Newsletter Vol. 9 No. 3: Working Group Profiles

Negotiating with funding agencies represents an immense challenge for governments. Recipient countries must satisfy multiple, albeit inconsistent conditions set by donors. Indeed, policies, strategies, agendas and modalities differ widely according to agencies. The concept of aid itself is blurred by economic and political considerations.

Written with a pragmatic perspective, the book reviewed below unravels the many intricacies of negotiating aid for education.

The idea of developing Working Group Profiles originated from the wish expressed by Ministers to be better informed on ADEA Working Group activities in their own countries. The profiles were seen as a tool that would: (i) keep Ministers apprised on ADEA activities in their countries at all times; and, (ii) foster collaboration between working groups and between countries.

Thus, early 1997, the Secretariat and the working groups undertook to compile comprehensive data for each working group which included information on: (i) the nature of their activities in all participating countries; and, (ii) a list of members and contact persons. This information was compiled for each working group and each country.

The resulting report was presented to the working group leaders and coordinators for feedback. Suggestions were made regarding the informational content. It was also proposed that the information be turned into a computer database for ease of consultation and updating. A consultant was thus commissioned to develop a user-friendly Windows-based ACCESS program.

The program is presently under development. It will allow users to access information on ADEA working group activities and participants by working group or by country. For each selected working group, the following information will be accessible: a general description of the working group; a detailed description of activities; names and locations of participants; detail on activities in the areas of capacity-building, analytical work and advocacy; and, lists of countries participating in that working group’s activities, partner organizations, and funding agencies involved.

A Beta version will be ready to be presented at the Biennial Meeting in Dakar. The objective of the presentation is to have an initial assessment of the content and interface of the program before the final version is relased. Participants will be invited to fill in a feedback sheet.