Evaluation of Results Management in the Nansen Programme for Ukraine

The evaluation finds that the Nansen Department in Norad has established a strong work culture with good leadership and experienced, professional staff. This has been crucial for the successful transfer of responsibility for the Nansen Programme from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Norad. Within just one year, they have managed to take control of an aid programme with significant political and technical complexity, as well as an extraordinary financial value never before seen in Norway.

During this period, the Nansen Department has developed in-depth knowledge of the sectors and partners receiving support, established good forms of cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies, and achieved a high degree of trust among external actors. This has strengthened the follow-up of results and cooperation with other donors.

At the same time, the evaluation finds that results management still has weaknesses, particularly at the programme level. There is a lack of a comprehensive framework for systematic follow-up of results, and there is a need to strengthen the link between the Storting’s overarching goals and the expected results in the agreements. Limited capacity and little integrated use of digital tools are also highlighted as barriers to further development.

The evaluation consists of three reports. The first maps best practices from other Ukraine programmes. The second assesses current systems and practices in the Nansen Department. The third provides recommendations for improvements. The evaluation is designed as a follow-up evaluation, with the aim of supporting learning and improvement throughout the programme period.