Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases EMPRES (Desert Locust Component) Central Region

This report represents the views of the independent Evaluation Mission on the performance
and achievements of the EMPRES (Desert Locust Component) Central Region Programme
(EMPRES/CR). The programme began its first phase in 1997; the second phase began in
January 2001 and was scheduled to end in December 2003. The present evaluation focuses on
this phase of the programme. The Mission took place from 24 February to 10 March 2003;
three EMPRES/CR countries were visited (Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan).

The evaluation was initiated with a view to providing donors, collaborating agencies and
countries as well as FAO with an independent and objective assessment of the current status
of implementation of the project, including a review of problems faced. A summary report
based on the debriefing document prepared by the evaluation mission was presented to the
EMPRES/CR Planning Workshop in May 2003; the present full version of the report contains
extended discussions of issues and recommendations identified by the evaluation mission
members.