Evaluation officer: Katarina Kotoglou, +46 8 698 56 22
Mail: 
The JASZ is an effort between 16 cooperating partners (CPs) that aims to improve aid effectiveness in line with the Paris Declaration. It was developed over the period 2005-07, and signed in 2007 for a three year period.
The evaluation examined the design and implementation of the JASZ and assessed its relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. The findings of the evaluation are intended to inform the development of the next JASZ and the aid management section of Zambia’s Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP). It is also intended to inform the Phase II evaluation of the Paris Declaration in Zambia and the evaluation of budget support in Zambia.
A key finding of the evaluation is that there is little evidence that the JASZ has promoted greater country ownership. As an instrument for advancing the Paris Declaration, the JASZ is critically dependent on the activities of the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ). However, the dialogue architecture developed as part of the JASZ did often not respect GRZ processes, and consultative mechanisms were mainly driven by arrangements developed by CPs.
The effectiveness of the JASZ has been hampered by the lack of a systematic process for follow up. Although the JASZ is described as a strategy, it does not have many of the key elements of a strategy. It contains no specific targets nor does it define indicators against which its progress could be measured. A work plan was developed in late 2007, but the GRZ is not a signatory to the JASZ or to the work plan.
The JASZ has contributed to improved harmonization, and there has been movement towards greater use of the modalities preferred by GRZ, principally budget support. However, requirements of bilateral donors still dictate many actions and decisions. There has also been little progress in developing a mutual accountability framework.
At the sector level, aid management and coordination has improved. Sector Advisory Groups – the main channel for CP/GRZ engagement – are however very variable in performance.
While transactions costs for CPs have increased – particularly for those taking a lead position in a specific sector - there is likely to have been some reduction in transactions costs for parts of the GRZ.
The evaluation was initiated by a group of JASZ signatories in Zambia, including Sweden. It was funded and commissioned by the evaluation departments of Danida, Irish Aid and Sida. The evaluation was undertaken by a team of independent consultants, including Team Leader Anne Thomson (Oxford Policy Management), Oliver Saasa (Premier Consult), Dennis Chiwele (Rural Network Associates) and Sam Gibson (theIDLGroup).
As part of the evaluation process, findings and recommendations were discussed in Zambia at a workshop arranged by the Swedish Embassy in Lusaka, and attended by 15 CPs as well as representatives from the GRZ and civil society organisations.
