The Netherlands have over the period 2000-2004 provided 1,2 billion for humanitarian aid, which was implemented by UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and non-governmental organisations. The amount of expenditure and the absence of regular evaluations prompted this evaluation.

The evaluation assessed and documented the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of assistance to countries with complex emergency situations. There were country studies of Afghanistan, Burundi and DRC, Somalia and Sudan. Arne Strand (CMI) and Gunnar Olesen (CopenhagenDC) undertook the Afghanistan case study.