Creating Jobs in Samoa Through Public-Private Partnerships

Samoa’s achievement in contracting out to the private sector the functions of its Public Works Department (PWD) is one of the most successful reforms to upgrade infrastructure; improve the effectiveness of public expenditure; and increase the overall employment, productivity, and capacity in a Pacific island economy in the past 20 years. The reform has resulted in the establishment of nearly 30 new Samoan road construction and maintenance companies. Directly and indirectly, the reform has led to the creation of more than 2,000 new jobs, making this a prime example of the power of public–private partnerships to promote economic development and increase employment.1 Prior to the reform, much of this work was undertaken inefficiently by the PWD, or by foreign companies under contract. All construction and maintenance in Samoa is now outsourced to Samoan companies, which are sufficiently productive and cost-effective that foreign firms now struggle to compete

Report of the Tanzania Joint Annual Health Sector Review

\ud The fifth annual joint health sector review took place 15-17 March, hosted by the Golden Tulip Hotel. It had been preceded by extensive preparatory work. The “Technical Review” provided an update of progress at district level against the recommendations agreed last year. This, and other documentation to be tabled at the main review were debated in detail at a “pre-meeting” of government and stakeholder representatives held at the Belinda Hotel in late February. Documents tabled for the meeting and presentations are listed at Annex 1. Copies are obtainable from the Health Sector Reform Secretariat, MOH. The main review was very well attended, including senior representatives of various ministries and departments. In a welcome development from previous years, health sector representatives from Regional and District levels also participated. The meeting was characterized by open and lively discussion and debate – a sign that the constructive development relationship with partners continues to mature. The list of participants is reproduced at Annex 5. This report provides a brief record of the proceedings. The timetable for the Review is attached at Annex 2. The first sessions were devoted to reviewing performance over the previous year, with reference to the milestones, the technical review report, achievements and innovations of selected districts, and the health sector performance profile. The general picture which emerges is one of steady progress against objectives. However, owing to the gaps and delays in routine data, this progress has not yet been verified in objective measures of service delivery improvement. Subsequent sessions dealt with priority programmes in more depth, including HIV, malaria, TB, EPI, reproductive health, IMCI and nutrition. In all areas significant challenges remain, in spite of progress to date. In every case there are resource gaps of varying magnitude which will need to be filled if successful scaling up and health impact are to be achieved. Human Resources for Health provided a major focus for presentations and discussions on the second day. This was enriched by perspectives from the President’s Office - Office of Public Service Management (PO-OPSM) and from the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG). A clear consensus emerged that the human resource situation is in crisis. The gap between current staffing requirements and actual staffing stands at 33%. This average masks even more serious gaps in under-served areas of the country and for specific cadres. Attrition of health workers out-strips new recruitment. The health workforce is aging. Production of skilled manpower is not matched with future staffing needs. Recruitment procedures present practical obstacles to filling even those posts for which permits have been issued. Positions in hardship areas are particularly difficult to fill and additional incentives will be needed. The data which substantiates the present crisis, the worsening trend and the future requirements, is already available. The meeting agreed that urgent action and high level collaboration between the relevant parts of government would be needed to address the situation

Looking Toward the Future: A Review of Western New York\u27s Early Childhood System

In 2017, Liftoff--Western New York Early Childhood Funders for Change--wanted to better understand how the region serves its youngest residents, how other communities structure systems to improve life and learning for young children and their families, and how stakeholders across the system could come together to affect change. Together with partners across Western Yew York (including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties), Liftoff engaged Public Sector Consultants to provide an outside, objective review of early childhood systems and programs in the region. We hope this report will be the foundation for many conversations in the months and years to come

Report of the Third Meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee

Report of the third meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee, held at CIMMYT headquarters in El Batán, Mexico, August 19-20, 1996. The Committee had a discussion of common interests with the TAC Chairman. It reviewed the results of a survey of the IARCs. It appointed a working group to prepare a statement of the private sector perspective on the status and needs of global agricultural research The Committee agreed in principle to hold a private sector summit on agricultural research, to be further considered at the next meeting. The mission statement for the Committee was revised, and would also be further considered.Agenda document, CGIAR International Centers Week, October-November 1996

Report of the Eleventh Meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee

Report of the eleventh meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee held at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. on conjunction with ICW 99, chaired by Sam Dryden. Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Director General of IFPRI and incoming chair of the CDC, participated. The Committee discussed its role as revised by the system review process. Members agreed that it should provide policy advice to the CGIAR based on members' experience of private sector views and practices. The theme for the meeting was The Impending Impasse in Advanced Breeding and the Use of Proprietary Technology. Discussion utilized an ISNAR survey of proprietary science. The concern was that centers could face litigation if the properly licensed use of proprietary technologies was in question. There might also be a contributory infringement problem for donors. The public debate on biotechnology, and the danger that center application of advanced methods would be impeded was also discussed. A number of ways to overcome the impasse were explored, but each had some flaws.The Committee urged a complete inventory of center use of proprietary technology, and determination of ownership and the actions needed to permit dissemination of products. The planned high level dialogue between the CGIAR Chairman and major CEOs might help. The CGIAR could assist the private sector by providing public endorsements for biotechnology products. The Committee accepted a USAID invitation to cosponsor a workshop with IRRI and others on the impact of IPR on rice research.Agenda document, CGIAR International Centers Week, October, 1999

Report of the Thirteenth Meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee

Report of the thirteenth meeting of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee, held in Washington on October 21-22, 2000, just prior to ICW 2000, Sam Dryden presiding. CGIAR Chairman Ian Johnson joined the meeting for an hour. He reiterated the imperative need for public/private partnerships. Dryden spoke of private sector perspectives and questions about the concept of global public goods and their relation to germplasm improvement activities at CGIAR Centers. World Bank representative Shawki Barghouti briefed the Committee on Bank plans for a high level policy dialogue with the private sector on new agricultural technologies and their significance to the global development agenda. The Committee discussed the future governance and organization of the CGIAR. It favored regional priority setting, and suggested changes needed to implement that approach. Use of consultants was suggested. Other items on the agenda were the future role of the Committee, the need to educate the public on the importance of germplasm improvement, and the review of plant breeding in the CGIAR. The Chairman briefed the CGIAR meeting on the work of the committee, and this written report was circulated as part of the summary report of ICW 2000

Comments of the Private Sector Committee on the CGIAR System Review Report

The response of the CGIAR Private Sector Committee to the third CGIAR system review. The comments deal with the importance of CGIAR collaboration with the private sector, and the mechanisms for ensuring collaboration. They urge definitional clarity, particularly of responsibilities, and urge the creation of a central legal/policy body for areas that define the operation of the system as a whole. The Committee finds the report lacking in concrete and realistic priorities, and urges more direct attention to the problems of Africa. It believes that the private sector may provide resources to the CGIAR in cases of mutual benefit, but doubts that companies will become members.Agenda document, CGIAR International Centers Week 1998

Newsletter # 29. 24-30 June 2014

Weekly news digest of Ukrain

Newsletter # 40. 2-8 September 2014

Weekly news digest of Ukrain