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Cape Verde's Graduation from the LDC Category
On 12 June 2007, Mr. Raymond Weber, Head of the SWAC’s Medium- and Long-Term Development Perspectives Unit, participated in the 3rd Transition Support Group held in Praia (Cape Verde). The meeting’s objective was to present and compile comments on the Cape Verde government’s strategy with a view to leading Cape Verde out of the category of Least Developed Countries (LDC) which is expected at the beginning of 2008 as well as to adopt a Declaration on Cape Verde’s effective and sustainable exit from the LDC Group (French). In his presentation, Mr. Weber stressed the importance of human, social and cultural capital for development in Cape Verde as well as the need to establish clear priorities in the Cape Verde government’s development strategy. Although the development issues of this small insular island country are very different from those of most of the other ECOWAS member countries, the SWAC has always paid particular attention to Cape Verde. Several of the Club’s regional meetings have been held in Cape Verde (very recently the Regional Working Group on DDR, Post-conflict and Development in West Africa), strengthening the regional bonds and linking up the island to West African regional co-operation. The SWAC intends to continue to support Cape Verde and will increasingly explore how to better assist it on its path to graduation.
> Contact: raymond.weber@oecd.org
7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government
The United Nations 7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government was held in Vienna (Austria) from 26 to 29 June 2007. Mr. Massaër Diallo, Head of the SWAC’s Governance, Conflict Dynamics, Peace and Security Unit made a presentation in the capacity development workshop (VII) regarding “Governance Challenges in Crisis or Post-Conflict Countries”. His presentation, “The Role of Donors and Development Partners in Strategies for Security Sector Reforms (SSR) in Post-Conflict Situations”, focused on the West African experience. 9 of the 15 ECOWAS member states are categorised as “fragile states” according to DAC/OECD criteria. Case studies of West African countries highlight the importance of the state in these contexts and the major challenge of structural, social and political vulnerability. The theme of this 7th Global Forum, “Building Trust in Government”, is particularly relevant to countries in exit from crisis. What role does security play in stabilisation, peace-building and development? How do donors contribute to developing and implementing security sector reform in support of development in post-conflict countries? Mr. Diallo’s intervention sought to respond to these questions taking into account OECD contributions as well as, at the regional level, those of the SWAC.
> Contact: massaer.diallo@oecd.org
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