The Tsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC)initiated five parallel evaluations of theinternational response to the tsunami, ofwhich this is one. The purpose of thisevaluation was to determine the impact ofthe tsunami response, primarily the role ofinternational actors, on local and nationalcapacities for relief and recovery, and riskreduction. The TOR identified the followingsix objectives: 1) assess how local and nationalcapacities changed as a result of the tsunami response, 2) assess how well international actorsengaged with local and national capacities in providing relief and recovery assistance, 3) assess the intended and unintended changes to local and national capacities as a result of the tsunami response by international actors, 4) assess the extent to which transition/risk reduction/recovery programming, planned and implemented, is likely to influence local and national capacities, 5) distil lessons learned for efforts to strengthen local and national capacities for future crisis response and recovery and 6) ensure that all the above assess and highlight gender differences and the varied experiences of women and men.Itincludes the processes by which these outcomes are achieved, notablyparticipation, consultation and informationsharing. The evaluation does not attempt toevaluate the performance of specificagencies, but to focus on the overall impactand draw lessons from the response takenas a whole.