Sub-Saharan Africa : Lessons from Experience in Supporting Sound Governance

Abstract

The paper seeks to provide a basis for identifying common issues, and operational synergies between monitoring, and evaluation capacity development (MECD), and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. It summarizes experiences, and lessons from governance support in the region, and their implications for MECD work, and common issues, and, modalities between governance support, and MECD. In addition, the paper analyzes opportunities to maximize synergies between MECD, and broader governance capacity building efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, and suggests implications from experience in evaluation support. The paper emphasizes that future interventions should focus on the quality of leadership for reform, and local capacity to design, and implement those reform programs. Furthermore, accountability as it relates to the level of corruption in the public sector should be taken into account, addressing the need for decentralized capacity building, as well as centralized forms of governance. Cases studies in specific countries illustrate promising interventions in governance reform.