Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and Egypt’s Governor at the New Development Bank (NDB), participated in the opening session of a key conference on multidimensional evaluations organized by the NDB in collaboration with the International Development Evaluation Association. The conference, titled “Multidimensional Evaluation for Impact and Transformation”, explored the impact of emerging challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including geopolitical tensions, on global sustainable development efforts, particularly in the areas of climate action and social empowerment.
Key Highlights from Dr. Rania Al-Mashat’s Address:
A Data-Driven Approach to Boost Transparency and Resource Allocation
In her address, Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the need for robust evaluation practices amidst the current global challenges, ranging from economic transformations and geopolitical tensions to technological advancements. She highlighted that multidimensional evaluations are critical not only for assessing the effectiveness of development programs but also for informing decision-making, driving innovation, and ensuring accountability to build resilient and strong economies.
“Given the complex global challenges we are currently facing, strong evaluation practices are vital. These evaluations not only assess the impact of programs and initiatives but also play a pivotal role in decision-making, fostering innovation, and enhancing accountability,” Dr. Al-Mashat said.
Multidimensional Evaluation: A Key for Achieving Sustainable Development
The Minister underscored that multidimensional evaluation is essential not only to achieve sustainable development but also as a strategic mechanism to reinforce country ownership. Evaluating development finance strategically is crucial for enhancing its impact and ensuring that developmental cooperation programs align with national strategies. Dr. Al-Mashat further emphasized that by integrating these evaluations into our operations, we can strengthen accountability and foster more effective partnerships that truly reflect the needs and priorities of countries.
She also praised the New Development Bank’s initiative in establishing an independent evaluation office aimed at improving the bank’s development effectiveness, facilitating multilateral engagement, and supporting the bank’s mandate through comprehensive evaluations of its programs and activities.
Commitment to Effective Development Cooperation
The Minister reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to effective development cooperation by applying strong monitoring and evaluation practices to ensure accountability, transparency, and impactful results. This is in line with the country’s national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She stressed that using evidence-based policies is a cornerstone of Egypt’s new framework, which is crucial for ensuring mutual accountability, efficient resource use, and achieving the desired outcomes while fostering economic growth and sustainable development.
Egypt’s AIMS System: A Revolutionary Approach to Tracking Development Finance
Dr. Al-Mashat also highlighted the launch of the AIMS (Aid Information Management System) in March 2023, a groundbreaking electronic system for managing and tracking development finance projects. The system aims to enhance data management, transparency, and accountability in development cooperation with international partners. The AIMS system consolidates comprehensive information on the full results chain of projects funded by development partners, enabling stakeholders to track essential indicators such as project implementation status, disbursement rates, and alignment with SDGs.
“This system marks a significant step towards stronger evaluation of the impact of development finance and more informed decision-making,” Dr. Al-Mashat explained. “It enables the tracking of vital indicators, thus allowing for more efficient management of resources and ensuring that initiatives achieve the intended outcomes.”
A Platform for Knowledge Sharing with the New Development Bank
The Minister also mentioned Egypt’s readiness to organize workshops for knowledge exchange with members of the New Development Bank to share effective methodologies, strategies, and tools used to develop the AIMS system as a pilot model for monitoring and evaluation in Egypt. This initiative aims to contribute to the global effort of sharing successful policies and best practices with the Global South.
A Strong Call for Enhanced Multilateral Cooperation
Concluding her speech, Dr. Al-Mashat stressed the importance of enhancing collaboration to improve dynamic and multilateral evaluation practices, with the ultimate goal of achieving inclusive and sustainable development. This is particularly critical as the world grapples with complex challenges, and it is through such cooperation that the global community can make significant strides toward building resilient and sustainable economies.
Egypt’s Leadership in Development Finance and Evaluation Practices
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat’s participation at the “Multidimensional Evaluation for Impact and Transformation” conference underscores Egypt’s leadership in advancing sustainable development and enhancing the effectiveness of international development cooperation. Through the introduction of innovative systems like AIMS, Egypt is positioning itself as a global leader in transparent and accountable development finance, driving progress towards the SDGs. The commitment to data-driven decision-making and evidence-based policies is paving the way for stronger, more resilient economies, aligning with Egypt’s broader goals for a sustainable and inclusive future.
