Applied Development Finance

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The Global Development Network (GDN) partnered with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to study the impact of EIB’s investments in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The purpose of the Applied Development Finance program was to provide qualified young researchers interested in the evaluation of development finance and private sector development a practical opportunity to hone their impact assessment skills, by working on real-world projects funded by one of the world’s leading financial institutions, under the guidance of top international experts in evaluation and impact assessment. The program directly promoted development by producing knowledge that informs large public investment decision making.

The program refined the understanding of EIB’s impact and strengthened researchers’ skills and capacity in impact assessment at the same time. It focused on aspects such as regional integration, migration, and climate change adaptation and mitigation of private sector development. Upon induction, the researchers attended a capacity-building workshop at EIB headquarters in Luxembourg, where they received intensive training in evaluation methodologies and analytical techniques, and were familiarized with EIB and its operations. They were subsequently assigned with evaluating, over a period of one year, the economic, social and associated impact of selected projects funded under the IFE. Upon completion, the inductees received certification as EIB-GDN Fellows in Applied Development Finance, and became a part of a knowledge network in evaluation and development finance.