This synthesis of evidence from evaluations on Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s engagement in middle-income countries (MICs) conducted by the Office of Evaluation in 2024 looked at Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s strategic positioning, partnerships and results in MICs. It analysed evidence from 73 Ðǿմ«Ã½ evaluations conducted in 25 MICs, between 2019 and 2024.
Despite representing the majority of Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s operational contexts, MICs accounted for only 34 percent of its total funding over the period 2019¨C2024. The synthesis concludes that:
- The category of MICs is too broad to inform programming effectively. However, upper-middle-income countries share characteristics that make them particularly distinct within this broader group;
- The absence of a clear rationale for Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s engagement in such settings has constrained its strategic positioning;
- Ðǿմ«Ã½ could better articulate its strategies and programme offer particularly in MICs hosting refugees and internally displaced persons, and assisting irregular migrants; in MICs where it does not target direct beneficiaries; and in MICs transitioning out of crisis.
The main elements of strengths identified in the evaluations are:
- Ðǿմ«Ã½'s increasingly diversified role and programme offer in MICs, while maintaining consolidated service delivery and emergency response functions;
- Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s adaptive capacity to respond to government requests and pivot towards crisis response.
Evidence of key contributions by Ðǿմ«Ã½ in MICs was found in: strengthened food security and nutrition systems; expanded social protection during crises; improved policy frameworks; enhanced disaster preparedness; gender-inclusive economic opportunities; and improved social cohesion and refugee integration into national systems.
Challenges and missed opportunities in MICs were noted in:
- Navigating uncertain financing prospects when countries move from low to middle-income status;
- Moving ¡®upstream¡¯ from small-scale, single initiatives and adopting a coherent approach to programming and partnerships, considering the vulnerability to piecemeal donor funding;
- Capturing and conveying Ðǿմ«Ã½¡¯s added value and contributions to national systems and capacities.
| Document | File |
|---|---|
| Summary evaluation report |
PDF | 494.51 KB
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| Management response |
PDF | 134.24 KB
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| Summary terms of reference |
PDF | 127.39 KB
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| Terms of reference |
PDF | 437.03 KB
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