Joint Monitoring

What is joint monitoring?

In essence, the concept of ‘joint monitoring’ is simple.  It aims to:

1. Promote and support ‘joint’ monitoring activities involving EUDs and PGs, whereby they work collaboratively to plan their monitoring activities, and then collect, analyse and use management information concerning their joint investments.  It therefore supports ownership (by both PGs and EUDs) and mutual accountability.
2. Build on and support the development of PG monitoring systems.  It therefore supports ‘alignment’ and ‘capacity development’ objectives. 
3. Generate information about whether or not development ‘results’ are being (or likely to be) achieved through a joint investment.  It therefore supports results-based management approaches. 

Other points to note about the Joint Monitoring concept are that:

• It is based on assessments of project progress/performance that involve various levels of joint engagement in: (i) deciding and planning what to monitor; (ii) conducting field missions/visits; (iii) production of monitoring reports; and (iv) results-oriented analysis.
• It should be seen as an approach, not a pre-defined system.  Joint Monitoring must grow organically, based on the particular country circumstances.  While some system elements/tools are proposed in this Guidance, these are for trial and testing at country level by EUDs and PGs.
• It is not a substitute for more in-depth evaluations, involving some external/objective inputs; and
• It is focused on promoting joint monitoring by PGs and EUDs, not joint monitoring with other donors (multi-donor monitoring). In order to avoid potential confusion, DEVCO proposes to clearly distinguish between joint monitoring with partner governments (Joint Monitoring) and joint monitoring with donor agency partners (Multi-Donor Monitoring or MDM). A group on Multi-donor Monitoring has been created on C4dev:Multi Donor Monitoring group

Operational Guidance on Joint Monitoring

In 2009, a guidance on Joint Results Oriented Monitoring (JROM)   has been produced by the ROM support team. This Operational Guidance has been prepared in order to promote more effective aid management and monitoring by both ECDs and Partner Governments. The final draft of this report is available in the group library: Joint Results Oriented Monitoring (JROM) Operational Guidance for European Commission Delegations and Partner.

Joint Monitoring Workshop (Brussels, 12-15 October 2010)

The Overall Objective of this workshop was to contribute increasing EuropeAid's aid effectiveness through the definition of basic criteria for implementation of Joint Monitoring missions (Joint Monitoring) between EUDs and Partners Governments representatives. Joint Monitoring shall contribute towards more effective management of the development cooperation portfolio at the level of EUDs.

The Specific Objective was to define realistic conditions for such missions through exchanges of ideas and dialogue between all stakeholders that would enable PGs and EUDs to engage in the future in Joint Monitoring missions. The ideas and material produced during the seminar would eventually serve to update the Joint Monitoring Guidance, and provide participants with ideas and confidence building to take next steps in the Joint Monitoring process.

All documents related to this workshop are available in the group library:

1. Agenda and final report of the workhop

2. Working groups: Open Space Methodology and conclusion of Open Space sessions.

3. Presentations

3.1  Presentation No Magic Wand in english and french

3.2 Presentation on coordinated use of ROM and Evaluations in english and french

3.4  Presentation on Budget Support in English

3.5  Presentation on Harmonization and Alignment in English

3.6  Presentation on Internal Monitoring in English

3.7  Presentation on JROM-E in Ethiopia in english and french

3.8 Presentation on MENOR in Mali in english and french

3.9 Presentation on SEGOR in Mali in english and french