On 19 February 2026, government agencies, researchers and international experts met in Stockholm for a conference on how evidence-based methods can make Swedish development aid more effective. The conference was organised by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Expert Group on Aid Analysis (EBA).
Swedish aid will be designed and implemented in accordance with the government’s aid policy. Efforts will be supported by evidence in the form of research, evaluation and proven experience. But how can we develop and use evidence on aid effectiveness? How can evidence and learning be integrated into governance and implementation? What drives poverty reduction and prosperity at a country level?
These questions, and others, were addressed at the conference, which brought together decision-makers and change agents from government agencies and state-owned companies involved in Swedish aid (Team Sweden) and leading international experts in evaluation, evidence-based policy and aid effectiveness. The conference aimed to establish a foundation for ongoing dialogue and networking regarding the achievement of effective aid-funded work and cooperation.
Here you can watch recorded segments of the conference, which was held in English, with the exception of the opening address by Benjamin Dousa, Minister for Development Aid and Foreign Trade:
What is evidence?
Torbjörn Becker, EBA Chair, Director SITE
Aid in a New Era: How to be Strategic
Under decreasing global volumes of foreign aid, what strategic policy options for donors can ensure transparency and cost-effective impact? Professor Rachel Glennerster, President Center for Global Development, former Executive Director, J-Pal.
What aid can and cannot do
Insights from Kenya on how aid has complemented financial sector development, private enterprise, trade and broader development processes. Njuguna Ndungú, ex-Minister of Finance, ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya.
Lessons from and for aid to Ukraine
Professor Tymofiy Mylovanov, President Kyiv School of Economics, operates in a rapidly changing environment and stressed the importance of not only directing aid at acute situations, but also building capacity for the next crisis.
Aid in Conflict
What can aid to Ukraine learn from past experiences, from the Marshall plan to Afghanistan? What does “effectiveness” mean in crisis, and how should evidence be used in conflict settings? Megan Kennedy-Chouane, head OECD/DAC-EVALNET, professor Tymofiy Mylovanov, President Kyiv School of Economics, and Torbjörn Becker, chair EBA, director SITE.
Impact Evaluations in a Changing Aid Landscape
A critical look at how impact evaluations have been conducted and how their role may evolve as aid priorities shift. Professor Martina Björkman Nyqvist, Stockholm School of Economics and Professor Jos Vaessen, Chief Evaluation Officer, Independent Evaluation Group, World Bank.
The use of Evidence for Steering and Managing for Results
To what extent is evidence used to guide aid governance and implementation? What are the barriers and enablers for integrating research and evaluation into decision-making? How can effective systems for results-based management be built? Jillian Popkins, Chief Commissioner, Independent Commission for Aid Impact, Professor Jörg Faust, Director, German Institute for Development Evaluation (Deval) and Professor Rachel Glennerster, President Center for Global Development, former Executive Director, J-Pal.