AfrEA will come away better

Mr Bali Andreatseheno

Mr Bali Andriatseheno, member of the AfrEA Board responsible for the Chair and speakers of the 6th AfrEA conference has indicated that his major expectation of the conference is that the Association will come out in the end as a more credible and stable organization.

“This conference is the first that is being organized directly by an elected Board and I have no doubt at all that AfrEA is on its way to building more confidence.”

Mr Bali was speaking with Reportage during the cocoa break yesterday. He said that starting off the conference with two days of technical workshops before the conference proper will create an opportunity for members to upgrade their skills and knowledge about monitoring and evaluation as well as learn from other participants from all over the world.

The theme of the conference –‘Rights & Responsibility in Development Evaluation - is an attempt to place humans and human agency at the heart and centre of development practice and in particular development evaluation. Development of this kind, is pursued in the interest and for the transformation of the human condition

An innovation at this conference, Bali disclosed, is that while the opening session will have one keynote speaker delivering one topict, the closing session will have a panel of voices which will seek to engage participants, measure their reactions and evaluate how well matters have gone down.

Pre-conference forum in Accra

On the 20th of December, 2011, the Pre-Conference Sensitization forum was held at the British Council Hall in Accra. Present at the meeting was President of AfrEA, Dr. Florence Etta whose visit to Ghana coincided with the forum. Also present were Mrs. Dede Bedu-Addo, Coodinator of Ghana Monitoring and Evaluation Forum, co-organizers of the 6th AfrEA Conference, Professor Akosua Adomako, Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana and co-Chairperson of the Local Organizing Committee. Welcoming participants and guests was Mrs. Bedu-Addo, drew the attention of all present to the importance of the forum.

From Left Mr. Akunu Dake,
Dr. Florence Etta,
Prof. Adomako and Mrs Bedu-Addo

Dr. Etta briefed the meeting of the history of African Evaluation Association (AfrEA), where it started, how far the Association had come as well as the need for evaluation. She also pointed out that development evaluation has become essential for the growth of individuals, societies, and especially developing countries.

Mr. Akunu Dake, the Conference Manager then introduced Professor Adomako who spoke on the crucial evaluation plays in development and urged everyone to participate in the conference as well as the need for Ghanaians to patronize this great opportunity. She emphasized the emergence of new paradigms and the need to understand these evaluation processes, needs and skills.

A variety of questions were answered by Dr. Etta from the gathering which included invited and special guests, interest groups as well as the media.