RWANDA ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT TRACK

RWANDA ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT TRACK

Erle Frayne D. Argonza

Good day from Manila!

There are lots of good news that are being churned out today from Rwanda. Among the top great news is the upscaling of urban development in this developing economy.

Remember that Rwanda, like many other soft states, was once racked by fratricidal wars among competing ethnicities. The days of ethnic conflicts are not yet fully over, but it seems the healing of social wounds has been effective so far.

The urban development efforts there must be welcome by enthused stakeholders across the globe. Already the UN Habitat has lent support for the upscaling agenda, which is a most appropriate move.

[Philippines, 03 February 2012]

Source: http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=10709&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0

Kagame and Clos agree on new urban development for Rwanda

Kigali, 17 Jan 12

The Government of Rwanda and UN-Habitat will start work in coming weeks on a series of pilot projects to tackle growing urbanization confronting the country in recent years.

The announcement was made after President Paul Kagame of Rwanda this week received UN-Habitat Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos, to discuss future collaboration and projects dealing with sustainable urban development policies. Both agreed on the priority of having a national urban policy for one of the most densely populated and least urbanized countries in Africa.

Between 1991 and 2002, the urban population growth in Rwanda increased three times, growing from 5.5% to 17%. The Government of Rwanda foresees that 30 % of the Rwandan population will be living in urban areas by 2020.

After the meeting with President Kagame, Dr. Clos expressed "the willingness of UN-Habitat to work together with the Rwandan authorities on future city enlargement plans, urban planning for intermediate cities and urban capacity building in order to develop new projects of cooperation to take advantage of the process of urbanization to create wealth and increase the quality of life of citizens". UN-Habitat Executive Director said that "on my first visit to Kigali, I have to congratulate the country for the quality of the public space of their capital. UN-Habitat wants to share Rwanda's experiences and to explain their best practices to other parts of the world".

The Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Albert Nsengiyumva, told a press conference after the meeting: "UN-Habitat is a strategic and important partner for Rwanda due to its expertise and their international network. Rwanda should prioritize urban issues and work on the implementation of master plans, not only for Kigali but also for existing emerging towns."

Dr. Clos was accompanied to the meeting with President Kagame by Dr. Aisa Kirabo, UN-Habitat Deputy Executive Director; the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mr. Aurelien A. Agbenonci, and the Director of UN-Habitat's Regional Office for Africa, Ms. Axumite Gebre-Egziabher.

SCIENCE PLANNING IN ALGERIA

SCIENCE PLANNING IN ALGERIA

Erle Frayne D. Argonza

Governance is the main obstacle to science & technology development in many developing countries or DCs. As a matter of fact, Algeria falls squarely within the orbit of such DCs whose sciences haven’t gone far away beyond the ‘take-off’ or infancy phase.

Algeria gained independence from France way back in 1962 yet, and many 3^rd world countries showered Algeria with accolades for the audacity shown in expunging a Western power. Such an independence hasn’t been translated though into waging audacious initiatives aimed at producing scientists & science professors, building research capital expenditures, broadening research journal publications, and linking science & technology directly to market and enthused end-users.

Red tape and budgetary delays or so mark the day for science research & development in Algeria, amid the re-definition of science as priority in 2007. The problem lies in governance, in other words, which leaves the challenge of reforming bureaucracy to accelerate the ‘growth’ phase of science R&D in the country.

Below is a relevant report from the SciDev.net about the subject.

[Philippines, 04 October 2011]

Source: http://www.scidev.net/en/science-and-innovation-policy/finance/news/algeria-plans-further-growth-for-science.html

Algeria plans further growth for science

Toufik Bougaada

15 September 2011

[ALGIERS] Algeria is pressing ahead with further increases to its science budget, according to a report presented by the Ministry for Scientific Research at a meeting chaired by the country's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The budget has already increased to one per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) — three times what it was five years ago — and this is expected to increase to 1.2 per cent next year, notes the report.

But, despite these increases, critics say that excessive bureaucracy is forcing research teams to abandon their work, and that the lack of a skilled workforce is preventing new investment from leading to high-calibre output.

The report is a review of Algeria's 2008–2012 framework, which aims to boost national scientific research and technological development.

The deputy minister for scientific research, Souad Bendjaballah, who presented the report at the meeting, said that 260 research laboratories have been approved, as have 25 new research centres. A national online documentation system has also been launched.

Plans for 2011–2012 include the establishment of a national council for scientific research and technological development, and a number of technology transfer centres.

Researchers acknowledge that Algeria has achieved much since science became a priority in 2007 — probably more than in any other period since the country's independence in 1962. However, they say that current efforts face several obstacles.

Abdel Malek Rahmani, coordinator of Algeria's National Council of Higher Education Teachers , told SciDev.Net that a lack of equipment and funds is not the main problem. "Management and operations are the obstacles," he said.

Money alone cannot make up for the lack of supportive environments for research, he added. There has been "non-rational exploitation of resources[in attempting] to move from a primary stage of scientific research to an advanced one".

Mohamed Semati, a geology researcher at the University of Constantine, said: "Administrative red tape is still a major impediment to scientific research, and the main reason for poor results, despite the development strategy that the country is trying to put in place. Many research teams have stopped their work because of the administrative obstacles they face."

The availability of a skilled workforce is another barrier, added Abdul Kadhum Al Aboudi, a professor of nuclear physics at the University of Oran.

"Money is not the main engine for the advancement of scientific research, although it is important. Despite the progress made in the past four years, Algeria has not yet been able to develop a scientific elite who are able to create wealth from scientific research," he said.

Bendjaballah has agreed, stating in a national television interview that the science sector is spending only half the budget it has been allocated, and that many projects are not implemented because they lack an experienced workforce.

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SET YOUR ANNUAL GOALS FOR 2011

Erle Frayne D. Argonza


2011 has already started, and it began with an ambience of all-time high optimism across Asian countries. In my beloved country Filipinas, the Hope index measured an incomparable 89%, or that Filipinos are of the predominant hopeful mood that all will be well for their respective lives.

To start the year right, it would be best for each and every one of us to set our goals for the year. On the informal level of the lifeworld, there is this fancy for setting ‘new year’s resolution’ as the old year is about to end and the new year is just minutes away. This ritualistic practice can be improved on if the person sit down and put into writing the goals for the year.

As a professional, I have made it my personal practice to set goals for the year since I began working way back in 1981 yet. Then, at the end of the year, I would assess the level of goal attainment, correct flaws by rectified goal-attainment for the coming year, and then setting all in all the goals for the year in a very organized manner.

It would be best if you scribble your goals in the very diary or appointment book that you are using for the current year. Identify just about a few workable or doable goals, e.g. in my practice I would have just three (3) maximum goals to work on. Scribble each goal thereafter on a distinct or dedicated page in your diary.

After I write down a goal, I would then write some descriptions of the goal, and even identify sub-goals. Then, it would pay that I would also identify the ways to achieve the goal and sub-goals.

You can go ahead and prioritize the goals. Present the goal first which is top priority, then which is moderate priority, and which is least priority. Go ahead and scribble descriptions, sub-goals, and articulations about quantitative and qualitative targets.

After writing down your goals, make sure to check them every week or so. It would be bad practice to log them in, and then forget to check on them later.

The style of goal-setting can be as creative as it can get. For the prepped up young working persons, adding graphic images and jotting down the goals on one’s Blackberry or cellphone would be add fun and excitement to the goal-setting and execution.

For all ye global citizens, please don’t forget to set your goals for the year. If you have no fondness for this kind of exercise, better rethink about your position and begin the practice for your own sake. Moving ahead blindly, without a personal plan for the year, is like straitjacketing yourself.

[Philippines, 14 January 2011]

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ADVOCACY & DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES UPDATE

ADVOCACY & DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES UPDATE

Erle Frayne Argonza

Good morning from Manila!

An advocacy source book was recently released, produced by Wateraid. The book serves as guideline for advocacy action planning and related matters.

See this interesting piece below.

[03 October 2008, Quezon City, MetroManila. Thanks to Eldis database reports.]

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The Advocacy SourcebookProduced by: Wateraid (2007)Over 1.1 billion people around the world do not have access to safe water and over 2.6 billion do not have access to safe sanitation. This sourcebook provides guidance for users in drawing up advocacy action plans that aim to improve the water supply and sanitation situation of the poorest people in the countries where they work. It is aimed at Wateraid staff and partner organisations but can be used by anyone interested in advocacy. An introduction is given to advocacy followed by step by step guidance on how to produce a water and sanitation advocacy project.

Sections include:
Water Aid and advocacy

• Rooted advocacy
• Planning for advocacy
• Making advocacy happen
• Advocacy actions
• Monitoring and evaluation.
  

Examples of WaterAid and its partners' advocacy work in practice are provided throughout the sourcebook to inform and demonstrate what effective advocacy looks like. An advocacy toolkit is provided including tools, pro-formas, tables and diagramsAvailable online at: http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/?doc=39565&em=240908&sub=enviroBack to list