The Francophone Evaluation Network (Réseau Francophone de l’Évaluation, RFE) has completed a fruitful and successful year in 2018. The CES sits on the Board of Directors of the RFE and its representative acts as vice-president. Here is a short report based on a recent message from the president of the RFE.

2018 was a turning point in the life of the RFE: it saw the entry into office of a new Board of Directors and the implementation of projects aimed at the sustainability of the organization and its effective contribution to the development of a culture of evaluation in the French-speaking world. The Board of Directors has completed a major reform of the statutes and internal policies. It supported the launch of a consortium of partners around the goal of institutionalizing development evaluation in Francophone countries. It has completed a critical review of evaluation reports produced in certain contexts. It has led a number of working groups that contribute to international thinking about evaluation. This intense year ended with the designation of Burkina Faso to host the 3rd International Francophone Evaluation Forum (FIFE) to be held during the fourth quarter of 2019.

2019 will be an opportunity to consolidate these achievements and continue the development of projects and services to RFE members. The activities of the consortium of partners around the institutionalization of the evaluation will reach cruising speed with the end of a diagnostic phase followed by the beginning of a period of awareness raising and training. A great mobilization is also announced at the level of the various working groups in order to increase the activities proposed to the members of the network. Obviously, the organization of the FIFE will consume a lot of energy; this event will be a special moment to learn from each other, to discuss hot issues, and to reconnect.

Throughout 2019, the CES will continue to provide unwavering support to the objectives of the RFE.

Benoît Gauthier, CES representative at the RFE