Overview
This report presents the independent strategic evaluation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), an initiative launched by the United Nations General Assembly to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) across Africa from 2016 to 2025. The initiative, led in its execution by UNIDO, aimed to overcome hindrances to ISID in Africa, including limited economic diversification, weak physical and economic infrastructure development, and shortages in human capital, among others. IDDA III leveraged strategic partnerships with the African Union, regional economic communities, and various international stakeholders to achieve its goals.
The evaluation focused on the implementation and outcomes of IDDA III, assessing its
effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence, sustainability, and impact on Africa's industrial development journey. The findings reveal that IDDA III has significantly contributed to raising political commitment and mobilizing resources for Africa's industrialization. Through high-level advocacy, technical cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives, IDDA III has supported the development of industrial policies, enhanced
institutional capacities, and facilitated the creation of industrial infrastructure. However,
its implementation has been hindered by several challenges, including a lack of effective
coordination, weak knowledge management, and limited funding.
The evaluation concluded that IDDA III has been a relevant programme for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Africa, and it is also coherent with existing
major flagship frameworks. However, IDDA III fell short of its full potential due to the challenges faced in its implementation. The specific recommendations derived from the findings and conclusions include a need for better resource allocation to the coordination of future similar initiatives, the creation of a database for knowledge management, and a need for a programmatic approach in future initiatives. Moreover, the design of a potential successor to IDDA III should be radically different. It should follow the ECOSOC Guidelines for International Decades by allowing sufficient time between the proclamation of the decadal plan and the start of its implementation. It should also be framed within an enhanced African ownership, stronger governance and coordination, enhanced resource mobilization, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.
