Cairo on my mind

Issahaq Jalaludeen

Memories of Cairo, Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs still linger on my mind. The evening sunsets, dining by the Nile, visits to world-renowned landmarks, the pyramids, the city’s museum, the Red Sea and the Alexandria University with its gigantic library!

The city was the destination for the fifth conference of AfrEA, held from March 29 to April 2, 2009 at The Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel. It was on the theme ‘Perspectives On Impact Evaluation – Approaches To Assessing Development Effectiveness’. It attracted a large contingent Of Evaluators, Policy Makers, Politicians, Policy

Implementers and Development Agents all of whom descended on the ancient city to participate in the bi-annual conference co-organized by the International Initiative For Impact Evaluation (3ie), UNICEF and the Network Of Networks On Impact Evaluation (NONIE).

In spite of the breathtaking appeal of the city, which so inspired us, we were still able to go away noting the main highlights and outputs of the conference, which included the formalization Of AfrEA on its tenth anniversary culminating in its 2009 Board elections with Dr. Florence Etta being chosen as President; the launch of its Journal Of Development Effectiveness and the release of the draft NONIE Guidance on Impact Evaluation. Other highlights were the significant progress in the debate around and towards the launch of African Evaluation Journal; and indications of initiatives to develop Centers of Excellence to improve M&E capacity in Africa by the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group.

The meeting was splendid occasion set against the backdrop of the exciting tourist attractions the destination had to offer, and we all had a great time!