This report presents the findings, conclusions, lessons and recommendations of the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) Thematic Evaluation on Strengthening Resilience of Vulnerable and Displacement Affected Communities in the Horn of Africa (HoA).
The study was commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) with the aim of providing an overall independent assessment of the results achieved and lessons learnt in the HoA in relation to the second strategic objective of the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (2015-2025). The second strategic objective (SO2) aimed to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable sections of society, including refugees and displaced persons.
The evaluation focused on the HoA countries which received most support from the EUTF, namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. It also examined cross-border interventions. Temporally, the evaluation looked at interventions from the start of the EUTF in 2016 up until 2024. During this period, approximately EUR 756 million in contracted funding was allocated to resilience interventions in the HoA region.
Throughout the EUTF implementation period, the HoA region experienced major challenges including civil wars, political instability, natural disasters, the effects of Covid-19 and persistent poverty. These challenges underscored the pertinence of the EUTF’s resilience support, although it also presented challenges to a smooth implementation. Against this background, the evaluation assessed the extent to which the EUTF contributed to improved food security and natural resource management, strengthened disaster and conflict risk management (DRM) and social cohesion among Internally Displaced People (IDPs), refugees and host communities. It also identified obstacles and opportunities for sustainability, reviewed the effectiveness and efficiency of project delivery and assessed the overall added value of the EUTF’s support to the region.
The evaluation was carried out in 2024 and included missions to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. Support to Sudan and to cross-border regions was investigated remotely. A mixed methods approach for data collection and analysis was deployed embracing nearly 250 semi-structured interviews, 39 focus group discussions (during which 315 people participated), documentation review, a targeted e-survey, quantitative (financial) reviews of project portfolios and direct observation through project visits (to the extent feasible, given security and logistical constraints).