Dear colleagues and partners,

A few months have passed since we gathered in Yanqing, Beijing, China for the 8th National Evaluation Capacities (NEC) Conference. The Conference was a moment of rich exchange and learning, and it is inspiring to see how the energy and insights from those days continue to shape our work.

We are now pleased to share with you the Conference Proceedings and the Beijing Action Plan for 2030, finalized with your valuable contributions.

The Beijing Action Plan for 2030 is more than just a document - it is a roadmap and a shared commitment to building responsive, evidence-based evaluation systems that can tackle the urgent challenges of our time.

To turn this vision into reality, we – members of the evaluation community - have a collective responsibility to push this agenda forward, aligning our efforts to achieve the goals set in the Plan.

As the development landscape evolves - shaped by fiscal constraints, economic uncertainty, and complex global challenges - evaluation is more essential than ever. With the power of technology, and tighter, more intentional collaborations, we believe that evaluation can and must be a central tool for transparent and informed policymaking.

At its core, this plan is about partnerships and inclusivity. Governments, evaluators, researchers, young professionals, and marginalized voices all have a role to play in developing context-specific, integrated solutions to address climate change, inequality, poverty, and more.

Evaluation is ultimately a public good - and by strengthening our collective knowledge, we can drive meaningful, lasting impact.

Let the Beijing Action Plan be a call to action.

For a future where decisions are guided by evidence, and no one is left behind.

Isabelle Mercier, Director, UNDP Independent Evaluation Office

Dugan Fraser, Programme Manager, Global Evaluation Initiative

Jiang Na, Director-General, Department of Supervision and Evaluation, China International Development Cooperation Agency