Appropriate follow -up measures

64. It should be recalled that out of a first prospective outlook exercise, four options have emerged as possible ways forward for IDEP. These options are to:

(a) Consider that IDEP has no distinctive competence and that its work programme is very similar to the work programme of many Divisions of ECA and sub-regional offices (SROs).

On that basis, ECA’s management could decide to integrate IDEP into ECA or alternatively farm IDEP out to an African University to run just like United Nations University, Intech is located at the University of Maastricht;

E/ECA/COE/27/CRP/1 Page 15

(b) Transform IDEP into a joint institute of ECA, ADB and AU. Its work programme, its governance mechanism and funding would be designed so as to meet three requirements. One is the emergence of African thinking on development planning and management related issues.

Second the development of critical mass and experts in that domain. Third is the development of a set of tools and methods relevant to the African environment;

(c) Enable IDEP to move upstream and focus on production of teaching materials to be used by African universities and other higher learning institutions. IDEP could draw on the work carried out by ECA, ADB and AU and see to it that courses offered in the universities take into account their strategic concerns and thematic thrust; and

(d) Enable IDEP to serve more and more as a platform for intensified interaction between African research centres, policy makers in the economic and social fields, and higher learning institutions.

65. With the exception of the first option for which there was no serious support during the Panel’s meetings with various stakeholders, the other options may be worth exploring as stand alone options or combined in different permutations. But more importantly, a decision has to be made as to the best option(s) and underlying assumptions as to the vision(s) and mission(s) of IDEP.

66. A Management Audit had been recommended and endorsed by ECA’s Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development the Council of Ministers at its April 2007 meeting. Further discussions with the management of ECA and specialized entities of the UN had led to the identification of five areas for which significant improvements were deemed critical. They are related to the management of:

(a) Financial resources (diversification of donors and funding pool);

(b) Human resources;

(c) Information resources;

(d) Relations with external environment; and (e) Material resources

67. The Management Audit of IDEP took place early this year and its outcome together with the present report would be tabled to the meeting Governing Council of IDEP scheduled to be held in March 2008 so as to better inform the decision of the ECA 2008 Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on the Institute.

68. The present report expands on some of the issues in the Note on the Panel’s preliminary findings approved by the ECA’s 2007 Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and outlines actions to be carried out with the view to repositioning IDEP. It is one of the deliverables mentioned in the Terms of Reference elaborated by the ECA to guide the present external review of IDEP.

69. But three other actions were foreseen in the TORs. These are:

(a) The organization of a stakeholders (ad hoc expert group) meeting and for the Review Panel members to present its report and act as resource-persons;

(b) Finalize the report on the basis of stakeholders (ad hoc expert group) comments;

and

(c) Submit the final report to ECA for further consideration by the Governing Council of IDEP and relevant policy organs of ECA.

70. It is the view of the Panel that all these activities are critical to lend credibility to the commitment of ECA and other stakeholders to a reform agenda, and secure expanded support for its implementation.

V. CONCLUSION

71. The Panel would like to conclude with the following central messages:

(a) The vision and mission of IDEP as originally stated are still relevant. What is needed is a paradigm shift from business as usual of undertaking a few training programmes and an MA course to an imaginative and aggressive pursuit of this vision and mission;

(b) A change management culture must be instilled within IDEP. The institute must reach out to the scholarly and academic community, connect well with the intellectual environment in Africa, gain credibility for its academic productivity and leadership and deal better with governments and member States, including its host country, Senegal;

(c) In order for the staff morale to improve, a staff council/union recognized by management should have regular meetings with the latter and chart the running of the institution on a corporate basis;

(d) Collaboration and partnership with African institutions like CODESRIA should not only exist in writing, it should be demonstrated in IDEP’s activities such as joint seminars, publications, workshops, exchange of staff, etc;

(e) IDEP and the ECA should work together more closely. More ECA staff can spend time at IDEP as visiting lecturers, researchers and trainers; and

(f) IDEP should sell and market its resources such as its data centre, library and conference facilities.

E/ECA/COE/27/CRP/1 Annex I Page 1 ANNEX I

LIST OF PARTIC IPANTS TO THE AD HOC EXPERT GROUP MEETING HELD ON 17^TH NOVEMBER 2007 IN ADDIS ABABA

Mr. Hakim Ben Hammouda Director

Trade, Finance and Economic Development Division ECA

Addis- Ababa Ethiopia

Mr. Alioune Sall Executive Director African Futures Institute Pretoria 0126, South Africa

Mr. Diery SECK Director

IDEP

Dakar - Senegal

Ms. Kibbnesh Wolde Gabriel Administrator

IDEP

Dakar - Senegal

Dr. Albert Mussisi,

Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Uganda

Mr. Abdoulahi Mahamat, Senior Economic Affairs Officer ECA-Addis Ababa

Prof. Benabdallah Youcef, University of Algiers (Algeria)

Dr. Benjamin Maturu, Central Bank of Kenya Nairobi - Kenya

Prof. Cletus Dordonoo, Claytord Consultancy Accra - Ghana

Mr. Demba Diarra,

Programme Management Officer ECA-Addis Ababa

Mr. Djimadoum Mandekor, African Union African Union

Addis Ababa

Mrs. Dionesie Nkurunziza,

Ministry of Economy, Finance and Development Cooperation Burundi

Mrs. Emile Sinzumusi, Ministry of Planning Burundi

Mrs. Fabiola Nibizi, Ministry of Planning Burundi

Dr. Fadia Hassan, Faculty of Economics and Social Studies, University of Khartoum (Sudan)

Prof. Jan Van Heerden, University of Pretoria South Africa

Mr. John Atenu, Bank of Uganda Kampala-Uganada

Dr. Kodjo Evlo, Universite de Lome Togo

Dr. Marios Obwona, Economic policy Research Center (EPRC) Uganda

Prof. Medani Mohamed, University of Khartoum Sudan

Prof. Melwalem Muhammad Ahmed, University of Khartoum Sudan

Prof. Olu Ajakaiye, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) Kenya

Dr. Rene Samba, Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches sur les Analyses Politiques Economiques (CERAPE) (Congo)

Prof. Said Rissi, University of Rabat Morocco

Mrs. Sheila Bunware - University of Mauritius

Prof. Taladidia Thiombiano, CEDRES/ University of Ouagadougou Burkina Faso

Mr. Desire Vancatachellum, African Development Bank Tunis-Tunisia

E/ECA/COE/27/CRP/1 Annex II Page 1

ANNEX II QUESTIONNAIRES

Of the 35 questionnaires that were distributed, 15 were returned properly filled up. Of the 15, 10 deans said they had heard about IDEP, the other 5 had not. Those who had not came from Zambia, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and even Senegal! They were between the ages 41 and 54.

On being asked, now that you know something about IDEP, do you think such a Pan-African institution is needed in Africa? The responses were as follows:

(a) From Zimbabwe: The objectives are strategic to capacity building and synchronization of African management and governance of education and research networks;

(b) From Zambia: There is much need for higher education systems to keep in touch and co-ordinate their research and teaching agenda. IDEP can certainly facilitate this process;

(c) From Liberia: There is need to know more about IDEP and be in a better position to establish mechanisms with Liberia in areas of training, research and publication; and

(d) From Cameroon: IDEP can encourage and promote research in Africa on social and economic development.

From these observations we may safely conclude that one of IDEP’s problems over the past number of years has been that of marketing; it has a good product it has sold very poorly!

The ten who had heard about IDEP came from the following countries: Nigeria (2), Algeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal (2), Mozambique, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Togo. On being asked what they thought IDEP could do they responded as follows:

(a) From Algeria: It is an institution of excellence that should engage in reflections on issues of public policy that Africa faces and the place of Africa in globalization. It should also look into facts and figures (i.e. statistics) of economic growth and development, and critically analyze them from the point of view of better understanding the problems that Africa faces;

(b) From Mauritius: Africa needs to network and member countries need to support each other to confront development issues and challenges of globalization;

(c) From Ethiopia: It brings Africans together more effectively to discuss genuine issues on a continuous basis rather than the other regional organizations, which only remember the existence of others when there are problems that affect them most! It creates a forum for genuine and committed African voices to come together to promote the interests of Africa and shout on behalf of the millions of voiceless Africans;

(d) From Mozambique: Whatever can be done in order to increase the number of learning opportunities is good;

(e) From Senegal: All structures and institutions dealing with regional integration in Africa should be consolidated;

(f) From Burkina Faso: We need an independent and autonomous institution in Africa capable of undertaking serious and qualitative reflection, and sufficiently critical, of our development so as to help us think collectively of the future of our continent;

(g) From Nigeria: Africa needs as many research-based institutions as possible to point the way forward on its multifaceted development predicaments;

(h) From Nigeria: The vision, which informed the establishment of IDEP, is still relevant. There are research, training, capacity building and network strengthening needs it can satisfy in collaboration with sister organizations and institutions in Africa and elsewhere in the world; and

(i) From Togo: Africa needs such an institution of research into planning and development; I know of no other.

To the question, “does your government send officials for any training program at IDEP”, only the Algeria said “yes”. The others either did not know, or said categorically “no” or were not sure. This could mean two things: either academics are generally ignorant about what happens in government, or that, being deans of arts and social sciences, the area of economic planning and development within government is simply far removed from them. But then IDEP should also concern itself with planning for social development, particularly in the area of human resources development.

E/ECA/COE/27/CRP/1

The programme of study leading to the award of the M.A. Degree in Economic Policy and Management spans a minimum period of 18 months and comprises 4 semesters.

The first semester is devoted to course work broadly aimed at sharpening participants’ analytical skills through exposure to latest developments, especially in economic theory and techniques. Courses offered during the first semester include:

ECN 801 Microeconomic Theory and Policy

ECN 802 Macroeconomic Theory and Policy Analysis ECN 803 Development Economics

ECN 804 Quantitative Techniques for Economic Management ECN 804A Econometric Methods and Applications I ECN 804B Econometric Methods and Applications II ECN 804C Introduction to Computer Applications ECN 805 Macro and Multi-Sectoral Modelling

ECN 811 Population and Development ECN 813 Research Methodology

ECN 815 Governance and Economic Policy

The second semester involves courses work and seminars/workshops which are designed to strengthen participants’ practical understanding of economic policy and management. Participants are encouraged to explore alternative policy options, question assumptions, debate differences and collaborate in developing policy papers. The courses offered in the second semester are:

ECN 806 Public Finance, Expenditure Policy and Management ECN 807 International Trade, Finance and Debt Management ECN 807A International Trade and Finance

ECN807B Debt Management

ECN 807C issues in Trade and WTO Negotiations ECN 808 Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration ECN 809 Project Analysis and Evaluation

ECN 810 Regional Development and Planning

ECN 812 National Planning Experiences, Strategic Planning and Long-Term Perspective Studies ECN 814 Financial Programming and Policies

ECN5 Governance and Economic Policy

The third period is devoted to field make-up exams, thesis preparation and presentations.

T he fourth period is devoted to field work, thesis preparation and defense.

The pedagogic approach adopted in all courses of the programme is hands-on, emphasizing practical policy applications through use of presentation graphics, audio-visual aids, country case studies and sharing of experiences, computer simulation experiments, group projects, study trips and fieldwork.

To obtain the Master of Arts Degree in Economic Policy and Management, candidates must pass the examinations in all subjects in the two semesters with a score not less than 60 per cent in any course and an average grade of 65 per cent. In addition, they are required to defend the MA thesis satisfactorily. A trainee will have to resist, during the third period, a course in which a score less than 60 per cent is obtained.

Candidates who do not finally obtain the required overall average of 65 per cent as well as those who do not satisfactorily complete their theses may be asked to withdraw from the programme.

Source: IDEP’s traning programme – May 2006