BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Office of Independent Evaluation (OIE), in partnership with the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLEAR-LAC), has concluded a regional training programme to strengthen monitoring and evaluation skills and support greater use of evidence in public policy.

The Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Public Policies course brought together 31 professionals from 10 Caribbean countries and territories across 11 virtual sessions, concluding on July 22, 2026. CLEAR-LAC’s first course designed specifically for the Caribbean combined technical learning with practical exercises grounded in the region’s development challenges and institutional contexts.

Participants explored topics including theory of change, indicator development, evaluation methods and national M&E systems. Through applied assignments, they used course concepts to examine challenges within their own countries and institutions, including road safety in Belize and a food support programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

Head of CDB’s Office of Independent Evaluation, Roberto La Rovere, highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and peer learning. “Although Caribbean countries have very different contexts, many development challenges are shared. Regional cooperation and peer learning are therefore essential to identifying practical and evidence-based solutions that can help move the Caribbean further forward,” La Rovere said.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission facilitated participation by representatives from several Eastern Caribbean countries and territories, helping to ensure that the learning reflected the realities of Small Island Developing States. Alongside technical skills, the programme helped participants build professional connections across the region.

Cristian Crespo, Executive Director of CLEAR-LAC, described the course as a learning experience for the Center and an important step in its ongoing collaboration with CDB to strengthen evaluation capacity in the Caribbean.

The programme forms part of the broader OIE–CLEAR-LAC partnership to strengthen national M&E systems and the use of evidence in public policy. Sustaining the connections established through the course offers an opportunity to deepen knowledge exchange and support a regional community of evaluation professionals.

Read the full article on CLEAR-LAC’s website.