SADC Polic y for Strategy Development, Planning, M onitoring and Evaluation Evaluation is the systematic and objective assessment of on-going or completed SADC projects, programmes or policies, their design, implementation and results. The aim is to determine the relevance and fulfillment of regional integration objectives, development efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. Evaluation of SADC programmes, projects and related initiatives should provide information that is credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons learned into the decision–making process of both SADC and its development partners. Evaluation within the SADC sense also refers to the process of determining the worth or significance of an activity, policy or program as it relates to the core regional integration agenda. Definitions Impacts are both: positive and negative, primary and secondary longterm effects produced by an intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended. Impact also refers to changes in the economic, social and/or environmental condition as pursued by the strategic intent of the organisation. An example of an impact is the increase of investment flows in the country as a result of the improved competition environment. In reality, however, the causal link between an intervention and an impact is not necessarily clear, so that impact cannot be easily attributable to specific interventions. Indicators are quantitative or qualitative factors or variables that provide a simple and reliable means to measure achievement, to reflect the changes connected to an intervention, or to help assess the performance of a an actor. Inputs are the financial, human, and material resources used for development intervention. Milestones are the significant stages of development set as targets against a timeframe to facilitate monitoring and measurement of progress. Outputs are tangible products of an intervention that are directly attributable to the intervention. Outputs relate to the completion of activities and are the type of results over which managers have most influence. An example of 30