The evaluation assessed FBA’s performance over the period 2008–2019, with an emphasis on the period after 2014. FBA’s long-term objectives during this period have been: 1) enhanced human security and resilience against armed conflicts in conflict- and post-conflict countries; 2) enhanced capacity for international peace- and crisis management interventions to contribute to peace and security; and 3) strengthened democratic institutions and processes including enhanced respect for rule of law in conflict- and post-conflict countries. FBA has responded to these within the overall framework provided by Swedish strategies and by instructions from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). It has had five areas of operation: 1) education, training and exercises; 2) secondments; 3) bilateral cooperation; 4) research, policy and methods; and 5) civil society. 

The evaluation has used a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative data and has used primary and secondary sources for data collection. The evaluation team interviewed over 100 persons directly and a similar number were contacted via a survey (of the training area). A large amount of documentation was also studied, including reports and data from FBA on its activities as well as other, external, evaluations. By assessing the cumulative effects within and across FBA’s areas of operation, the evaluation answers the two key evaluation questions for four of FBA’s five areas of operation.