Launching the Egyptian Observatory for Evaluation & Policy Making: A milestone partnership for evidence use
Launching the Egyptian Observatory for Evaluation & Policy Making: A milestone partnership for evidence use
Together with the Government of Egypt, 3ie officially launched the Egyptian Observatory for Evaluation & Policy Making — an initiative designed to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and improve the impact of government programs across the country.
The Observatory was launched on 14 August through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation, the Institute of National Planning (INP), the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), and 3ie. This collaboration represents a shared commitment to building stronger systems for monitoring, evaluation, and evidence use that will serve as the foundation for Egypt’s policy and development strategies.
Why this matters
The Egyptian Observatory is a step forward in ensuring that evidence is at the heart of policymaking. By strengthening evaluation frameworks across government and affiliated think tanks, the Observatory will help ensure policies are guided by rigorous data, innovative methodologies, and lessons from what works (and what doesn’t).
In her remarks at the launch, Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation, Rania A. Al-Mashat, emphasized that the Observatory is aligned with Egypt Vision 2030 and will help in promoting evidence-based policy-making and developing institutional capacities in cooperation with national entities and international development partners to support inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
The Minister stressed the importance of the Observatory, noting that it comes at a critical time as many public policies are currently under development in Egypt. The Observatory is expected to support these efforts with data and evidence. In particular, next year will see the development of both the Finance Strategy and the Planning Strategy, and the Observatory will play a crucial role in supporting both processes. The Ministry also looks forward to potential collaboration between the Observatory, CAPMAS, and the Egypt Impact Lab, emphasizing that such integration will maximize the collective impact of Egypt’s think tanks.
Dr. Ashraf Al Arabi, President, INP, emphasized the important role and potential of the Observatory, noting that it is a joint effort by IDSC, INP, and the Ministry of Planning. This collaboration allows each institution to bring its unique knowledge and strengths, while also benefiting from 3ie’s global perspective and expertise. He also acknowledged the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development as a fundamental and critical founding partner of the Observatory.
ISDC Chairman Dr. Osama El Gouhary highlighted the Observatory’s unique position within the Egyptian government and the strong commitment of the Government of Egypt to ensuring that public policies are evaluated in a scientific and rigorous way. He stressed that the Observatory is expected to lead in this area, applying the most advanced evaluation tools to maximize the impact of public policy.
3ie Executive Director Marie Gaarder emphasized that this represents a significant opportunity to bridge scientific evidence and data with public policy in a manner that fosters genuine learning and maximizes impact. She also emphasized the strong support and potential for collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, which continues to play a major role in Egypt, the MENA region, and Africa in linking development practice with evidence, setting an example of philanthropic impact.