Government response to IOB Evaluation Report 'Investing in Stability'

The Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has evaluated the Dutch foreign policy in fragile states from the period 2005 – 2011. The resulting evaluation, “Investing in stability: Dutch policy on fragile states reviewed”. In this responsorial Letter to Parliament (14 October 2013), the government reflects upon the IOB’s recommendations, and notes the important role The Knowledge Platform could play in in facilitating among its range of partners an exchange of views on the evaluation’s findings.

The Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law has initiated a series of events dedicated to the IOB Evaluation. In consultation with policy makers, practitioners and academics,  a number of specifc challenges have been identified in the IOB Evaluation for discussion:

Theories of Change: The IOB evaluation notes that, without an explicit “Theory of Change” to guide Dutch engagement in fragile contexts, aspects of Dutch fragile state policy have implicitly adopted a neoliberal paradigm.

Context analysis: The MFA welcomed the IOB’s recommendations to continue deepening its analytical capacity and, in so doing, strengthens its relationships with external partners.