The objective of this study, commissioned by the Policy Evaluation Department of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), has been to evaluate how Dutch cooperation policy, which has promoted sector-wide approaches (SWAps) in the environmental sector in partner countries, has been interpreted and developed in Colombia .

This Colombia study forms part of a larger project, led by MetaMeta Management for DGIS, to evaluate how environmental SWAps in three countries - Colombia , Vietnam and Senegal - have contributed to progress towards the environmental objectives of the three national governments, in accordance with Dutch Cooperation policy.

The case study countries have been selected in order to provide a geographical spread over three continents, and to represent different stages of experience with environmental SWAps, as well as different contexts (e.g. institutions and governance). In the Colombian case, the preparation process has been conducted recently, as formalised in the financing agreement (acuerdo de financiación ) of August 2007. 

The key research questions which this project addresses are as follows:-

1. What progress has been made with the implementation of the SWAp for the environment in the case study countries, and what factors account for this?
2. What lessons can be learned from the experience in the three countries so far, in terms of the usefulness of the SWAp approach, including to the environment?
3. What actions/improvements are required to improve the implementation of the SWAp in the environment sector in each case and maximize the impact on policy achievement?
4. To what extent has the application of the SWAp in Dutch bilateral sector aid contributed to the effective achievement of the environmental and the associated poverty alleviation objectives to which the Netherlands subscribes?

It is too early to evaluate the success of the SWAp in Colombia : instead, this study reports on the progress to date, including initial achievements, and provides analysis of the SWAp's design, its particular characteristics, and preliminary lessons to be learned.

The aim is to contribute to assessment by DGIS of the scope and means, in future, for applying SWAps in support of environment.

The Colombian example provides a case study of an emerging SWAp in a middle-income country. The environmental SWAp is an innovative initiative in Colombia , with high profile in the sector.

The final report was commissioned by the Policy Evaluation Department of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation- DGIS.  This Colombia study forms part of a larger project for the DGIS Policy Evaluation Dept to evaluate how environmental ‘SWAps' in three countries - Vietnam, Senegal and Colombia - have contributed to progress towards the environmental objectives of the three national governments, in accordance with Dutch Cooperation policy.