CDE was contracted to conduct an evaluation of three components of the ICT Trust Fund: ICT for Community Development and E-Library, ICT for Illiteracy Eradication, Mobile Information Technology Units. CDE is currently evaluating these projects. The assignment also includes assessment of the Technical Assistance Unit (TAS) and Programme Support Unit (PSU). Activities exerted in the assignment also extend to examine how UNDP supported Egypt in the Pan Arab Regional Conference on WSIS and WSIS II and last but not least, supporting Nile Technology University.

CDE team was involved in an Ex Post Evaluation of four projects in Egypt that the Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (GEF_SGP) financed in its three phases, and local NGOs implemented. The four projects were in the areas of: Protecting International Waters; Biodiversity and Climate Change.

Project Title:

Decentralizing Planning, Participation and Partnerships

Sida and UNDP have supported the General Organization for Physical Planning over a number of years and through several stages to transform its operations by introducing geographical information systems in the planning processes as the means to build the institutional capacity of GOPP to produce, approve and amend plans for sustainable development that will enable local administrations to manage and control development of human settlements in an efficient, equitable and sustainable fashion. Assignment includes addressing the following issues and concerns:

• Local authorities are currently unable to fulfill their planning mandate; and current systems of inter-acting with Local Authorities are inadequate. Assessing the capacities of local administrations on managing human settlements and balancing conflicting interests is central to planning for sustainability. Currently CDE is working with GOPP on devising proper mechanisms, including reviewing the Planning Law, for better and much closer integration of inputs and reactions in plan formulation and implementation

• CDE is working with GOPP on building the capacities of staff at Headquarters and Regional Planning Centers to sufficiently conversant with International best practice in planning. This will be possible by efforts for developing and executing a comprehensive and integrated human resources and institutional development policy and programme, which will include a modality for systematic means of learning from its own experience through monitoring, evaluation and feedback mechanisms.

• CDE prepared a manual for the use of Strategic Action Planning applications in the field of human settlements planning

• Finally, CDE worked with GOPP on establishing a consistent, protected and accessible structure for planning data and information conducive to proper decision making process.

• Using a participatory planning technique, a profile of the settlements was developed where strategic issues were identified through identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
• In collaboration with locals, the team was engaged in a exercise for identifying development options
• A road map for executing actions was finally processed where currently there is a process of resource mobilization is taking place.

• Revisiting the mission and mandate of the organization,
• Assessing the external environment of the institution by identifying the clients, collaborators and competitors,
• Assessing the internal environment of the organization by identifying past history, performance, human resources and expertise
• Preparing a list of strategic issues
• Identifying outputs, activities, and indicators with necessary means of verification
• Preparing TORs, and budget based on needed inputs

• Assessment of local problems using Participatory Rapid Assessment techniques, coupled with formal field survey
• Utilizing Logical Framework Approach in designing the various components of the project: sanitation and solid waste management; basic health and education; economic development and employment generation; Awareness and Capacity building for local Community Development Associations, including Agricultural Cooperatives; and last but not least, devising a scheme using Community-Driven Development (CDD) for ultimately transforming these communities into a development path that is sustainable and self-reliant.

• Providing support to the Greater Cairo and Fayioum Regional Bureau to build their capacities to articulate and implement a Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP) for the Helwan area, South Cairo, by preparing and delivering training on action planning
• Providing support to the Suez Regional Bureau to build their capacities to articulate and implement a Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP) for the Ettaqa area, South of Suez, by preparing and delivering training on the use of Logical Framework Approach (LFA), action planning, and environmental urban planning.
• Preparing the Environmental Profile for the Governorate and Gulf of Suez using participation as a means for problems identification and building consensus on a common vision.
• Preparing an Environmental Action Plan for the Governorate and Gulf of Suez using an avant-garde modality

• A Country Environmental Assessment is an exercise essential for preparing a business plan for improving the environmental conditions to be conducive to economic growth and social development.
• The study presented the current environmental issues challenging economic growth and social development.
• Then, analyzed factors contributing to the current environmental crisis in Egypt by examining the impacts of the institutional setup, market failure for pricing environmental resources, policy failures that encourage exploitive use of natural resources.

• CDE was contracted to provide support on documenting and evaluating the experience of GOPP in introducing GIS as a planning tool in preparing physical and regional plans
• CDE was then contract to prepare the project document for another phase of cooperation between GOPP and UNDP.

LIFE, a UNDP supported programme, contracted the services of CDE to evaluate the seven projects that LIFE sponsored in seven different Governorates of Egypt. The programme aims to improve governance as means to improving the environmental conditions of urban areas. In each city, the implementing NGO selects a street and starts cleansing it in collaboration with the inhabitants and the public official to sustain this environmental street clean. Activities included planting trees, expanding green areas, etc.

• GEF-SGP is a fund that finances initiatives of NGOs in three focal areas: climate change, international waters, and biodiversity. CDE was contract for documenting the projects (64 projects) that GEF-SGP sponsored and the NGOs implemented in different Governorates of Egypt.

• In another assignment, as part of GEF global evaluation, CDE was award a contract for Ex-Post evaluation of four SGP projects in Egypt

• Preparing the design and document for the project adopting three development modalities in three different human settlements: one on the fringe of the Nile Valley, a traditional oasis, and a virgin land for agricultural development. The project included training component for the staff of GOPP, local administrators, and members of NGOs and CBOs for effective participation; plan formulation component that includes formulating action programs; and fund raising activities to finance the projects proposed to actualize the suggested plan.
• Providing technical assistance to the Project Management Unit on addressing environmental issues to ensure the sustainable development of these settlements
• Reviewing outputs and deliverables, and organizing seminars and conferences; and provide assistance on the procurement and establishment of local project offices;
• Coordinating with the Government of Egypt officials including Governors, local administrators and central bodies’ representatives on other development and environmental initiatives and considering their views, and coordinate with other interested parties on the organization of their participation in project activities to ensure efficient performance;
• Propose projects for implementation and arrangements for execution including managing their preparation and delivery of inputs, schedule for deliverables and the like, monitoring activities to ensure the smooth running of activities; and
• Assisting in preparing budget revisions; proposing detailed work plans for project activities; identifying needs for capacity building, and propose necessary activities; and designing project events, such as conferences, workshop and the like.