The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB / the Bank), through its Office of Independent Evaluation (OIE), signed an agreement with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC-Chile), host of the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLEAR-LAC), to strengthen national evaluation capacities and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems across the Caribbean. 

CLEAR-LAC is an implementing entity of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) that was devised to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems in developing countries to enhance evidence-based decision-making and improve public policies. M&E systems facilitate tracking public sector performance and the analysis of national development goals. The partnership with CLEAR-LAC directly supports the CDB OIE’s strategic goal of improving evaluation systems and culture in the region. Also, through the collaboration, the Bank aims to enable the integration of Caribbean country representatives active in evaluation and M&E with their Latin American and global counterparts.

Emphasising the strategic vision, Mr. Roberto La Rovere, Head of CDB’s OIE said, “Evaluation in CDB is based on applying global best practice, adapted to the context of CDB and the Caribbean region. Within that, our capacity strengthening efforts aim to support a new generation of leaders in evaluation from the region. Partnering with CLEAR-LAC is one step towards realising that vision.”

The multi-year collaboration will feature targeted activities starting in 2025. The first initiative will be the production of an M&E system strengthening plan for Trinidad and Tobago. In 2026, CLEAR-LAC will facilitate delivery of the course "Introduction to M&E of Public Policies" for multiple government representatives from CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries. Additionally, CLEAR-LAC will support the execution of regional evaluation events, organised by the OIE, centered on the Caribbean starting in 2026. This will include a dedicated workshop addressing the specific needs of government representatives.

Underscoring the significance of the partnership, Mr. Cristian Crespo, CLEAR-LAC Executive Director said, “CLEAR-LAC facilitates the strengthening of national M&E systems, individual capacity development from training and knowledge exchange in M&E across Latin America and the Caribbean, and globally through the GEI. Through this strategic partnership with OIE-CDB, we look forward to contributing to strengthening results-based management efforts currently led by the governments of multiple Caribbean nations and facilitating dialogue with other countries facing similar challenges”.

The GEI is a joint initiative of the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group and the Independent Evaluation Office of the United Nations Development Program launched in 2020. CLEAR centers, which are hosted by leading academic and policy institutions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America are an integral part of GEI’s global delivery model. Following a call for hosting the center serving Latin America and the Caribbean, UC-Chile was selected in 2023 and CLEAR-LAC began operations in 2024.