UNITEDNATIONSCONFERENCEONTRADEANDDEVELOPMENT Independentevaluationof: Evidence-basedandPolicyCoherentOceansEconomyandTradeStrategies(UnitedNationsDevelopmentAccountProject1819K)* IndependentEvaluationUnitMay2024 *ThisreportwascommissionedbyUNCTAD.TheopinionsexpressedinthisreportarethoseoftheexternalevaluatoranddonotrepresenttheviewsoftheUNCTADsecretariatoroftheorganizationsorinstitutionswithwhichtheevaluatormaybeconnected,ororganizationsorinstitutionsthatcommissionedthisevaluation.ThisevaluationreporthasbeenreproducedwithoutformaleditingbytheUNCTADsecretariat. ThisevaluationreportwaspreparedbyAlexandreDaoust,LeGroupe-conseilbaastelltée,hereaftertheevaluator. IndependentProjectEvaluationsareusuallyconductedbyexternalevaluators.TheroleoftheIndependentEvaluationUnitoftheUnitedNationsConferenceonTradeandDevelopment(UNCTAD)inrelationtoindependentprojectevaluationsthatitmanagesisoneofqualityassuranceandsupportthroughouttheevaluationprocess,includingprovisionofnormativetools,guidelinesandtemplatestobeusedintheevaluationprocess,andclearanceofthefinalreport.ThisroleisbasedontheresponsibilityoftheEvaluationUnittorespondtothecommitmentoftheUnitedNationsEvaluationGroup(UNEG)inprofessionalizingtheevaluationfunctionandpromotingacultureofevaluationwithinUNCTADforthepurposesofaccountabilityandcontinuouslearningandimprovement.TheprinciplesunderpinningtheevaluationfunctionareenshrinedintheUNEGNormsandStandardsforevaluation. Inordertosupportatransparentandlearningenvironment,UNCTAD'sevaluationframeworkiscurrentlydefinedbyitsEvaluationPolicyasapprovedinJune2023. TheEvaluationUnitcanbecontactedat: UnitedNationsConferenceonTradeandDevelopmentPalaisdesNations,8-14, Av.delaPaix,1211Geneva10Switzerland Telephone:+41229171234Email:evaluation@unctad.org Website:https://unctad.org/about/accountability UNCTAD/OSG/INF/2024/4 ľableofContents ListofAcronymsandAbbreviations5 Executivesummary7 1.Introduction11 2.DescriptionoftheProject12 2.1Background12 2.2Projectobjectivesandexpectedaccomplishments/results12 2.3Projectstrategiesandkeyactivities13 2.4Beneficiariesandtargetcountries14 2.5Keypartnersandotherkeystakeholders14 2.6Resources18 2.7LinktotheSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs)19 2.8Innovativeelements19 3.Evaluationobjectives,scopeandquestions20 3.1Purposeandobjectives20 3.2Evaluationscope,criteriaandquestions21 4.Methodology24 Evaluationlimitations25 5.Findings26 5.1.Relevance26 5.1.1Developmentneedsandprioritiesofparticipatingcountries26 5.1.2AlignmentwithUNCTADandDOALOSmandates27 5.1.3Complementaritywithotherinitiativesinocean-basedeconomicsectors28 5.1.4ContributionstoSDG1428 5.2.Effectiveness30 5.2.1Achievementofplannedobjectivesandoutcomes30 5.2.2Knowledgeenhancementandcapacitybuilding33 5.2.3Enablingfactors34 5.2.4Challenges34 5.2.5Partnerships35 5.3.Efficiency36 5.3.1Projectmanagement36 5.3.2Financialresources37 5.3.3Timelyachievementofoutcomes37 5.4.Sustainability38 5.4.1Commitmentofthebeneficiarycountries38 5.4.2Measuresforsustainability39 5.5.Cross-cuttingthemes40 5.5.1Gender,Disability,andHumanRights40 5.5.2Environment40 5.5.3COVID-1941 6.Conclusions,LessonslearnedandRecommendations42 6.1Conclusions42 6.2Lessonslearnedandgoodpractices45 6.3Recommendations45 Annexes47 1.EvaluationTORs47 2.ProjectResultsFramework58 3.Evaluationmatrix60 4.Datacollectioninstruments69 5.Listofindividualsinterviewedonline86 6.Bibliography87 ListofAcíonymsandAbbíeviations BTB BelizeTourismBoard CARICOM CaribbeanCommunity(andCommonMarket) CBD ConventiononBiologicalDiversity DESA DepartmentofEconomicandSocialAffairs DOALOS DivisionforOceanAffairsandtheLawoftheSea EA ExpectedAccomplishment ECLAC EconomicCommissionforLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean EDF EnvironmentalDefenseFund EEZ EconomicExclusiveZone IEU IndependentEvaluationUnit FAO FoodandAgricultureOrganization GDP GrossDomesticProduct HACCP HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPoint ICZM IntegratedCoastalZoneManagementandClimateResilience IMO InternationalMaritimeOrganization IUU Illegal,unreportedandunregulated(fishing) NGO Non-GovernmentalOrganization OECD OrganizationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment OECS OrganizationofEasternCaribbeanStates OETS OceansEconomyandTradeStrategies OLA OfficeofLegalAffairs PAGE ThePartnershipforActiononGreenEconomy SAMOA SmallIslandDevelopingStatesAcceleratedModalitiesofAction SDG SustainableDevelopmentGoal SDG14 Conserveandsustainablyusetheoceans,seasandmarineresourcesforsustainabledevelopment SICA CentralAmericanIntegrationSystem SIDS SmallIslandDevelopingStates SMART Specific·Measurable·Achievable·Relevantand·Time-Bound SPS SanitaryandPhyto-Sanitary TAB TradeAnalysisBranch TED Trade,Environment,ClimateChangeandSustainableDevelopment,Branch ToC TheoryofChange ToRs TermsofReference UMOJA CorporateERP(Enterpriseresourceplanning)system UN UnitedNations UNCLOS UnitedNationsConventionontheLawoftheSea UNCTAD UnitedNationsConferenceonTradeandDevelopment UNDA orDA,UnitedNationsDevelopmentAccount UNDAF UnitedNationsDevelopmentAssistanceFramework UNDP UnitedNationsDevel