The Office of Independent Evaluation's (OIE's) Annual Report on Evaluation 2025 documents a defining year of transition and transformation for the Caribbean Development Bank's (CDB's) evaluation function. The report covers the renewal of CDB's Evaluation Policy - approved by the Board in December 2025 - and the development of two new operational manuals guiding independent and self-evaluation. It presents OIE's work across six interconnected streams: governance and systems, conducting evaluations, building evaluation culture and capacity, partnerships and networks, follow-up on recommendations, and communication and knowledge dissemination. Key highlights include completed country and corporate evaluations, the launch of a pilot Real-Time Evaluation in Guyana, the establishment of the inaugural Evaluation Advisory Committee, and the start of a regional capacity-building partnership with CLEAR-LAC. The report also outlines OIE's vision to 2030 and priorities for the new 2026-2028 Work Programme.

The Work Programme encompasses the evaluative initiatives planned for the forthcoming fiscal year (2026), along with a forward-looking tentative plan for the subsequent fiscal period (2027). This document presents the adjustments to evaluation activities scheduled in the current fiscal year (2025), supported by justifications that reflect changing priorities and contexts and OIE’s new vision. The changes are also due to the completion, in 2025, of the 5-year rolling WP 2020-2025, the transition in OIE leadership during the first half of 2025, and the start of a new OIE rolling WP that, from 2026 onwards, will be in 3-year cycles to reflect the more dynamic nature of global changes. The 2026-2028 WP anticipates and strategically aligns with broader milestones, including the completion of the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030, as well as the simultaneous development and upcoming entry of the Bank into a new CBD’s Strategic Plan 2026-2035.

Water Resource Management

This independent evaluation provides an assessment of the Bank’s work in the water (including wastewater) sector over the six-year period (2017 to 2023). The evaluation focuses on four focal areas: a) Water supply (WS); b) Sanitation (SAN); c) Education and training in water supply and sanitation (ET); and d) Agricultural Water Resources (AG). It reviews operational management processes, coordination within the Bank, and the beneficiaries' perspectives to identify challenges, best practices, and the value of projects. The evaluation's findings aim to offer insights to inform the Bank's management and Board of Directors about future interventions and the renewal of the Water Sector Policy and Strategy. These findings are also relevant to external stakeholders, including national governments, water sector agencies, and community-based organisations.