The Ad hoc Expert Group Meeting (AEGM) on enhancing monitoring and evaluation in the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa will hold a meeting in Adama/Nazareth, Ethiopia from 28 September 2015 to 29 September 2015 to review and assess the draft report Enhancing Monitoring and Evaluation in the Regional Coordination Mechanism.

The Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and the Sub-Regional Coordination Mechanisms are the framework for United Nations agencies to work together in supporting the priorities of the African Union and its organs, the regional economic communities and other regional and sub-regional organisations. These mechanisms have been supporting the African Union and its organizations, including the regional economic communities, through the implementation of regional and sub-regional programmes and priorities, in particular the New Partnership for Africa's Development and the Ten-Year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union.

Despite significant achievements, the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and its sub-regional subsidiaries face some challenges related to monitoring and evaluating joint programmes and activities of the clusters. The greatest challenge is ascertaining if the programmes are aligned to strategic priorities of the African Union and its organs.

In light of this, the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa has prepared a report on monitoring and evaluatingthat highlights the difficulty of effectively tracking the real impact of interventions in support of the African Union priorities. The report encourages members to focus on a limited number of activities and place more attention on results.

This is the first of a series of events being held back to back with a broad aim of strengthening the UN coordination mechanism at the continental and sub-regional levels. A bolstered coordination mechanism will better support the African Union and African regional economic communities with the implementation of the Agenda 2063.

In addition to experts from ECA headquarters and the sub-regional offices, participants will include experts from the African Union Commission; the Planning and Coordination Agency of the New Partnership for Development; African Development Bank; Economic Community of West African States; Economic Community of Central African States; East African Community; Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa; Southern African Development Community; Community of Sahel-Saharan States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the report and make suggestion on its improvement and finalization. The meeting is expected to lead to the following outcomes:

Comments, inputs and recommendations for the finalization of the draft report;

Commonly agreed measures, approaches and methodologies required for monitoring and evaluation;

Clear understanding and appreciation of the need to have a well-articulated and enhanced framework for monitoring and evaluation; and

Good level of commitment and more active engagement from experts, who are also stakeholders in the development and application of an enhanced monitoring and evaluation framework.

For any queries about the meeting, please contact:

Ms. Rawda Omar-Clinton

Programme Officer

Capacity Development Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

P.O. Box 3005

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel.: +251 (0)115 443363

E-mail: romar-clinton@uneca.org