The 11th African Evaluation Association (AfrEA) International Conference, themed “Technology and Innovation in Evaluation Practice in Africa: The Last Nail in the Coffin of Participatory Approaches,” took place in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 18 to March 22, 2024. This annual event gathers evaluators, researchers, government officials, and students to discuss evaluation practices and share insights.
The conference officially began on March 20, 2024, with a welcome address by AfrEA president Rosetti Nabbumba Nayenga and a keynote speech by Dr. Tade Akin Aina from the Mastercard Foundation. Various presentations and plenary sessions focused on the role of technology and innovation in African evaluation practices.
DIWA representatives, including Prof. Charles Amoatey and Richard Kingsford Otoo, presented their frameworks and shared findings from the ‘One Village, One Dam’ Programme. This presentation highlighted study design, stakeholder involvement, and data validation processes, sparking further audience engagement. Ghanaian officials, Professor Kwaku Appiah-Adu and Dr. Andrew Asibey, discussed how the study’s outcomes would inform future policy decisions in Ghana.
Aside from advancing the conversation about evaluation techniques, the conference also provided networking opportunities with individuals and organisations dedicated to promoting indigenous evaluation practices in Africa.