USAID/Colombia's Private Sector Engagement Storytelling: An Opportunity to Further Understand Its Data, Reporting, and Outcomes

Private Sector Engagement (PSE) is a USAID strategic approach to planning and programming through which USAID consults, strategizes, aligns, collaborates, and implements with the private sector for greater scale, sustainability, and effectiveness of development or humanitarian outcomes. According to the USAID PSE policy launched in 2018, the Private Sector (PS) is an embedded stakeholder in driving development outcomes and promoting local sustainable capacities.

This assessment collected and reviewed performance data and information on the development results and progress of USAID/Colombia’s engagement with the private sector, creating a USAID/Colombia PSE story and identifying ways to strengthen PSE reporting. It assesses the experience of USAID/Colombia in strengthening PSE between 2015-2020. Since 2015, and prior to the release of the PSE policy, USAID/Colombia has engaged the PS in the implementation of development projects. Effective and sustainable access to private sector know-how, expertise, networks, and resources contribute to the improvement of social and economic quality of life for USAID/Colombia beneficiaries.

The assessment found that between 2015-2020, USAID/Colombia achieved 531 PSEs through social and economic development projects, 521 of these PSEs were realized through 25 USAID activities. The remaining PSEs were a remarkable result of USAID/Colombia efforts, which resulted in the development of 10 Global Development Alliances (GDAs) with PS stakeholders to promote private investments in conflict affected regions and focused on disadvantaged populations.