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Begin New Search Topic Capacity Building Publishing Institution The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)

1. Social Inclusion and Service Delivery in a Fragile and Post-conflict Environment in Africa

Author:
Joseph R. A. Ayee
Publication Date:
01-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
The post-colonial state in Africa has attracted great interest from scholars and development partners because of the recognition that no development can take place without a proper functioning state. The state is expected to provide and deliver goods and services to its citizens in order to promote its legitimacy before its citizens. However, in fragile or post-conflict states, the capacity of the state to deliver services to all citizens is not possible because of weak infrastructure, weak public service delivery and weak state institutions which lack the capacity to deliver service and thereby become illegitimate. This has led to the increasing recognition that service delivery interventions or initiatives in fragile states should aim to ameliorate the negative effects of social exclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups. Against this backdrop, this paper discusses how social inclusion can be promoted and improved by service delivery in fragile states in Africa in the light of the fact that their different contextual variables (such as history, politics, culture and geographical location) affect their ability to develop their capacity to deliver services to their citizens. In other words, why is social exclusion in service delivery in fragile states challenging and what are the reasons for it? The paper shows that a combination of the inability of fragile states to perform their governance functions as a result of their peculiar circumstances and the adoption of the “one-size-fits-all” strategies to deliver services have largely contributed to social exclusion in service delivery. It ends with some policy recommendations.
Topic:
Governance, State, Legitimacy, Inclusion, Post-Conflict, Fragility, Capacity Building, and Service Delivery
Political Geography:
Africa

2. The Challenges of Knowledge Harvesting and the Promotion of Sustainable Development for the Achievement of the MDGs in Africa

Author:
Kobena Hanson and George Kararach
Publication Date:
01-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
In the present global economy, knowledge production is taking place at a fast pace. Knowledge is also becoming obsolete rapidly. For Africa to compete globally, it is imperative that it not only has access to global knowledge, but more importantly, it needs to harvest and harness existing local knowledge systematically. While a wealth of information and knowledge exists on the continent thus shaping local development daily, such knowledge tends to be fragmented and often inaccessible to local development partners. Drawing on the ACBF's operational experience, this article argues that seeking ways to creatively make this knowledge readily accessible to key decision/policy-makers is central to managing innovation, promoting sustainable development and the achievement of the MDGs in Africa.
Topic:
Globalization, Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals, Capacity Building, and Knowledge Management
Political Geography:
Africa

3. Development Drivers in Africa: Role of Innovation

Author:
Kobena Hanson and Frannie A. Léautier
Publication Date:
01-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
Africa has recovered from the 2008-2009 financial crisis and posted high growth levels as seen before the crisis. The region has also been able to generate a sizable middle class of over 300 million people, who are educated, connected, and aware. Such success was possible partly because of the discipline in putting in place the right macroeconomic policies and managing to stick with difficult reforms despite the crisis. The key issue now is how to speed up development that reduces poverty and creates jobs in a sustainable manner. This paper argues that innovation in development is an additional factor underpinning Africa's development and that it is important to see how pro-poor innovation can further contribute to resolving the remaining challenges. We interrogate the work that is needed to spur innovation and conclude with the role of capacity development institutions such as the African Capacity Building Foundation to support innovation systems
Topic:
Development, Economic Growth, Youth, Innovation, Capacity Building, and Knowledge Management
Political Geography:
Africa

4. Measuring Performance of Interventions in capacity Building: Some Fundamentals

Author:
Genevesi Ogiogio
Publication Date:
01-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
The paper is an attempt to define a set of fundamentals around which generic measures can be developed to assess performance of interventions in capacity building. The development of performance measures in capacity building is a complex exercise. The complexity arises from a number of conceptual and methodological issues, including the fact that the benefits associated with capacity building are not readily quantifiable and the rate of return to investment in capacity building cannot be derived without a significant margin of error. The paper notes that most measures are derived with respect to inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes/results and impacts and that there is an inordinate preoccupation with impact in the measurement of performance. Starting off with the input-process-output-outcome-impact framework, the paper presents an approach, which examines measures from the point of view of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, ownership, impact and sustainability of an intervention – elements, which it considers as the six fundamentals in the measurement of performance in capacity building.
Topic:
Performance Evaluation, Monitoring, and Capacity Building
Political Geography:
Africa

5. Capacity Building in Post-Conflict Countries in Africa: A Summary of Lessons of Experience from Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda

Author:
The African Capacity Building Foundation
Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
The paper presents a Summary of a Report of a Study on Reconstruction and Capacity Building efforts in four Post-Conflict African Countries, namely, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda. The main objective of the study is to draw lessons that could provide a guide to policies, strategies and instruments for post-conflict capacity-building initiatives by the Foundation. The four country studies highlighted the fact that the root causes of conflicts are different in different countries at different times and that they require context-specific approaches to bring countries back onto the path of peace and development.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution, Security, Reconstruction, Peace, Post-Conflict, and Capacity Building
Political Geography:
Uganda, Africa, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda