System-wide evaluation: A new generation of UN Country Teams

The United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) conducted a comprehensive system-wide evaluation to assess the progress of UN development system reforms, particularly the effectiveness of a new generation of UN Country Teams (UNCTs). This evaluation focused on how country programmes were derived from and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs)—the central planning tool for UN development activities in each country. It also examined how UNCTs were configured to meet national priorities, ensuring the right mix of skills and capacities to deliver shared results in support of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With the Cooperation Framework guidance implemented in over 100 countries and many second-generation frameworks underway, the evaluation aimed to draw lessons from the first generation. It assessed the clarity and relevance of existing guidance, the effectiveness of its application, and the outcomes of derivation and configuration efforts. Global in scope and covering the period from 2019 to 2024, the evaluation used a theory-based approach to assess reform implementation and outcomes against a Theory of Change. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, document reviews, and surveys across 21 focus countries, guided by a robust evaluation matrix.

Led by the UNSDG System-Wide Evaluation Office (SWEO), the evaluation was supported by an inter-agency Evaluation Management Group—chaired by the SWEO Executive Director and including staff from the evaluation offices of UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC, and WFP—alongside an Evaluation Reference Group representing all UNSDG entities and an Advisory Group of independent experts.