Past Projects

ROA-127-5B: Project "AH" - Enhancing the Role of National Economic and Social Councils for Inclusive socio-economic policy development.

Main Expectations:
1) Improved institutional environment and organization of ESCs to enable them to become comprehensive frameworks of multi-stakeholder decision making and institutional vehicles for civic participation in public governance;
2) improved capacity of ESC members to exercise stronger leadership in organizing, managing and supporting civil society participation in public policy processes, including integrating other participatory processes, such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), into the ESC process.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of ESC in Francophone Africa to support the participatory process in public policymaking, implementation and monitoring, in order to improve service delivery and accountability in public programmes, including enhancing capacities for the achievement of the MDGs.

Key Accomplishments (to-date): Being at the initial stage of implementation, the project has
1. Gained ample support from stakeholders who will need to participate in and contribute to the project activities in selected African countries.
2. Produced diagnostic studies of the Economic and Social Councils in Benin Burkina Faso and Mali.
3. Sensitized civil society organizations, Government officials and development partners in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali on the importance of ESCs as a policy instrument for improving governance and development policy making in Africa.

Cooperation Partners: UNDP; Union of African Economic and Social Councils (UAESC); European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS/IAESCSI).
Time Frame: January 2008 - December 2010
Funding: Development Account
Proposed Budget: US$281,000
Division: DMB

LIB/08/001: Strengthening Economic and Social Development Policy

Main Expectations:

The main outcomes expected from the project are as follows: (1) Qualitative Sustainable Human Development, (2) Strengthened capacity in economic and social development policy and planning, and (3) institutional building and human resource development through capacity building and training.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The project aims at assisting the General People’s Committee of Planning and Finance in strengthening the capacity of its staff in economic and social development policy and planning at the national and sectoral levels to contribute to the goal of sustainable human and economic development, as well as providing substantive support.

Key Accomplishments (to-date):
Under the situation that the only international expert on board is the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) due to the delay in recruiting the other international experts and the national experts, the output that the project has produced is limited to various reports and papers prepared by the CTA as requested by the Government. These cover the subjects of macro-economic framework of the Development Plan for the period 2008 – 2012, modeling of the development plan, estimates of the Libyan GDP, etc.

Cooperating Partners: General People’s Committee of Planning and Finance, UNDP, UNDESA
Time Frame: January 2008 - December 2010
Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$2,438,855
Division: DMB

INT/08/X17: UN Peace Building Portal Implementation for the Commonwealth of Independent States

Main Expectations: To facilitate substantive information-gathering and develop regional, sub-regional partnerships and networks among multilateral organizations, national/regional institutions, NGOs, and other civil society partners in the East/Central Europe and CIS regions.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The goal of the Peacebuilding Portal is to support multilateral collaboration on conflict prevention & peacebuilding by offering local, national, and multi-lateral stakeholders a real-time web tool to strengthen their work and better respond to issues surrounding human security, peacebuilding & conflict. The objective of this project was to expand the outreach of the Portal to the countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Now the Portal connects and strengthens organizations working on peacebuilding and conflict prevention and is designed to offer information on peacebuilding organizations in these regions as well.

Key Accomplishments (to-date): The expansion of the Portal into Eastern and Central Europe and the CIS has been implemented successfully and now the Portal hosts over 3,000 profiles with number of beneficiaries more than doubled. The Portal has increased its users and stakeholder groups by over 50% and reached more diverse and multi-faceted beneficiaries in new sub-regions. Universities and academia usage worldwide has more than doubled accompanied by an increase in users from bi-lateral organizations working in peacebuilding from a variety of UN member states. The Portal expansion has been rolled out across the selected countries, canvassing the region for those organizations relevant to peacemakers and peacebuilders. The information from small, local organizations working in peacebuilding even in remote locations in the field through local consultants undertaking local travel, extensive in-person and on-line interviews, bilateral and small NGO group meetings was retrieved and included.

Cooperating Partners: UNDP country offices, NGOs, bilateral and multilateral organizations working in or on East/Central Europe and CIS in conflict prevention areas
Time Frame: April 2008 - December 2009

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$142,500
Division: PACB

ROA-63: Project "T": Promoting Knowledge Management, Innovation and the use of Information Technology in the Public Sector to meet the MDGs

Main Expectations:
To provide members and partners with the tools and knowledge to help facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices, throughout the world by means of ICTs. Additionally, UNPAN’s focus is to build the capacity of regional and national institutions, so that they can access, utilise and disseminate the most relevant information by means of up-to-date information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the improvement of public service delivery.

Objective/Purpose of Project: UNDESA/DPADM was entrusted by the General Assembly in late 1999 to develop and implement the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN).
UNPAN’s mission is to assist countries, especially developing countries and countries in economic transition, to respond to the challenges their governments face in bridging the digital divide and in achieving their development goals.
The first objective of UNPAN was to establish an internet-based network that links regional and national institutions devoted to public administration, thereby facilitating information exchange, sharing of best practices, and training in the area of public sector policy and management.
UNPAN's goal is to promote the sharing of knowledge; experiences and best practices; by means of ICTs, sound public policies, effective public administration and efficient civil services, and through capacity-building and cooperation among Member States, and UNPAN's commitment to integrity and excellence.

Key Accomplishments (to-date):
The network reached 37 partners with approximately 3100 registered users in 2009. To maintain UNDESA/DPADM’s relationship with the UNPAN partners a feedback phone call is held with a different partner each week.
In 2009, the Special Award for UNPAN Member Excellence for Knowledge Sharing, was established by UNDESA through DPADM to recognize UNPAN Members who exemplify excellence in knowledge sharing.

Cooperating Partners: CIIIAP, DPADM/UNDESA, IIAS, ILO, UNDP, UNCRD, UNPOG, UNU, AAPAM, AMDIN, CAFRAD, CPSI, ECA, IDEP, MDP-ESA, OFPA, ARADO, DSG, ESCWA, CGG, EROPA, ESCAP, RCOCI, CAIMED, ECE, NISPAcee, SSPE, CARICAD, CLAD, ECLAC, ICAP, ASPA, ICCE, IPAC/IAPC, IPMA-HR, NASPAA, UNU-NY.
Time Frame: January 2008 - December 2009

Funding:Development Account (DA)
Proposed Budget: US$550,000
Division: EGB

DJI/08/002: Appui justice et harmonisation des textes/Support to Justice and Harmonisation of Legal Texts

Main Expectations:
1. Codification and Harmonization of legal texts, documentation and other regulations applicable throughout the Republic of Djibouti;
2. Consolidated Data Base on judicial and legal texts including all the regulations with a special focus on gender issues;
3. Support for the establishment of a national body for Human Rights protection;
4. Support for the organization of a national forum on Human Rights status;
5. Elaboration et Publication of CIDH periodic reports;
6. Consolidation and capacity building of judicial sector staff (magistrates, clerks of the courts, prosecutors.)

Objective/Purpose of Project: Consolidation and Reinforcement of Rule of law all over the Republic of Djibouti by a better access to information about laws and regulations in force including a better access to justice.

key accomplishments(to-date):

The following codes of laws have been revised to date:
Code du Domaine de l’Etat et de l’Expropriation/ State Property and Expropriation
1. domaine public de l’Etat/ State Public Property
2. domaine privé de l’Etat/ State Private Property
3. l’expropriation pour cause d’utilité publique/ Expropriation for Public Utility
Code des sociétés/ Business Activity
1. généralités sur les sociétés, des sociétés civiles particulières et de la société en
2. participation/ Commonalities
3. sociétés commerciales et du groupement d’intérêt économique/ Commercial Business Companies
4. les sociétés de zones franches/ Free Zone Business Companies

Cooperating Partners: UNDESA, UNDP and Djibouti Government
Time Frame: July 2008 - December 2008

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$49,009
Division: PACB

DJI/08/M01: Appui à la région d’Arta / Decentralization support Project to ARTA

Main Expectations:
- Sound implementation of the decentralization support project on institutional capacity building by an international expertise provision
- Institutions of Arta local area are capable and responsible for sound implementation of decentralization process and for sustainable development objectives achievement at local level.
- Local institutional environment is conducive to transparency and participation of all local actors in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes for sustainable local development policies and programmes.

key accomplishments(to-date):

- Planning tools suitable for Arta local area have been developed and are available as stated : [(i) guide de planification, (ii) monographie, (iii) plan de développement de la Région (PDR de 5 ans), (iv) Plan des Investissements Prioritaires (PIP2009-10)]
- Training modules have been developed and are available.
- Four local Development Committees (CLD de Damerjog, de Wéa, du Secteur Ouest et d’Arta Ville) and the regional development coordination Committee (CCDR) have been set up and are functional with reinforced capacities.
- Around 20 local development groupings all over Arta region benefited from training on administrative, organizational, planning and implementation tools with regard to local sustainable development in the midst of decentralization process.
- A website have been developed for the local area; and the link is : www.région-arta.dj
- A computerized network has been set up connecting functional desks of Prefecture and regional Council with possibility of internet connection.
- Equipment and working materials have been provided.

Cooperating Partners: UNDP; UNDESA; Djibouti Government
Time Frame: May 2008 - December 2008

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$48,322
Division: PACB

GLO/08/X01: 3rd Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad, India

Main Expectations:

Pursuant to the Tunis Agenda, among others: build on the existing structures of Internet governance, with special emphasis on the complementarity between all stakeholders involved in this process, meet periodically in order to facilitate and foster discourse on Internet Governance issues.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The IGF mandate is described in paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda as a meeting of a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue. The mandate of the Forum includes, among others:
Discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance, facilitate discourse between stakeholders, interface with appropriate inter-governmental organizations and other institutions, facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, advise all stakeholders in proposing ways and means to accelerate the availability and affordability of the Internet in the developing world, strengthen and enhance the engagement of stakeholders in existing and/or future Internet governance mechanisms, identify emerging issues, contribute to capacity building, promote and assess, on an ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS principles in Internet governance processes, discuss issues relating to critical Internet resources, help to find solutions to the issues arising from the use and misuse of the Internet. All this in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.

Key Accomplishments (to date):

The IGF has held annual meetings in Athens, Greece, from 30 October to 2 November 2006, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 12 to 15 November 2007, Hyderabad, India, from 3 to 6 December 2008 and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from 15 to 18 November 2009. During meetings, participants representing all stakeholder groups attended the main sessions, workshops and other events. It is generally felt that the annual meetings have been a success and had been well run, providing a space for constructive and inspiring discourse on a multitude of public policy issues related to Internet governance. Several commentators emphasized the importance of the multi-stakeholder approach. It is generally felt by participants that the most successful aspects of the IGF is the opportunities that people are offered to work together on specific issues of Internet governance. In 2008 and 2009, there has also been a spread of national and regional IGF initiatives that fed into the annual IGF meeting. There is clear support for the multi-stakeholder processes and many participants have commented on how dialogue in the IGF, freed from the constraints of negotiations and decision-making, allow for ideas to be freely exchanged and debated.

Cooperating Partners: The IGF cooperates with all stakeholders with an interest in the Internet public policy discourse. These include governments; intergovernmental organizations and UN sister organizations such as UNESCO, ITU, WTO and the EU, Council of Europe, League of Arab States, OECD; the private sector; civil society, academia and the Internet community.

Time Frame: January 2008 – December 2008
Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$ 517,078
Division: EGB

GLO/07/X01: 2nd Internet Governance Forum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Main Expectations: Pursuant to the Tunis Agenda, among others: build on the existing structures of Internet governance, with special emphasis on the complementarity between all stakeholders involved in this process, meet periodically in order to facilitate and foster discourse on Internet Governance issues.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The IGF mandate is described in paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda as a meeting of a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue. The mandate of the Forum includes, among others:
Discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance, facilitate discourse between stakeholders, interface with appropriate inter-governmental organizations and other institutions, facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, advise all stakeholders in proposing ways and means to accelerate the availability and affordability of the Internet in the developing world, strengthen and enhance the engagement of stakeholders in existing and/or future Internet governance mechanisms, identify emerging issues, contribute to capacity building, promote and assess, on an ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS principles in Internet governance processes, discuss issues relating to critical Internet resources, help to find solutions to the issues arising from the use and misuse of the Internet. All this in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.

Key Accomplishments: The IGF has held annual meetings in Athens, Greece, from 30 October to 2 November 2006, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 12 to 15 November 2007, Hyderabad, India, from 3 to 6 December 2008 and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from 15 to 18 November 2009. During meetings, participants representing all stakeholder groups attended the main sessions, workshops and other events. It is generally felt that the annual meetings have been a success and had been well run, providing a space for constructive and inspiring discourse on a multitude of public policy issues related to Internet governance. Several commentators emphasized the importance of the multi-stakeholder approach. It is generally felt by participants that the most successful aspects of the IGF is the opportunities that people are offered to work together on specific issues of Internet governance. In 2008 and 2009, there has also been a spread of national and regional IGF initiatives that fed into the annual IGF meeting. There is clear support for the multi-stakeholder processes and many participants have commented on how dialogue in the IGF, freed from the constraints of negotiations and decision-making, allow for ideas to be freely exchanged and debated.

Cooperation Partners:The IGF cooperates with all stakeholders with an interest in the Internet public policy discourse. These include governments; intergovernmental organizations and UN sister organizations such as UNESCO, ITU, WTO and the EU, Council of Europe, League of Arab States, OECD; the private sector; civil society, academia and the Internet community
Time Frame: January 2007 – December 2007
Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$ 110,497
Division: EGB

ROA-90: Project "X" - Strengthening the Capacity of Parliaments in Africa to Harness Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs)

Main Expectations: - the improvement in parliamentary processes in Africa through the use of ICT tools; - the increased ability of parliamentary administrations, academia and research centres to share good practices, lessons learned and new; - increased understanding on the part of parliamentarians of the use and importance of ICT tools in parliamentary processes and capacity of MPs to network with peers and counterparts.

Objective/Purpose of Project: To strengthen the capacity of national and regional legislatures in Africa to harness the potential of ICT to better fulfill their constitutional legislative, representative and oversight functions.

Key Accomplishments (to-date): The project facilitated the operationalization of the Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network (APKN) that was established in 2008.
The ownership and sustainability of the project by stakeholders has been ensured by involving representatives of African parliaments and staff since the first stages of its implementation (i.e. People’s Assembly of Egypt National Assembly of Nigeria, the Pan African Parliament, etc.) and by the endorsement of the Charter of the APKN by parliaments. The text of the Charter was agreed upon by 36 parliamentary assemblies in Africa and later endorsed by 11 as of December 2008.
Strong linkages and coordination have been established with the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament and the UNDESA-led programme Africa i-Parliaments Action Plan to ensure cooperation and coherence, which in the long term will be beneficial to the APKN sustainability.
A dedicated portal (www.apkn.org), enhanced with new features and tools, was created to facilitate collaboration and the start up of the Network’s activities.

Cooperation Partners:Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
Time Frame: January 2007 - December 2009

Funding: Development Account (DA)
Proposed Budget: US$249,672
Division: PACB

URT/08/001: Capacity Building for External Resources and Development Management

Feedback: Budget revision submitted on 16 November 2009, no reply

Comments: Project is operationally completed. Final budget revision was sent to the field on 16 November 2009 and we are still awaiting the signed revision from the field.

Time Frame: January 2007 - December 2009

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget US$225,818
Division:

SAU/07/002: Support for Policy Analysis and Strategic Planning

Main Expectations:

(a) Strengthened strategic planning, macro and sectoral policy analysis, regional socio-economic planning and development, and plan monitoring; (b) Institutional Support Facilities established and operated; and (c) Accelerated capacity building and training programme.

Objective/Purpose of Project: This is the third phase of a six-year capacity building programme for the Ministry of Economy and Planning. The major objectives of the six-year programme are (a) to build the capacity of the Ministry in economic and social policy analysis, sectoral and strategic planning, regional and decentralized planning and social policy analysis, and plan monitoring and implementation; (b) to integrate the various capacity building and support initiatives into the institutional and organizational setting of the Ministry; and (c) to conduct a staff training programme for Saudi nationals through the medium of special technical support facilities in the selected areas.

Key Accomplishments (to-date):
(a) Various reports produced by the UNDESA experts for preparing the MDG report of the Kingdom; (b) Six background studies for the preparation of the National Human Development Report; (3) Comprehensive policy papers produced by the UNDESA experts for the preparation of the 9th National Development Plan; (4) Special macroeconomic models for studying core policy issues; and (5) a training programme designed for national staff for economic modeling and quantitative analysis.

Cooperation Partners: UNDP, The Ministry of Economy and Planning of the Government of Saudi Arabia, UNDESA
Time Frame: June 2007 - December 2009

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$3,461,808.00
Division: DMB

INT/07/X62: Euro-African Partnership for Decentralized Governance, Phase II

Main Expectations:
1. Support decentralization processes in Africa as a means to contribute to local development, good governance, democracy and peace; 2. Enhance the relationships among both regional and local institutions from Europe and Africa; 3. Facilitate the debate on strategies and models of decentralization.

Objective/Purpose of Project: The objective of the Euro African Partnership for Decentralized Governance project is to contribute to the strengthening of local governance in Africa by promoting the establishment of partnerships between African and European local institutions to share knowledge about best practices and conduct study tours and other capacity development activities.

Key Accomplishments (to-date):
Through various capacity development workshops and study tours, this project has promoted policy dialogue, and exchange of knowledge on good practices to improve decentralized governance in selected African countries. It also fostered greater cooperation between local authorities in Africa and Europe creating the foundations for a more sustainable collaboration in the future. Moreover, it has led to the establishment of a Network for capacity-building of women in local authorities in Africa.

Cooperation Partners: UNDESA, Tuscany Region and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Time Frame: October 2007 - December 2010

Funding: XBTC
Proposed Budget: US$535,362
Division: PACB