Dakar (Senegal), 28 Mar 2017 (ACBF) – A senior official of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has described as critical the work the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF www.acbf-pact.org ) is doing for human and institutional capacity development in Africa in general and in the 22 IDB member States in Africa.
The Hon. Mr. Musa Sillah who heads the IDB regional Office in Dakar, Senegal, made the remark this week while receiving copies of the newly published Africa Capacity Report (ACR 2017) from Senior Officials of the ACBF.
Studies for the report which makes a clear case for more effort and investment in the sectors touching on science, technology and innovation in Africa, were partly financed by the Bank.
"We are very impressed with the quality of the knowledge reports produced by the African Capacity Building Foundation" said the Hon Mr Sillah as he discussed avenues for further collaboration between the two institutions with his guests from the Foundation.
"IDB would like to continue tapping into the expertise and experience of the African capacity Building Foundation to reinforce the development efforts of its member States in the Bank's area of work on the continent" he intimated.
It should be noted that ACBF has the requisite experience and knowledge of the terrain of capacity needs as well as best possible modes of policy strategies to address such needs in its 26 years of rigorously managing more than US$700 million of capacity development funding. Such funds have been successfully utilised in supporting institutions and human resources in critical areas of development management as well as in providing knowledge solutions to capacity gaps in varied areas such as in science, engineering, economics, technological innovation, health and governance, to name but these.
According to the Foundation's Executive Secretary Prof Emmanuel Nnadozie, "there has never been a better time than now to harness resources in support of building Africa's capacity to develop the extremely important sectors of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as well as in the management and leadership in development undertakings." With the Foundation's four pillars of its 2017-2021 business strategy, it hopes to avidly support the implementation of continental agendas, assist African countries in achieving tangible development results by revolutionizing skills sets, provide easy access to the requisite knowledge of what has worked on the ground and facilitate the harnessing of private sector and civil society contribution to Africa's desired transformation.
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For more information, please contact:
Abel Akara Ticha – Senior Communication Officer
The African Capacity Building Foundation
Harare, Zimbabwe
+263 7+263-4 304663, 304622, 332002, 332014; Ext. 279
Email: A.Ticha@acbf-pact.org
About the African Capacity Building Foundation
Established in 1991, ACBF builds human and institutional capacity for good governance and economic development in Africa. To date the Foundation has empowered people in governments, parliaments, civil society, private sector and higher education institutions in more than 45 countries and 6 regional economic communities. ACBF supports capacity development across Africa through mobilization and leveraging of resources for capacity development; grants, investments and fund management; knowledge services; promoting innovation in capacity development and capacity development advisory services. The establishment of ACBF was in response to the severity of Africa’s capacity needs, and the challenges of investing in indigenous human capital and institutions in Africa. ACBF interventions are premised on four principles: the centrality of capacity to the development process in Africa; the critical role of a partnership and demand-driven approach in tackling capacity challenges; African ownership and leadership in the capacity development process; and a systematic, sequenced and coordinated approach to the capacity development process that pays attention to capacity retention and utilization. For further information go to: www.acbf-pact.org
