Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of Multilateral Fund (MLF)-financed projects and activities are an essential part of the Secretariat’s work.

Following the Multilateral Fund’s permanent establishment in 1994, the Executive Committee approved, the following year, the preparation of evaluation guidelines. Henceforth, all project proposals included the milestones for the completion of various stages of the project.

The process of M&E not only ensures that the funds disbursed are actually being used to meet the project objectives but it is also a tool to assess the overall effectiveness of the Fund in phasing out ozone-depleting substances.

The Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (SMEO) is responsible for M&E and reports directly to the Executive Committee to maintain independence from the Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund, where the SMEO office is located.

Monitoring of projects involves periodic reporting to gauge progress or lack thereof. Project completion reports (PCRs), using standardized formats for different types of projects, are mandatory for all projects benefitting from the MLF funding. The reports analyse the project implementation and formulate lessons learnt. They are collected from the implementing agencies and presented by the SMEO to the Executive Committee in a consolidated document at each of its meetings. The lessons learnt are collected in a database and are accessible through a search engine.

Evaluations assess the effectiveness and achievements of projects in specific sectors or on specific topics. An evaluation reviews the project cycle from preparation through implementation to completion, to analyse whether the objectives, in terms of phase-out of controlled substances, were achieved. It provides information on strengths and limitations of various types of projects; major causes of success or failure in reaching targets; formulates lessons learnt as well as recommendations for actions to improve the performance of the Fund.

The Committee approves the annual monitoring and evaluation work programme that includes proposed evaluation studies as well as a budget for their implementation and the different monitoring tasks to be undertaken. Evaluations are prepared by the SMEO with the support, when required, of independent consultants.