DESA News

Capacity development

Developing Russia’s ‘Information Society’

The 7th Tyer Social and Economic Forum on Information Society will be held on 7-8 July

The Global Alliance on ICT and Development (GAID) has been invited to participate in the upcoming 7th Tver Social and Economic Forum which will focus this year on the development of Russia’s ‘Information Society’ strategies and plans. Organized by the Russian Managers Association and the Institute of Contemporary Development, the Forum is an all-Russian event and is arranged with the official support of the Presidential Executive Office and the Administration of the Tver Region.

Over 2,000 participants are expected to attend the Forum, including the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Dmitry Medvedev. GAID Executive Coordinator, Mr. Sergei Kambalov, will be a keynote speaker in a parallel thematic session on the “International Experience in the Information Society Development” during the forum.

Collaborating on 2008 data for upcoming 2010 census

The Malawi National Seminar on Census Data Analysis is scheduled for 19-22 July

The main objective of the national seminar is to provide an opportunity for the staff member of the Malawi National Statistical Office in collaboration with the University of Malawi Population Studies Centre to further collaborate on the analysis of data from the 2008 census of Malawi on selected topics.

The national seminar will cover the following topics: (i) fertility and nuptiality from a gender perspective; (ii) fertility indices based on data from the 2008 census; (iii) measures of nuptiality based on data from the 2008 census: and (iv) use of the Census Info software for data presentation and dissemination.

After the seminar, participants are expected to produce thematic analytical reports, based on analysis generated during the seminar.

For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/meetings/wshops/Malawi_19July10/default.htm

Preparing Bangladesh Housing Census

DESA’s Statistics Division sent an advisory mission to Bangladesh from 20-24 June to help assist with the preparation of the Bangladesh Housing Census scheduled in 2011

During the mission, the inter-regional advisor of the Statistics Division will work closely with the staff of the Bureau to review the census questionnaire of the 2011 Bangladesh Population and Housing Census, review the training materials and manuals, assess the data processing plans in details by stages, evaluate objectives and procedures of post enumerations survey, and discuss future plans for technical assistance.

For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/2010_PHC/default.htm

Turkmenistan’s 2030 Socio-economic strategy approved

The draft of the Government of Turkmenistan’s 2030 Socio-economic Strategy was reviewed by DESA’s Inter-regional Advisor Mr. Tikhomirov during a mission from 30 May to 5 June

As a result of Mr. Tikhomirov’s additional comments and advice on the strategy, it was approved and preparations for its implementation were commenced.

In addition, Mr. Tikhomirov met with Mr. Lenni Montiel, UN Resident Coordinator, to discuss a project proposal for support to the Government of Turkmenistan for the implementation of the 2030 Socio-Economic strategy. The UN Resident Coordinator expressed an interest in fundraising for this project in the amount of more than 2 million dollars for the period 2010-2012. Other international organizations such as EBRD and the British Embassy also expressed a wish to participate in the fundraising and implementation of the project.

During his mission, Mr. Tikhomirov met with H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, Mr. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Foreign Affairs), Mr. T. Japarov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Economics), Mr. H. Muhamedov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Office of the President), Mr. R. Saparaliev, Deputy Prime – Minister (Academy for Public Service under the President of Turkmenistan, Education and Science) and Ministers of Finance, Economics and Development, and other high-level officials.

Mr. Tikhomirov delivered a presentation and participated in a high-level management meeting on capacity development issues of public service and establishing a public administration knowledge base, which was held under the supervision of Mr. T. Japarov, the Deputy Prime-Minister.

Coping with challenges of the 21st Century

Advisory Mission to Burkina Faso and Regional Workshop on 1 June, co-organized by DESA, increased the visibility of the Economic and Social Councils (ESCs)

Council Presidents, Secretary Generals and council members came from Benin, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal and Italy attended the workshop and participants discussed the requirements for ESC to cope with the challenges of the twenty-first century. More specifically, it was discussed how councils can contribute to national development strategies and policies in response to the current economic crisis.

Prime Minister of Burkina Faso Mr. Tertius Zongo and the President of the African Union of ESC (UCESA) Mr. Michel Kamano expressed their gratitude for the involvement of DESA and wished that it may continue.

Towards the end of the workshop participants discussed their demand for capacity building and listed the following future activities, which can be at least partly supported in the framework of the ongoing Development Account Project, aimed at strengthening ESC in Africa:

  • Development of a Knowledge Base on ESC (ongoing; DESA/AICESIS)
  • Training on Knowledge Management (fall 2010; Kenya)
  • Workshop on Citizen Engagement and the Global Employment Pact (2010; Benin)
  • Workshop on public policies and the development of a toolkit (early 2011; Senegal).

NATO to fund governments of CIS

Advisory Mission to Poland from 11 - 15 May and to Italy from 16 to 22 May to establish an e-government knowledge base

One of the major outcomes of an advisory mission to Poland and Italy by the DPADM Interregional Advisor, Mr. Alexei Tikhomirov, was the agreement of the NATO Institute to provide funding and support to the governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the establishment of an e-government knowledge base covering topics such as the integrity, accountability, confidentiality of information, as well as the development of a secure information systems, for the delivery of services to citizens.

DPADM/UNDESA was invited to participate as a key partner with NATO on this initiative. Mr. Tikhomirov’s mission to Italy was funded by a NATO grant.

Improving management with ICTs

Proposed advisory services to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique

It has been proposed that DESA provides advisory services to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique for a project on improving the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation using ICT tools. This proposal resulted from a meeting on future cooperation with the Director that was requested by Ambassador José Rui Amaral, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, of the Republic of Mozambique.

At this meeting, the Ambassador sought advice how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The Ambassador stated that based on this meeting his recommendation to the Minister would be to establish a technical cooperation advisory service project, funded by UNDP, and to request advisory services from DESA on institutional reform through the application of ICT tools.