BUILDING STRONG LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - NEW PERSPECTIVES ON KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND CAPACITY BUILDING WBI-MDP-ESA Cooperation A Partnership for Enabling Local Government Capacity through Distance Learning: Experience, Lessons, and Challenges in Technology Application Building individual and Institutional Capacity Presentation for Discussion January 28, 2010, 9:00-12:30 am (Washington Time) By George Matovu gmatovu@mdpafrica.org.zw Municipal Development Partnership A partnership covering all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa Launched in 1991 by the World Bank with a mission of supporting decentralization and strengthening the capacity of local governments Has two units: the Eastern and Southern Africa based in Harare, Zimbabwe and the West and Central Africa based in Cotonou, Benin MDP-ESA became autonomous as a Not-for Profit Regional Organization in 2001 A complement 6 professional and 4 support staff 1
MDP-ESA Thematic Areas Policy research and governance Direct Support to Municipalities Training and Capacity Building Decentralised Cooperation Urban Agriculture and Food Security Knowledge Management and Dissemination MDP-ESA Geographical Coverage 2
Seven Sub-Regional Clusters each Represented on the Board of Directors North Eastern Africa (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia,Somalia, Sudan) Eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) East Central Africa (Burundi, République démocratique du Congo RDC, Rwanda) South Eastern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe) South Western Africa (Angola, Botswana, Namibia) Southern Africa (Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland) Indian Ocean (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles) Central Concerns Rapid urbanization and increasing demand for services Poverty driven by lack of adequate comprehensive strategic planning Declining levels of service delivery and increasing cost in delivering such service Poor funding of local governments Failure to guard against corruption at sub-national levels in major pillars of governance local officials, sector managers, law enforcement officers, judiciary, etc Escalating land conflicts and food insecurity Fragmented capacity building for local governments Lack of visionary leadership at local levels 3
Technologies Applied and Programs Implemented The World Bank Institute helped MDP-ESA to put in place sufficient capacity for utilization of technologies in capacity building: Digital Radio Videoconferencing Computer-based learning Internet-based Learning The following programs have benefited from the partnership: Africa Good Governance Program on the Radio Waves for Remote Municipalities 2003-07 The Africa Local Government Action Forum (ALGAF) 2000- to date The Participatory Budgeting Knowledge and Action Support Facility (PBKASF) Africa Good Governance Program on the Radio Waves: A Digital Radio for Remote Municipalities 2003-07 A partnership comprising: World Bank Institute World Space Foundation Staff Development Institute at Mpemba, Malawi Malawi Association of Local Government National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALGA) Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya Uganda Local Government Association Ilala Municipal Council Municipal Development Partner J. Nyambura, G. Matovu, B. Wandago Recording the Program in Nairobi Financial Partners: UK-DFID TFESSD, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs Development Cooperation of Ireland The Netherlands We want to move beyond information and news, into enhancing the capacity of local government and their communities through digital radio. Our first capacity enhancement course will focus on open and participatory government as a means to reduce corruption at the local level. Dr. Frannie Leautier Former Vice President, World Bank Institute 4
Objective of the Radio Waves The overall aim of the of the digital radio program was to develop and deliver a comprehensive radio based capacity building programme for small urban and rural local authorities in Sub- Saharan Africa. Participants listening to the Radio Program at Nakeseke Tele-Center in Nakaseke District, Ugadna Modules Governing Municipalities without Corruption Civic Participation for Good Governance, Municipal Finance and Participatory Budgeting program What is Digital Radio Broadcasting? The World Space Digital receiver is a special radio that acquires signals from the satellite. Apart from receiving broadcasts of live transmission, the receiver has the capability of downloading web-based information to a computer via a special adaptor card. The receiver itself can work on either a power outlet or batteries. It is therefore able to provide a one-way Internet connection to communities living in isolated or remote areas. When supplemented by telephones, face-to face (F2F) and print media, the learning and knowledge sharing capabilities are further enhanced. 5
Approach Participants devoted two hours per week to the program: Radio broadcasting 60 minutes each week Study and preparation time (including homework and work activities) 30 minutes, which includes study time for previous session; Before and after class (for discussions) 15 minutes, the group discussed country case study and developed an action plan. A work book was made available and participants could download material from PCs You Ask We Listen phone time to increase interactivity Beneficiaries Kenya: Vihinga, Migori, Warenge, Taveta, Machakos Malawi: Salima, Dedza, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Ntchisi, Salima, Ntcheu, Dowa, Dedza, Mchinji, Lilongwe Tanzania: Ilala, Kinondoni, Shinyanga, Iringa Uganda: Jinja, Kampala, Makerere, Nakaseke, Wobulenzi, Kagadi, Luwero, Mbarara, Wakiso 6
Africa The Africa Local Government Action Forum Forum (ALGAF) 2000 2000- to to Date date A success story of technology in local government capacity building Taking advantage of abundant expertise, knowledge, advisory services and experiences of individuals who previously did not have the platform to share their wealth of knowledge on critical areas of decentralization and local governance A joint initiative iti of the World Bank Institute t (WBI), MDP-ESA, and the Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN) since Africities 2000 ALGAF is in its 10 th year, managed from Harare, and delivered through videoconferencing provided by the GDLN in nine countries namely, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe Every 1 st Friday of each month lasting for 3 hours. Under the conventional face-to-face capacity building events, we used to hold a 5-day workshop for 25 to 30 participants, with videoconferencing, we are able to host an interactive session for 3 hours with 400 participants from 8 countries Sessions are resourced by presentations by practitioners and experts from Africa Sessions are complemented by a Help Desk located on the MDP-ESA website ALGAF Participating Countries WASHINGTON D.C ETHIOPIA GHANA UGANDA RWANDA KENYA TANZANIA ZAMBIA MADAGASCAR ZIMBBWE SOUTH AFRICA 7
ALGAF Participation 2000-2009 3500 3000 2500 2900 2723 No. of Participants 2000 1500 1000 1123 1340 2048 1791 1273 1600 500 0 120 Phase I (2000) Phase II (2001) Phase III (2002) Phase IV (2004) Phase V (2005) Phase VI (2006) Phase VII (2007) Phase VIII (2008) Phase IX (2009) PHASE Objective of ALGAF The objectives of ALGAF are to: Provide a platform for structured dialogue and sharing of knowledge and information on key issues that impact on the performance of local governments. Contribute towards strengthening the role of local government in service delivery, poverty reduction and local economic development. Contribute towards transforming and modernizing local governments as engines of local development. A Planning Session from Harare for ALGAF 9 8
ALGAF FAMILY GIMPA The World Bank Institute KENYA DLC RALGA- RWANDA ZIMBABWE TANZANIA DLC ALGAF USERS & BENEFICIARIES Associations of Local Government ULGA ALAT UAAU NALAG RALGA ZILGA Universities Dar es Salaam Makerere Nairobi Ardhi Africa Midlands Zimbabwe 9
Amongst others: Elected and appointed mayors Local government officials (elected and appointed) Central government ministry officials Representatives of traditional leaders Women groups Youth representatives Managers of community development initiatives Faith-based leaders The private sector representatives Academics, Trainers and Researchers Media practitioners Development partners Audience President Mwai Kibaki and Mayors from Kenya attending an HIV/AIDS session Central and Local Government Officials from Ethiopia ALGAF Spreads Wings to Francophone West Africa. ALGAF Spreads Wings to Francophone West Africa. The 27th of March 2008 witnessed the launch of the Forum d Action sur la Gouvernance Locale en Afrique Francophone (FAGLAF) in seven Francophone countries in West Africa namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Participants in Senegal attending FAGLAF session 10
The Participatory Budgeting Knowledge and Action Support Facility (PBKASF): Experience of Web-based Learning A partnership comprising the: World Bank Institute World Bank Community Empowerment and Social Inclusion Program (CESI), World Bank Social Development Department (SDV) World Bank Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network. MDP-ESA and the Centre of International Urban Management (CIGU) based in Ecuador Objective: To enhance governance and accountability mechanisms by means of empowering citizens, particularly the poor to actively participate in the formulation, execution and evaluation of public policies and budgets Internet-based Course on Participatory Budgeting Objective of the course was to enable participants to understand what participatory budgeting is and how it can be used as a tool for realizing good governance. 16 countries: Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe participated Partners: National universities, Associations of local government, Tele-centers 600 participants registered About 20 participants remained active on the MDP-ESA-PB Discussion Forum Two participants at the University of Zimbabwe 11
e-based Learning Material e-newsletter Training Companion e-journal CD Rom Impact Digital Radio In Tanzania and Uganda, the Digital Radio was scaled up and linked to community radios which up to today are broadcasting the program Through the Radio Program, learning was brought to communities and stakeholders were provided with the opportunity to ask and share their visions. Providers of services and tax payers shared a platform in a friendly way to learn about challenges confronting local government The three workbooks guiding session in the radio program that prepared and widely distributed are still being used in various local authorities VC ALGAF To date, the program has 14,918 enrollments have been recorded under ALGAF The success story of ALGAF provided the basis for establishing FAGLAF the Francophone Africa version. The experience and lessons gained after eight years of implementing ALGAF provided useful input and tips in preparing FAGLAF. WBI brought on board ILED to kick-start the program Furthermore, the success of ALGAF Led to establishment of TALGAF in Tanzania and ULGAF in Uganda. (ALGAF translated in local languages) Web-Based Learning A total of 110 local officials completed their e-learning course on PB There is emergence on knowledge-driven local government and administration. As a result, a number of local authorities have become resource municipalities on sharing good practices Efforts are underway at MDP-ESA in collaboration with national associations of local government authorities to establish municipal networks driven by ICT 12
Lessons Application of sophisticated technologies like Videoconferencing and digital radios provide opportunities to increase coverage and outreach in capacity building especially for hard to reach decentralised local authorities. However, such technologies should not be taken as a replacement for conventional capacity building approaches and methods but rather a complement. Active participation of potential beneficiaries in identifying thematic areas and topics and delivering the sessions is essential in sustaining meaningful attendance and generation of subsequent networking. Participation is likely to remain satisfying when topics identified by participants than topics that are imposed by the organizers It is important t to have interested ested and capable partners like MDP- ESA Challenges Sustainability: The true cost of applying technology in capacity building for local government is not known which has implication on the sustainability of the program. Alternative funding, should WBI pull out, is not likely to come by Still, many local government officials in peripheral local authorities are not beneficiaries of emerging technologies in capacity building for various reasons, e.g. shortage of power If not well integrated in capacity building, application of sophisticated technologies such as videoconferencing, digital radio, and internet can be subjected to criticisms and sabotage based on misinformation. As the saying goes, Technology does not teach, but effective teachers do. Where there is political l instability, central government become sensitive to high-tech in information management and sharing. 13
Constraints Quality of presentations Technology does not teach but good teachers do Equipment failure Resistance to technology Failure to reach peripheral lower local authorities Poor local authorities do not have equipment Way forward Each technological application on its own has limitations. It is therefore imperative to blend the various media technologies Programs such as ALGAF should be formalized towards accreditation. In that process, participants should be required to design and implement projects leading to degrees, higher degrees, and advanced diplomas. 14
We remain indebted to the various governments and institutions that made this partnership possible THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION 15