The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prompted a large-scale international development and humanitarian response. The “Strategic Joint Evaluation of the Collective International Development and Humanitarian Assistance Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic” assessed the relevance, coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of this collective response during the period 2020-2022. The report provides a system-wide perspective on how international actors mobilised resources, coordinated efforts, and supported partner between throughout the pandemic.
Key findings and lessons include:
- Preparedness, existing partnerships, and coordination mechanisms proved critical for a rapid and effective crisis response.
- Flexible funding and financing through the multilateral system enabled more timely, coordinated and adaptable responses to emerging needs.
- Unequal access to vaccines exposed structural challenges in the international system and complicated efforts to achieve equitable outcomes.
The evaluation was undertaken through the COVID-19 Global Evaluation Coalition and reflects a collective effort by more than 60 participating organisations, including several Norwegian institutions. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) coordinated and managed the evaluation.
Seminar on global health security to promote evaluation findings on global health security
In April 2026, Eval co-hosted a seminar on global health security together with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH). Drawing on the evaluation, the seminar discussed evidence, lessons learnt and key challenges as Norway develops its global health strategy.
Report details
- Title:
- Joint Evaluation of the Collective International Development and Humanitarian Assistance Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Published:
- 02.07.2026
- Type:
- Joint evaluations