BSTDB Hosts Evaluation Cooperation Group Fall Meeting in Thessaloniki
Meeting marks ECG’s 30th anniversary and focuses on development impact, evaluation standards and institutional learning
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) hosted the Fall Meeting of the Evaluation Cooperation Group (ECG) at its headquarters in Thessaloniki from 20–22 October 2026, bringing together senior representatives of independent evaluation functions from multilateral development banks and international financial institutions.
The meeting took place as the Group marks its 30th anniversary, highlighting three decades of cooperation on evaluation standards and practices across development institutions.
Discussions focused on assessing development impact beyond financing volumes, updating international Good Practice Standards, and strengthening the use of evaluation findings in strategic and operational decision-making. Participants also exchanged experience on increasing the influence of independent evaluation and demonstrating its contribution to institutional effectiveness and accountability.
“As the Evaluation Cooperation Group celebrates its 30th anniversary, we reaffirm our shared commitment to strengthening the impact of development finance. Moving beyond lending volumes towards meaningful outcomes requires rigorous independent evaluation, credible data and a deeper understanding of change at the level of markets, institutions and systems. Through continued collaboration, we can enhance accountability, foster learning and help ensure that development finance delivers sustainable results,” said Todor Dimitrov, Director of BSTDB’s Independent Evaluation Department and ECG Chair.
Welcoming participants, Asterios Tsoukalas, Secretary General of BSTDB, highlighted the role of independent evaluation in improving development outcomes and supporting institutional learning.
“The value of evaluation lies not only in assessing past performance, but also in using its findings to inform decisions, strengthen operational practices and improve development outcomes,” he said.
The programme also included an exchange between ECG representatives and BSTDB departments on cooperation between independent evaluation and operational functions, with particular attention to development impact, risk management and the use of evaluation recommendations.
The meeting also marked the welcoming of the New Development Bank (NDB) as a new member of the Evaluation Cooperation Group, further broadening the Group’s institutional membership and exchange of evaluation experience.
Established in 1996, the Evaluation Cooperation Group promotes cooperation, harmonisation of evaluation methodologies and the exchange of knowledge and good practices among international development institutions. BSTDB’s Independent Evaluation Department has been a member of the Group since 2014 and previously hosted its Spring Meeting in Thessaloniki in 2019.
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The BSTDB headquarters are in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. For information on BSTDB, visit www.bstdb.org.
