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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Twinning and the South Africa/Canada Programme on Governance: Some Reflections on Blunt, Jomes and Askvik |
Author: | Proctor, Rosemary |
Year: | 2000 |
Periodical: | Public Administration and Development |
Volume: | 20 |
Issue: | 4 |
Period: | October |
Pages: | 319-325 |
Language: | English |
Geographic terms: | South Africa Canada |
Subjects: | development cooperation civil service Development and Technology Economics and Trade international relations Politics and Government |
External link: | https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-162X(200010)20:4<319::AID-PAD145>3.0.CO;2-C |
Abstract: | In reflecting on two recent articles (Merrick Jones and Peter Blunt (1999) and Steinar Askvik (1999)) about 'twinning' as a means of building institutional capacity, the experience of the South Africa/Canada Programme on Governance offers useful insights. The Programme operated in South Africa from 1993 until early 2000. Among other activities, it sponsored seven twinning arrangements in which the paired institutions, mostly subnational governments, worked together from two to over five years. These arrangements provided access to the contributed skills of experienced, senior Canadian public servants and access to sites for study visits and placements in Canada. For Canadians the advantages were the means to contribute to South Africa, to employ their own skills in new ways and to learn. The contributions of Canadian provincial and national governments more than doubled the professional time devoted to the programme. The use of experienced public servants, careful programme design and management, selection of appropriate partnerships, a strategic focus and flexible use of resources were all important to making the Programme effective. Bibliogr., sum. |