A Proposed Partnership For Capacity Building In Africa Pact

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African countries need to improve the performance of their public sectors if they are going to achieve their goals of growth, poverty reduction, and the provision of better services for their citizens. Between 1995 and 2004, the Bank provided some $9 billion in lending and close to $900 million in grants and administrative budget to support public sector capacity building in Africa. This evaluation assesses Bank support for public sector capacity building in Africa over these past 10 years. It is based on six country studies, assessments of country strategies and operations across the Region, and review of the work of the World Bank Institute, the Institutional Development Fund, and the Bank-supported African Capacity Building Foundation.

Results-based conceptual frameworks; Stakeholder views and related findings; Country context and measuring aid coordination quality.

This volume, edited by Michel A. Dessart and Roland E. Ubogu, records the presentations made and discussions held during the Inaugural Seminar of the Joint Africa Institute (JAI). The JAI was established in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, by the African Development Bank, the IMF, and the World Bank to meet the pressing training needs of the African continent. The participants discussed four main topics: the changing role of the state, governance, and new capacity requirements; the challenge of achieving macroeconomic stability in Africa; the requirement for capacity building in Africa; and the role of international financial institutions in capacity building in Africa. The seminar was held in November 1999, but the topics and recommendations of the seminar remain current and of particular importance today. The seminar was held in English and French, and both language versions are contained in this volume. 240 pp. 2001

* Written by prominent scholars and practitioners of African development policy * Describes recent governance changes in Africa * Analyzes consequences of these changes for institutional reform * Highlights challenges of capacity building for economic liberalization and democratization This is an ideal volume for both students and scholars of African development, as well as anyone interested in the current issues of African governance. Published in association with the African Capacity Building Foundation, this book answers such questions as: What is the relationship between governance and institutional reforms? What is the impact of these reforms on public policy processes? And, what is the link between economic governance and policy research?

During its 40-year history, the International Development Association (IDA) has worked to improve global welfare by allocating resources to growth and poverty reduction programs. In 1990, a new framework for IDA's poverty reduction efforts was created which resulted in significant structural change to its programs. The focus of the programs became one of labor-intensive growth and expanded access to social services and safety nets to improve incomes levels among the poor. Additionally, the IDA agenda was expanded to include gender, the environment and governance as facets of the poverty reduction framework. This report evaluates IDA's performance from 1994 through 2000 against the three specific replenishment commitments of the period. While finding the performance level only partially satisfactory, the review suggests ways to improve the effectiveness of IDA programs, replenishment process and its ability to match corporate and country priorities.

In his memoir, Towards a Better World, Helleiner recounts his profound trip to Africa, a trip that propelled him into a career devoted to the research, advice and teaching of economic development and the reduction of global poverty.