UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
ECONOMIC C0MMISSION FOR AFRICA
Meeting of the African Purchasing and Supplies Officers for the Establishment
of an African Purchasing and Supplies Association
Dakar, 28 May - 2 June 1973
AIDE-IJ1EMOIRE I. ORIGIN AND BACKGROUND
Distr.
LIMITED
E!CN.14!APSA.4 12 April 1973 Original: ENGLISH
1. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) sponsored two regional seminars on International procurement at Nairobi and Dakar- for English- and French-speaking African countries respectively in 1972, as part of a series of global seminars for the countries of the developing regions. The seminars were financed by the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA).
2. Expertise for both seminars was drawn from a much wider field which included the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Section for Organization and Methods in the United Nations Public Administration
Division (New York), the IBRD, the Crown Agents, the Commission of the European
Economic Communities, the Organization and Methods Bureau in the Senegalese
President's Offmce and the Institut de productivite et de gestion previsionnelle at Bamako.
II. OBJECTIVES OF THE SEMINARS
3. The Seminars were intended to help developing countries improve the use of their foreign exchange resources when importing goods and services, by giving offioials a better knowledge of the problems and teohniques involved in international procurement, particularly in relation to international development finance.
III. PROGRA~~ OF THE SEMINARS
4. The Seminars were conducted in English and French respectively and each lasted for a period of three weeks. Attention was focused on giving practical advice on the commercial and legal problems connected with the import into developing countries of goods and services and on discussing methods of solving selected problems.
M73-824
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::-ange of exchange
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wider
6.. lJp ~:JO nO':"I~ :i):·~'..'; ~':!..'j21J.:: all. pu..'chc.'"tsing and pr-oour-amerrt commissions are max's n~ l::..s~ a'l,.d;ol'i~::1"(;ic:.1_1;/ 9:fG~:'~-'fKl ;;1.; riCi,'"c'1opec. courrt r-i ee "C-lithout talring other
possi::'ili·~:~cm :i.r.:cCJ se:ciou3 ....oilsid(n\J..tion , I:ri. r-ecens yearc , however-, local indus"li.c..i.es have t-8€11 e<:::-!;EtJlishccl \n .. numbe-r- of Af:~'ican ,)ol..U":i.trie8.. 'I'hei r mai,n
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exchange 3,~J5. ::" ::::'n2 ~;.':):l· :.:.::>8 O:l' '.00:','.1 :,',··c:;rU::'C8S",
7" . ' . , j the I;.3.i:_'o1)~: ;jc.,,-:.i.r;C'_:.'~ ~J2.!.,tic.i.pan tu C:.ucirleLi -to as ~abl~_sh a -s>rofes-
ai.onal as>.:.:OG~,r;(:~.~,n r:f ~·,'f.'~:'.:;·~~:1. i),·.:'::'(';~-:.a~·,~flf.; d:r~.d ,:,:u))lies<, On9 of' the purposes of the A&;,WC:L8.:C).on l'L'':7 <;r:; r::::-l}_\.~~":<· a'(\.J. c:.':"s,::"c'l:Jil1a-'.:;c to :::,".;8 r.lembe:r·.3 Lnf'o.rma tt.on or; Ai'r~lca;' ,-:::0n:.:'(;e~ O.'~ [,l~'.:p-t l~:V: ":~~ ie.}·r~ ~.;;\~ ':',"i -n.i'-'Ol-':';~:l~ p:Lfor-ts rn2,,0,e by Chambers of Comn:e:..-ce all"":' eX:901"~; ~'0u.i.(;;_~ li1 "/P,c"'iOll r, I~:::r'io?n countrio,::;: -;';0 :,Jroffiote intra- Afl'ican i.;rad0r ::t \'''~2~' 2J.~:,O '~~n\'i1jC'L!;cll ~ho..-:_: tli.':J ·l.i:::r~ociati')a ldoHld str~.vc to
f'c sc e.r I,p.-',1f::,,1S::.~':~R.}-:_.~;11 Ll ttl,: C;l,~;nJ.;_f;S ::'tclrl l:.r !:)1.:~lishin& a jOl..rrna'l , by arraYlg- inf, Gl~)et:,!.lC~ (-~,lK~ ':;Ch)i.l1.;',.~';; a~_C O;i f'})O: _o~:iY1.g ·:'::·2~,r.tii1g Wl··1 adrm n'i a't r-ab Lve reform scnen ,n , lpJi·;;l.J t:iljs erl{L. in 7.iJ")i:·) :,)<'.-}:t:.'..,c~.t.fa,:'1-C& ::':1 tho Nai r obi Seminaz- drafted and ad.opt ed.. ? :-CT:Jl..:\~ 1~E:b011lt:.():1. '~'J 0f.'t2,~J~..i:2'h au 1-'"f1'Jcan ?u:..~oh2.si:lg and Supplies Associat:;.on" i.r.ij/~f r;l~~tree(: s. :'. ·;·c ~~".} 1.n:~2:"':J.m ~{e"Jutiv8 l~Gmmit~ee "lith the task of d:,'aftLnc r.r.!,j:i c:<"s :in acoocdauoe "1.:..;-~l CG:-:"~~,~,5_il f:~i..ddolin6s"
8.. 'I'he rcp:'Gce~tc;~jY8:' of 1.f.::~rl1J'-u --'-d,l }~G.A pledgE0.. th3ir l,dJ_lingnE.3S '~o hcLp tj.lC AfH';:oci,"","civ,,'1 :i.11 ~,---'(.:.~, /,j:.~lT,r",·ti7f~ St.c.\f;d8 and -to di s ouas , at a latter 3t~ge,
suppor; ft))~ 2'1J.~~st:,,;,:·,-:~j.\;-...: a(;,t~.v~.t~e'3..
9 -. rch,:; ;'O~.';.1;\~t }.TXt1(".~.J.! ~1G O~: tL1 ASW}f)·;ation ;'Ja8 ::,JC:f.;,tlJJE-Jd to alLow parti-
ci:O:'J:~"''':;~ i'.l .;~~:::, lb:':'t~' Sera::.:.-:,:' .:."j d_E:·Libl:l:,'a::j'::. 0:;.1 t~12 ~;.StLl(' as a means of ccmbin-~
iag' e:':'fol'tu ~.i'l 1::Z'rio:,. dnC. .~;] U:X.;~, ':-;0 f;tr~!16"L:l~'J. .tllt? f~Jsociat),On1 1,·!hic~1 should rep ...e aen-r .~('.t:\ -r.}~~ !D:Jil_i.£.l:;,~·.::tn(: ~'I·8nch··spe;.t:...:i~1g .L',·~-'T':i.'':C1n courtv-i.os ,
lOr, ~2..~. 'J-:::i~")[\.!'i~;::O ~.·lJ ;:::;'2-(:':Lut". ~f:r:'C311. S8n,i..na~'" on Tt:t-3l'i~'2,..ti.oBal Procure-' ffiE!~t (l)ak:3~') -:~oo;:-: n.!_"J~; o.,' ·',·5.r~ :,v,'i_t~_a';~.:.. ;..e ·::'L~_'=t:::.1 2..1; -L~).~ :'Je.i~oi;j Se:ninfi,r and passed
a· r8302.'"\,';;:' c~: u.~;;>:""r;;.::lg? .i~ ~:::-i~T(;j.-:)~i." -;-'~hs :lGaO t·:) ,~~,1:·2..bL:8r. c::n .Afr:i_cDn Purohasing and SL1.~,p-;_~i.JS r~,'~'...c:·~,~:i",~" . ., -('i:":::':i;J..1.~3 ,! '3..~PP,)~l8:1 th~·; c<J,llitrg' of' c.1. mGe"~in.g during th0 f::i_ru'~ '1.,;!,~'_:' :.J!. :,-,>(J ,.:j ,E: ':}.,~' ;.:;'':; AL~;::O,~::i_2..~~_~"(':'l; .=<u··:-ther-;-no.reJ they expressed.
the view -ch"".i: t1~,~ ,::-~'<.r, :~J .~::.1Jry ~l':'. () ;::~',1. \~"'l'ico..;~1'1" :<F._~-',,,!: and. 8'.'..ppl~.8S Associa- tion i1E;~rl('ci t-1..:. '.-;~:.:iol': ..7l:.'1.:~ 1)1 -';1Y'. -,~-~:ri';1:"f' Goyr::'·rr·::·,'J'1.-'..:cl (~o?:00rnedJ Tha hope /olas
B.lso e:::}.·j."";G,(">j>-:,! ,~;l.,:"'t ~.~1.i-:: l);._:"l".'_'Y') ··C'...)";' ':~~.:.8 ,[.J!·J--:~'Il:',".~ Se~:!~.!12..T'd hsj,.d ct Nairob~. and DakaT'l. W'onld "b~ :1.~,~'J~I..~'(;.\::;'- \, .•!::i.J: i:,:vUl:~.:t;::i·:::81c:.·;}o;;:j..t5_,:)y.:.u tc I;he 1973 maeting"
A 'dE'ce,-mvl:: ·~~.rOV:i:.... :;..<,:_~,\=( Cc "1ifl-'''l'''.:;:,n.-; Cor,:':;li'::~3C -";2,13 ',.y'. U~()..
1:;'~ ~.'.:1-:> CC:V':'.rl-:-;-I,::,n .~'::;~'l'~,;"J :·:-'.(~S'.1..Ij~1f:.. l>J!'{tTIi -:,~88 h8.8 ~dd. f:r'uitfu1 contact wi·c!'. -~:1"} {-·~:;".(':;:J~t.J.-~~.'I. ?L·(, ..\..··';:C'l~':"1:. ':o·~QCC~~~l·L.:,.·~j.J;g ;~cj:l;ni-:1·~ec~ ECA and UN':::~,AR (Geneva).
Cb r0c-ci~y:,j of ;:-, ::::~':( ',lc":, fo~: --::::Gi~, t,].~h;C :'>"~ii: '~:19 I:a·Gor:~. 1 Executi:.rc Committec r -1;118 F:x 8c n ..l",'..'\."a ;Sec).(;-~3,;'-,i \1:L-" ~~G:1. ;n~d,e;,. a·;'.."ilc.~blc (,i'fi-;C'1'8 .f::-om -;;hc secretariat to aS8i;...;i~ AfJ:'.L"l 5,;,' it;"l -=-r'::',~2.t·;.~..-2 2(,=:-;Z')'.":; :.L'lL:..~ ir ija:c~i"::l_'_la-c, to ser".,ice ·~he meeting to be held ~'.t :!.)~1~:':u'l'..
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E/CN·l4/APS~4
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,V. THE MEETING
12. :The meeting is to be held at Dakar (Senegal) at the African Institute
for Econo~c Development and Planning (IDEP) from 28 ~1ay to 2 June 1973 with
financial assistance of the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA).
13. An important function of the meeting will be to examine the Draft Statutes of the African purchasing and supplies officers and submit a draft report and recommendations to African Governments and related African institu- tions.
14. Other practical problems facing procurement services and officers in developing Africa will be considered under seven headings and each will be preoeded'byan opening address describing the main topics as shown in the"
provisiollal agenda below:
1. Opening of the meeting.
2. Election of officers.
3. Adoption of the agenda and organization of the work of the meeting.
4.
Establishment of the Afrioan Purchasing and Supplies Association (APSA).5.
Practical problems facing procurement services and officers in develop- ing African countries:(a) The role of procurement cfficers in developing Africa;
(b) Procurement problems faced by African national purchasing institutions;
(0) Purchasing policies of African Governments and how they can be used to assist in the expansioJ;l of Intra-Afrioan trade;
(d) Promotion of legislation, rules and regulations to guide national ,supplies and purchasing policies of developing countries within
the context of the general conditions of sale;
(e) Development and application of techniques with respect to supplies, purchasing operations and management;
(f) Measures for aiding developing Afrioan countries in their inter- national procurement for public sector purposes, including the establishment of advisory services;
(g) Training opportunities for procurement officers in developed countries;
6. Any other business.
7. Date and place of the Inaugural meeting of the African Purchasing and Supplies Association.
8. Adoption of the report.
,,''.
E/CN.14/APSA.4
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VI. NOMINATlONS
15., In view of the nature of the meeting, it is desirable that nominees be high-level officials possessing sufficient technical experience in the field of procurement ap as to be able to participate meaningfully in the' meeting. Where applicable, it is recommended that participants in the two previous African regional seminars at Nairobi and Dakar be included in l:i,sts of nominees.
16. The,nominations should be submitted by cable, followed by letter, to the Chief, Trade, Fiscal and Monetary Affairs Division, Box 3001, Addis Abab~,
Ethiopia, as soon as possible, and in any case not later than 11 May 1973.
VII. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
17. The letter of invitation'provides details of fellowships to cover the cost of tourist air travel"between the country of origin of participants and Dakar (Senegal) and subsistence allowance in accordance with the regula- tionsofthe United Nations.
18. It is incumbent upon Governments to pay travel and subsistence for those participants who are not accorded fellowships.
19. All participating Governments will be responsible for defraying the following:
(a) All expenditure in the country of origin relating to travel abroad of the fellow, including the cost of visas, medical examinations, vaccinations etc. and the cost of travel to and from the airport in the country of origin;
(b) ~e salaries and allowances of participants during the meeting.
20. The United Nations WILL NOT defray the following:
(a) Travel or other expenditure by persons accompanying participants;
(b) Expenditure by participants in respect of travel or accident insurance, medical treatment or hospitalization relating to attendance at the meeting;
(c) Compensation in the event of death or injury of participants relating to attendance at the meeting;
(d) Loss or damage to articles belonging to participants while they are attending the meeting.
