Combined evaluation of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Central Africa and of DG ECHO partnership with UNICEF (2019-2023)

The evaluation of the European Union’s (EU) humanitarian interventions in Central Africa (CA) assesses how well DG ECHO and its partners addressed humanitarian needs in Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, and Nigeria during 2019-2023. 

During this time, DG ECHO allocated EUR 666m and supported 299 projects in response to a constellation of worsening crises, new crises, and external shocks across the four countries. 

The evaluation finds EU humanitarian interventions were relevant to urgent needs; coherent with EU policy and interagency responses; and added considerable donorship value. They were effective overall and often efficient, but rarely sustainable or coordinated with development and peacebuilding actors. 

It concludes the EU delivered four country-based responses focused on acute and urgent needs which helped to save lives and alleviate suffering, enabled quick responses through flexible tools, and relied on a variety of partners to deliver relevant projects and intended results. But the responses were constrained by worsening crises, insufficient funding, partner capacity issues, and DG ECHO strategy challenges. During 2024-2028, the evaluation recommends that the EU reinforce humanitarian country strategies and develops a multiyear vision until 2030 aimed at reducing needs through Nexus approaches, and that DG ECHO maintains current operations and expertise but streamlines some cumbersome processes.

The evaluation of DG ECHO’s partnership with UNICEF (Part B) assesses how the partnership contributed to achieving common goals for children. During 2019-2023, DG ECHO and UNICEF interacted at institutional level, on policy and advocacy, and at operational level, where DG ECHO allocated EUR 944m to UNICEF in support of 187 humanitarian actions concentrated in the Middle East and Africa. 

The evaluation finds DG ECHO and UNICEF goals were well aligned, their humanitarian activities were complementary and well-coordinated at institutional and policy levels, and the partnership, rooted in share values, enabled achievement of common goals. However, this strong partnership did not necessarily extend to operational level and tools were lacking to manage efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

It concludes the partnership responded coherently to the specific humanitarian needs of children in emergencies, enabled delivery of assistance to children in emergencies and notable achievements, and was well managed according to DG ECHO’s strategic partnership approach as well as UNICEF’s good management of the relationship. But the partnership risked overlooking important differences, was not as ‘strategic’ as it could be, and faced operational tensions linked to implementation modalities, questions about operational value and costs, and inconsistent operational practices. It recommends sustaining the multilevel partnership towards 2030, enhancing it with a broad multiyear framework and strategy, and periodically reflecting on progress.