Federal Council seeks to improve the measurement of effectiveness in international cooperation

The Federal Council

Bern, 23.02.2024 - At its meeting on 21 February 2024, the Federal Council took note of the report of the Control Committee of the Council of States (CC-S) dated 14 November 2023 and the underlying report of the Parliamentary Control of the Administration (PCA) on the measurement of effectiveness in international cooperation (IC). Although some of the evaluations assessed are of good quality, the CC-S identified a significant need to improve the entire IC effectiveness measurement process.

In the view of the CC-S, external evaluations in their current form are only partially suited to measuring effectiveness and steering of projects and provide no information as to whether the evaluated project contributes to the achievement of the overarching IC objectives.

The Federal Council attaches great importance to measuring effectiveness and considers the recommendations of the CS-S both expedient and feasible. Switzerland is involved in ongoing international efforts to continuously improve relevant methodology for measuring effectiveness, in particular within the OECD.

The Federal Council has instructed the relevant departments to improve the methods used with a view to ensuring that the effectiveness of IC work is properly evaluated and that periodic reports cover this issue.

In its response to the report, the Federal Council sets out 12 measures aimed at implementing the CC-S recommendations by 2026. The measures include defining higher quality requirements in the evaluation guidelines and delivering targeted training in the field of evaluation.

Under the next IC Strategy 2025–28, measures will also be taken to assess the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of projects. In 2023, the SDC introduced a digital data management system to facilitate the monitoring of project objectives and ensure greater transparency. An independent evaluation committee will assist SECO in implementing the recommendations of the CC-S.

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