity. However, technology demonstrations of Renewable Energy in agriculture were promising and showed strong potential for sustainability. The project improved the government’s capacity to support renewable energy systems and facilitated successful financing for SMEs, enhancing financial accessibility.\nFrequent changes in project leadership and a lack of strategic coherence, particularly in capacity-building efforts, affected implementation efficiency. The project had minimal compliance with\ngender inclusion guidelines but showed positive environmental impacts.\nThe evaluation recommendations include (1) improving communication between project teams,\n(2) developing plans to scale successful outcomes, (3) enhancing local stakeholder capacity, and (4) providing training on renewable energy equipment and its maintenance. A study on reducing import tariffs for renewable energy technologies is also suggested.Thematic Area: Environment and Energy / Safeguarding the Environment
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
This review provides a comprehensive overview of the Evaluation and Internal Oversight (EIO) Evaluation recommendations, Management Action Plans (MAPs), and Lessons Learned (LL). It covers 16 strategic and country evaluations and 137 project evaluations conducted by\nEIO from 2018 to 2023. The purpose of this review is to reveal trends and patterns and to identify areas for improvement pertaining to acceptance, follow-up, and implementation of the evaluation results.\nOnly 282 out of 830 recommendations were implemented timely. The utilization of Lessons Learned post-issuance is not documented and therefore difficult to assess. This suggests a need for enhanced follow-up mechanisms and the better integration of evaluation insights into operational practice.
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Europe and Central Asia #Ukraine #Project evaluations
Project: 230030
The evaluation report assessed the performance of a project that aimed to provide technical support to the Government of Ukraine in conceptualizing and operationalizing a strategic approach towards green industrial reconstruction and development. Funded by\nGermany, the EUR 3 million project was implemented over a duration of 12 months and had nine technical outputs covering areas like industrial diagnostics, policy advice, MSME promotion, circular economy, and digital transformation.\nThe purpose of the terminal evaluation was to assess the project's performance and provide recommendations for the Green Industrial Recovery Programme for Ukraine 2024-\n2028. Key questions focused on relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from 30 national stakeholders and 20 UNIDO staff through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. Evaluation found that the project topics were highly relevant, though the approach was driven more by UNIDO's offerings than strategic priorities. While UNIDO's cross-divisional\ncollaboration was commended, actual synergies were limited, and coordination with UN agencies and International Financial Institutions was constrained by the lack of a UNIDO country office. Many output-level results were achieved, but outcome-level impacts were not well captured. The analytical work and capacity building efforts were appreciated by stakeholders. The short timeline put pressure on UNIDO, but implementation was largely\nefficient, though the reliance on HQ staff was not very cost-effective. The project has the potential for long-lasting impact, laying the foundation for the Green Industrial Recovery Programme, though the programme's strategic focus could be strengthened.\nIn conclusion, the project accomplished a high number of activities in a short time, leading to enhanced policy capacity, but lacked a clear strategic focus. The proposed recovery programme offers an opportunity to set clear priorities for an integrated green industrial transformation of Ukraine. The evaluation report offered five recommendations.
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#MSMEs #Global #Project evaluations
Project: 170136
The project \"Promoting Women's Empowerment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in the MENA Region, Phase II\" (PWE II), aimed at enhancing access to finance, market integration, and strategic value chain development for women's empowerment\nacross Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia. It focused on five key outcomes: creating an enabling environment for women's entrepreneurship, reducing financial barriers, improving market access, increasing product\/service quality and quantity in selected gender-sensitive value chains, and ensuring effective project management and monitoring.\nDespite initial plans for collaboration with UN Women and FAO, UNIDO became the sole implementing agency. Consequently, the project centered on its regional component (Outcome 1: Building a more conducive environment for women entrepreneurship development) funded by the Italian Government, with a pilot project in Tunisia funded by the Government of Monaco. The Tunisian pilot aimed to create market opportunities for MSMEs in natural cosmetics and parapharmaceuticals through enhanced management, packaging, marketing strategies, and business partnerships.\nThe independent terminal evaluation, conducted in 2024, found that the PWE II project successfully addressed some significant challenges for women's entrepreneurship in the\nMENA region, demonstrating its high relevance to national needs and priorities. It effectively generated and shared knowledge, raised awareness among stakeholders, built\ncapacity, and showcased successful market access strategies in the Tunisian pilot. Despite limited financial and human resources, the project was managed efficiently, optimizing resource use and cost-sharing for joint activities.\nThe sustainability of the pilot project in Tunisia appears likely, but broader regional results face uncertainty due to political and economic instability and weak stakeholder ownership in countries with minimal project activities. Progress towards empowering women in the MENA region remains limited, hindered by slow behavioural changes and regulatory reforms. The project addressed gender-specific gaps and needs, providing valuable data and information through targeted surveys and studies. Environmental and social impacts were considered in the selection of gender-sensitive value chains and the pilot incubation program in Tunisia, aiming to formalize women's work and reduce precariousness.\nRecommendations for future projects include securing formal commitments and budgets from co-implementers prior to the start of the project, capitalizing on results and lessons learned from women's entrepreneurship projects implemented in the MENA region, involving national actors in regional governance structures, adopting an integrated\nand individualized approach for final beneficiaries (women entrepreneurs), utilizing risk matrices and maintaining constant adaptability and flexibility in the face of challenges.Thematic Area: Poverty Reduction / Creating Shared Prosperity
Evaluation report on the Impact of the Vienna Energy Forum.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
The independent evaluation assessed the results of the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF)\/ Vienna Energy Forum (VEF), henceforth simply the forum, for the period 2009-2023 with a special focus on the last five years. The evaluation used the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, coherence, and contributions towards impacts. This involved considering and reviewing the forum’s objectives, performance indicators, stakeholder engagement, knowledge dissemination, policy influence, and long-term impacts. The evaluation used a mixed-method approach encompassing quantitative and qualitative analysis with data collected from documents, surveys, interviews, observations, and archival sources.\n\nThe forum’s primary goal is to create a vibrant, interactive, and inclusive environment that facilitates stimulating discussions on crucial issues related to the sustainable energy discourse and encourages the proposal of practical solutions for promoting sustainable energy development.\n\nThe evaluation found that the forum is well-aligned with emerging global priorities on sustainable energy. It has seen significant growth in participation over the years, which spotlights its rising significance. The forum has catalyzed policy and technology discussions and community projects globally over the years through its insights and partnerships. It has contributed to the global sustainable energy agenda over the past decade, both through high-level policy impacts at international events like COP as well through on-ground delivery. Through its platforms, various projects have gained visibility and access to potential support, exemplifying its capacity to facilitate meaningful connections and contribute to advancing sustainable energy solutions. Sustaining this impact hinges on\nexpanding its reach and scope further. By exposing industry players to emerging innovations, this forum has also contributed to new product developments and sustained corporate engagement. However, overall data to comprehensively assess this forum’s long-term impact remains constrained.\n\nThe evaluation concluded that the forum, through biennial conferences, remains a critical platform in the global energy dialogue. To maintain its significance and enhance its impact, it will need to continue adapting to the evolving landscape with strategic focus, alignment with UN goals, stakeholder engagement, and efficient management, while deepening its commitment to cross-cutting themes.\n\nThe evaluation recommends that UNIDO should (1) continue to refine the forum’s thematic focus, capitalizing on its unique positioning in the energy and industrial development\ndialogue, (2) enhance stakeholder engagement through hybrid summits, targeted marketing plus localization, and early and comprehensive planning, (3) streamlining governance structures for more efficient event management, and (4) deepening cross-cutting themes to better integrate gender, youth, and environmental concerns.\n
Thematic Area: Environment and Energy / Safeguarding the Environment
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Sri Lanka #Asia and the Pacific #Sri Lanka #Project evaluations
Project: 150050
The project ``Environmentally sound management and disposal of PCBs wastes and PCB-contaminated equipment in Sri Lanka`` was funded by the GEF with $4,725m and\nimplemented by UNIDO from January 2016 to March 2024. The Ministry of Mahaweli\nDevelopment and Environment of Sri Lanka served as the national executing agency for the project. The main objective of the project was to establish a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) management system in Sri Lanka to reduce and eliminate the release of PCBs from waste stockpiles and equipment in an environmentally sound manner.\nThe purpose of this terminal evaluation is to ensure accountability, support results-based management, and facilitate learning and innovation. The evaluation aims at providing valuable information to UNIDO management and various stakeholders and contributing to evidence-based decision-making.\nThematic Area: Environment and Energy / Safeguarding the Environment
Final report. Evaluability assessment of UNIDO's contribution to SDG 9.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
This report summarizes the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the\nEvaluability Assessment (EA) conducted by the Office of Evaluation and Internal Oversight, through its Independent Evaluation Unit (EIO\/IEU), to determine the feasibility of evaluating the United Nations Industrial Development Organization's (UNIDO) contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) reliably and credibly. The assessment focused on three aspects: the presence of a clear theory of change, the availability and quality of\ndata, and the appropriateness of timing and institutional resources for evaluation.\nThe assessment identified gaps and areas for improvement, including weaknesses in UNIDO's logical model and results framework, underreporting of its SDG contributions, and\nthe need for clearer definitions and focus on UNIDO's impact. There is a disconnect between SDG targets and UNIDO's measurement of results and performance.\nThe evaluation of UNIDO's contributions to the SDGs is deemed useful and relevant. The\nfindings and lessons learned from SDG evaluations are valuable for organizational learning and of strategic interest to UNIDO and its constituents.
Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
Infographic - Strategic evaluation of UNIDO engagement with the private sector.pdf
2024
#Global #Strategic evaluations
Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
Strategic evaluation report on UNIDO engagement with the private sector.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
This evaluation assessed UNIDO’s overall approach to private-sector partnerships and their contribution to UNIDO’s overall goals. The evaluation is based on desk research and on the analyses of primary data, which was collected through interviews with private partner representatives and through interviews, and a survey among UNIDO staff with direct or indirect experience in initiating and managing partnerships.\n\nThe target audience for this report is UNIDO management and personnel as well as external stakeholders of UNIDO, and potential partners. The evaluation found the absence of a clear and coherent partnership\nstrategy that guides both the initiation and management of UNIDO’s private sector engagement. Current practice is the existence of both bottom-up and top-down processes to initiate partnerships, which\ncontributes to increased complexity and potential fragmentation. The evaluation also found scope for improvement in the management and development of UNIDO’s portfolio of partnerships in line with a\ncoherent strategy and the creation of an integrated system of managing and sharing experiences and best practices across UNIDO. The development of a coherent partnership strategy, its implementation in\nthe initiation and management of individual partnerships and UNIDO’s portfolio of partnerships as a whole, as well as the development of a knowledge management system with regard to private partnerships, are recommended.
Thematic Area: Cross-cutting
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Climate change adaptation #Leather #Pakistan #Asia and the Pacific #Pakistan #Project evaluations
Project: 150052
This GEF-funded project in Pakistan aimed to support the establishment of the Sialkot Tannery Zone (STZ) and its central component, the common effluent treatment plant (CETP), to facilitate the relocation of tanneries from urban areas to a designated industrial zone. The overarching objective was to contribute to the greening of the leather production industry in Sialkot, Pakistan, with a view to conserving agricultural land while increasing economic growth. The evaluation findings highlighted the alignment of the project with government policies, the importance of coordination between the STZ and various national and international stakeholders, and the substantive contributions of the project toward climate change adaptation and awareness raising. However, challenges related to project delays, financial constraints for tanneries, and environmental concerns regarding contaminated sites were noted. Key conclusions emphasized the potential economic benefits of the STZ, including increased exports and employment opportunities, as well as environmental\nimprovements for surrounding communities. The project successfully promoted capacity development among tannery owners and workers, while also addressing climate adaptation through infrastructure development and cleaner production processes. Recommendations were provided to\nenhance future projects, including conducting comprehensive energy feasibility studies, exploring\nopportunities for female employment in downstream leather industries, and formulating proposals for advanced climate-adapted waste conversion technologies. Lessons learned emphasized the importance of flexibility, inclusiveness, and qualitative monitoring in project implementation. Overall, the independent evaluation rated the project’s performance as satisfactory to highly satisfactory, underscoring its potential to contribute to sustainable development in the leather industry and\nbroader environmental goals. Thematic Area: Environment and Energy / Safeguarding the Environment
Infographic - Strategic evaluation of Knowledge Management in UNIDO.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
Strategic evaluation report on Knowledge Management in UNIDO.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO/IEU - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Global #Strategic evaluations
This report offers a comprehensive evaluation of Knowledge Management (KM) practices within UNIDO spanning the period from 2016 to 2023. Employing a consultative and transparent approach, the evaluation aimed to identify areas for improvement in KM\npractices through various methodologies including desk reviews, stakeholder consultations, surveys, and web metrics analysis. Key findings underscore the absence of a\ncomprehensive KM system within UNIDO, leading to operational inefficiencies and knowledge gaps. The evaluation highlights the need for a robust KM framework that\naddresses the diverse needs of personnel, particularly in accessing dispersed information.\nChallenges identified include a lack of user-centric KM management, inadequate involvement of staff in KM formulation, and unstable policies resulting from organizational\nchanges. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the role of KM in achieving organizational results, noting the disconnect between operations and intellectual work, as well as internal competition hindering a collaborative knowledge-sharing culture. Despite ad-hoc KM initiatives yielding some results, the lack of a clear strategy, governance, and incentives hindered their effectiveness. Additionally, the absence of a dedicated KM team and\ncentralized function further weakened UNIDO’s ability to capitalize on intellectual assets and effectively influence policy makers. While UNIDO demonstrated strengths such as implicit integration of KM in its framework and proven knowledge-sharing experiences, weaknesses persisted in the absence of a corporate KM strategy and coordination\nframework. Opportunities for improvement include leveraging change management for knowledge development and enhancing knowledge platforms. However, threats such as limited resources for KM and the perception of knowledge as a competitive advantage pose\nchallenges. Key recommendations include the development of a KM strategy aligned with the organization’s strategic vision, the establishment of a KM policy framework, and\nfostering a knowledge culture within UNIDO. These measures aim to enhance institutional effectiveness and address the identified shortcomings in KM practices, ultimately fostering sustainable industrial development.
Evaluation report on Upgrading of China small hydropower (SHP) capacity.pdf
2024 | Author(s): EIO - Independent Evaluation Unit
#Rural development #Asia and the Pacific #China #Project evaluations
Project: 140196
This report presents the terminal evaluation of the project titled - Upgrading of China Small Hydro Power Capacity, which aimed to enhance the environmental sustainability of small hydropower (SHP) plants in China. Implemented during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), the project focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil fuel dependency by upgrading existing SHP stations. Managed by UNIDO and executed by the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) with on-the-ground support from the International Centre on Small Hydropower (ICSHP), the project ran from May 2017 to December 2023 with a total GEF investment of USD 8,925,000. The evaluation was conducted from September 2023 to January\n2024 and assessed project performance along OECD\/DAC criteria. Data collection methods included stakeholder consultations, field visits, and online data collection, employing a six-point rating scale for assessment. Key findings highlighted the project’s alignment with China’s development priorities, relevance to environmental goals, and coherence with GHG decarbonization objectives. The evaluation identified achievements in establishing green SHP standards, demonstrating environmental benefits, and promoting gender mainstreaming.\nPartnerships between UNIDO, MWR, and ICSHP were deemed effective, although deeper engagement with non-water sector stakeholders was recommended. The project\ndemonstrated adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic and met co-financing targets, but sustainability concerns were raised regarding future funding for SHP certification.\nRecommendations focused on enhancing engagement with non-water sector stakeholders, disseminating project results nationally and internationally, raising awareness of green SHP benefits, and expanding ecological flow assessments. UNIDO was urged to advocate for project\noutcomes in policy dialogues and promote environmental results globally. Overall, the\nevaluation emphasized the project’s positive contributions to China’s SHP sector and\nrecommended strategies for maximizing its impact on energy transition, rural development, and environmental conservation.Thematic Area: Environment and Energy / Safeguarding the Environment