Experts to develop a holistic NEPAD strategy for capacity building in Africa

05 February 2007

A three-day technical meeting on capacity development strategy for Africa opens tomorrow in Addis Ababa, as a follow-up to a workshop held in November 2006 in Johannesburg, where experts developed a common understanding of capacity gaps and development challenges in Africa.

About 40 stakeholders and experts will attend this workshop, which is being organized by the NEPAD Secretariat and ECA, in collaboration with the African Capacity Building Foundation, and the Southern Africa Trust and Dimension Data.

The workshop is expected to consider the key elements for capacity development identified at the Johannesburg workshop, and outline a process for finalizing and implementing a capacity strategy in Africa.

Inadequate capacity at all levels to plan, develop and implement projects are key among the challenges facing the speedy implementation of NEPAD programmes.

In this regard, the Johannesburg workshop reviewed various capacity building initiatives and outlined the process, modalities and actions required to move Africa's development agenda forward.

Participants at the Addis Ababa technical workshop are therefore expected to take a further step by approaching the capacity building issue in a holistic and coherent manner, to include national, regional, and continental governance structures, as well as institutions and stakeholders that play a critical role in development.

Presentations on the agenda will emphasize the need to mobilize domestic resources for the implementation of the capacity development agenda. Key issues to be addressed also include governance and the role of civil society in capacity building.