In July 2013, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) amalgamated to create the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD). In November 2015, the DFATD was renamed Global Affairs Canada.

 

The two evaluation teams that existed previously in the different departments are maintained, keeping their complementary functions. One unit focuses on evaluating foreign affairs and trade-related issues, the other on development programming. Both of them have some distinct accountability as well as some that overlap. The modalities of their co-operation are currently being defined. 

 

Global Affairs Canada’s Development Evaluation Division (DED) is part of its Strategic Policy Branch. The DED evaluations inform programme effectiveness and programming tools, as well as priority and policy setting.

 

The Head of Development Evaluation reports to the Director-General of the International Assistance Envelope Directorate (IAED) who subsequently reports to the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Policy Branch. The International Assistance Envelope is a dedicated pool of resources that enables the Government of Canada to deploy its international assistance nimbly and responsively. The IAED determines international assistance priorities and make broad funding decisions. As per the Policy on Evaluation, the Head of Evaluation has unencumbered access to the Deputy Minister in charge of development co-operation in Global Affairs Canada, as required.

 

As per the Policy on Evaluation, Global Affairs Canada has a Development Evaluation Committee which is assigned the responsibility for advising the Deputy Minister on all development evaluation and evaluation-related activities of the department. It is chaired by the Deputy Minister, supported by the Head of Evaluation on evaluation matters and structured with specifi c roles and responsibilities.