From June 10 to June 14, 2019 in Ifrane, Morocco, the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), the Regional Fez-Meknes Council, and the Al Alkhawayn University Ifrane will host the third edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local and Subnational Governments (FAMI).
This third edition of the Forum is part of the celebration of the International Public Service Day (decided by the UN General Assembly to take place on June 23 of each year) and is also part of the implementation of the U.N. Resolution No. 72/235 dated December 20, 2017 on Human Resources Development which states that “The development of Human Resources is the keystone of economic, social and environmental development (…) health and education are at the heart of the development of human resources”.
The Forum benefits from the support of the Interior Ministry of Morocco (Directorate General of Local Governments), of the Ministry Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of the Reform of the Administration and of the Public Service, the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM) , the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC) , the Council of the Fez-Meknes Region, and the Al Akhawayn University of Ifrane .
The theme for 2019 is: “The financing of learning, training and capacity building of local authorities and of the staff of Local and Subnational Governments in Africa.”
The question of means and resources remains a big challenge, if not a real obstacle, for the upgrading of the local public administration, for the modernisation of the Management of Human Resources of the Local & Subnational Governments and for learning, the training and capacity building of the Human Capital of these entities, whether local elected officials / elected officials or the staff of the Local & Subnational Governments in Africa.
This finding is apparent from a multitude of reports and studies, including from the 1st Report on the state of the Human Resources of African Local & Subnational Governments (2018 edition) of UCLG Africa’s Human Resources Observatory of African Local & Subnational Governments.
Indeed, local governments in Africa are still finding it very difficult to attract and retain human resources and talent in sufficient quantity and quality. Studies have shown that Local & Subnational Governments operate with less than half of the workforce they need to be successful. The budget allocated in general to human resources management (motivation mechanisms including salaries, training budget, acquisition of modern tools for career management, including the computerisation of services and procedures, etc …) is below the needs of the Local & Subnational Governments and below the ambitions of a successful territorial public administration. The central governments, as well as local administrations themselves, are therefore required to acquire the means to actually invest in human capital at the local level”.
With this in mind, the third edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local & Subnational Governments is intended to be a forum for discussing the issue of funding for apprenticeships, training and capacity building targeting Local & Subnational Governments in Africa, in order to present successful models that exist around the world, and to propose innovative and sustainable mechanisms for the anchoring of Decentralization in Africa.
The Forum will also provide a space for awareness-raising, training and capacity building on the state of implementation of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union and of the Global Development Agendas (Agenda 2030 relating to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda, the Climate Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the African and international conventions on the prevention and the fight against corruption).
Representatives of Central Governments, local & Subnational Governments, International Organisations, Territorial Managers, Representatives of Training Institutions, as well as representatives of the private sector and of civil society will meet during five days to discuss concrete alternatives to provide a financing model adapted to the African environment and to get updates concerning the implementation of African and global commitments.
The official opening of the Forum will see the participation of: Mr. Mohand Laenser, President of the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM), President of the Regional Council of Fez-Meknes; Representatives of the Governments of the Kingdom of Morocco; Representatives of Local & Subnational Governments of Morocco; Mr. Driss Ouaouicha, President of Al Akhawayn University Ifrane; and Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG-Africa. The Forum will also serve as a framework for the holding of the Fourth Meeting of the Academic Board of UCLG Africa’s African Local Government Academy (ALGA), which will be marked by a Peer Review between the African institutes of ALGA, a presentation of the balance of the Academy’s activities, as well as strategic orientations for the future.
