Ownership of development priorities by developing countries

I am a Data and Evaluation expert, former journalist, with 18 years of professional experience, currently working as Evaluation, data and knowledge expert, in the core team of MELDEA project, providing help desk evaluation support DG INTPA and DG NEAR. Following an education at the European School of Brussels II, he graduated in Journalism at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve (UCL, École de Journalisme de Louvain), and worked for 4 years as a journalist in Brussels covering EU News. This was followed by 7 years working in the management of International Development projects for consulting companies, and 7 years working as an expert in evaluation, data analysis, communication and knowledge management for the evaluation helpdesk technical assistances with DG INTPA, DG NEAR and FPI, which is his current assignment.
In the past 7 years, he has applied his data analysis skills and knowledge of EU Project Cycle Management to the field of developmental evaluation, with the objective to improve evaluation practices and learning from evaluations in the EC institutions. He has an excellent knowledge of EU Policies and guiding principles of Team Europe initiative, Strategic Planning and Programming Cycle (SPP), Financial Guidelines and EU funding mechanisms, and an excellent knowledge EC financial and contracting procedures (PRAG, INTPA Companion), Intervention Cycle Management guidelines, internal reporting and monitoring.

I am a specialist on EU’s international cooperation, with more than 13 years of experience in the field of social and democratic inclusion. I have worked in various public and private bodies, including the European Commission (DG INTPA), the Italian Government (under Prime Minister Draghi), international and civil society organisations from Latin America, Asia and the EU. My main areas of expertise include social protection and welfare policies, with a special focus on youth, as well as democratic governance.

Manuel brings over five years of experience in MEAL framework development, capacity building, and research, helping numerous non-profit organizations adopt an integrated approach to MEAL, Data, and Knowledge Management. He has worked as a MEAL professional in various countries, including Lebanon, India, Moldova, Ukraine, and Italy, with remote support operations in Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Tanzania, and Kenya. With expertise in grant monitoring and management systems, data analysis, and visualization, Manuel has worked with a range of donors, including ECHO, EU, AICS, UN OCHA, AFD, WFP, DANIDA. His technical skills and experience span a wide range of sectors, including Humanitarian Aid operations (WASH, Food Security, Education), as well as Development/Nexus interventions (Livelihoods, Water Governance, and Local Economic Development).

I'm a multi-tasking professional with more than 25 years' experience in communication and information sector at international level. High qualified expertise acquired as a journalist and editor-in-chief, multimedia project coordinator, communication adviser and programme manager on development cooperation and humanitarian crisis, which includes media development, freedom of expression, safety of journalists, media and information literacy, digital transformation, politics, peace and security, migration, climate change and youth, with a strong focus on Africa and EU-Africa relations, and expertise in Western Balkans and Türkiye.