National sustainable development strategies (NSSDs) were inspired in 1992 by the
Rio summit. Since 1999; the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) have further encouraged developing countries to prepare NSSDS as
National integrated strategies formulated through a participatory process and
coordinated with donors.
This research aims to contribute to the development of effective NSSDs With
reference to existing studies; the thesis justifies the need for an NSSD and identifies
the principles and criteria for evaluating such strategies in relation to their integrated
and participatory character, country commitment, the nature of the policy processes,
targeting and resourcing. The thesis also examines whether NSSDS are dynamic,
flexible and make provision for learning and capacity building. It subsequently
explains that NSSD & Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) have common
characteristics and hence criteria for NSSD evaluation can also be used for PRSP.
The identified criteria are used to evaluate The Gambia Vision 2020, The National
Action to Combat Desertification (NAP) and The Gambia Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper (PRSP) process and contents. The analysis revealed that the PRSP, NAP and
the Vision 2020 did not fully integrate environmental, social and economic objectives.
Part of the reason for this was that some of these were not based on exiting sectors,
specific policies and strategies. Participation was not complete and was limited only
to the formulation rather than to the implementation stage of the strategy process.