Measure What You Treasure: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Development Assistance

Abstract

Russia's system of international development assistance (IDA) is still in the making. Among other things there is a need to establish a system to evaluate its effectiveness. Donors usually focus such evaluations on the results of individual projects and programs. Today, the field of IDA as a whole or its specific policies are increasingly the object of evaluation, which raises the question of articulating the expected effect or a goal of IDA from the donor's point of view. This article considers the relationship between the underlying purpose of IDA and its evaluation criteria based on a review of the goals of main donors as stated in their policies and criteria outlined in evaluation manuals. It compares those findings with related research results. Most donors use evaluation criteria related to the positive impact of IDA on the socioeconomic development of recipient countries. The declared goals of IDA include fighting poverty, supporting sustainable development, promoting respect for human rights, and ensuring peace and security. At the same time, the donors' political and economic interests never cease to play an important role. The global financial crisis has narrowed the gap between words and actions as many donor countries must justify their IDA budgets to their taxpayers. Not only have the declared goals of IDA changed, but the criteria for evaluation its effectiveness are also being reconsidered. Donors are now trying to assess the political and economic effectiveness of IDA for themselves. However, only a few countries manifest these changes and so it is still early to speak of a common trend.