DIGITAL FOR DEVELOPMENT (D4D), FOLLOW-UP STUDY: What are the developments related to the Covid-19 context?

As a follow-up to the Digital for Development evaluation, the Special Evaluation Office (SEO), in agreement with the members of the accompanying committee, expressed interest in an additional study to consider developments related to the Covid-19 pandemic, which emerged at the end of the evaluation.  The objectives of this study are:

1. To provide analytical and evaluative evidence on the mobilisation of D4D in times of Covid-19 on the one hand, and on the effect of the crisis at the level of D4D interventions on the other hand (ongoing/new interventions)
2. Drawing lessons from the ongoing experience of mobilising D4D and formulating strategic and operational recommendations based on this analysis and lessons learned. These recommendations will be useful both:

• to better understand the impact of the crisis on digitalisation strategies in the countries of intervention and to identify the effects of the crisis on the implementation of projects with digital components
• to improve, through the role and opportunities offered by D4D, the response strategy of the Belgian Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid to the challenges posed by the Covid19 pandemic
• to strengthen D4D interventions and define the best recommendations to make them more useful and effective in times of Covid-19.