Development Policy Management Forum (DPMF)
From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations
Development Policy Management Forum
P.O. Box 1559-00606 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 3754542/ 3751131
Cell (Office): +254 727 823858
Fax: +254 20 3754541
Email: dpmf.nairobi@dpmf.org
Website: http://www.dpmf.org
Prof. Abdalla Bujra, Executive Director, abdallab@gmail.com
Nena Thundu, Research Officer, nthundu@Uneca.org
Description
The Development Policy Management Forum (DPMF) is a regional NGO covering sub-Saharan Africa with offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since its inception in 1995, DPMF has carried out activities aimed at consolidating and institutionalizing democracy in Africa by focusing on governance. Its mission is to enhance the institutional capacity for developing policy management within the framework of good governance and the democratization process taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. Its specific objectives are:
- To provide a forum for discussion and assessment of the instutionalization of democracy and good governance;
- To provide training for good governance, post-conflict peace building and enhanced efficiency in policy making and implementation to strategically placed senior policy makers;
- To undertake comparative research on issues of policymaking and implementation;
- To provide a means of communication on institutional development issues and on conflict management that responds to the current needs of researchers and practitioners in Africa;
- To assemble and make accessible information on the location, nature and availability of relevant literature, data and expertise for the study and analysis of issues covered by DPMF programs.
DPMF’s activities include facilitating sensitization workshops for senior policy managers from the sub-regional organizations with a view to deepen the process of regional integration and to develop strategies, policies and practical programs for consolidating sustainable peace in post-conflict communities. DPMF also has a research program that aims at enhancing the capacity of policymakers and civil society by generating for their use research-based information focusing on the following themes: Civil Service and Democratic Governance; Conflict and Peace building; Regional Integration and Civil Society; and, Leadership. Thirdly, in order to build the capacity of various stakeholders and actors to enhance the democratization process, deepen regional integration, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of development policy management, the DPMF has been facilitating the creation of various networks of civil society groups, Development Management Institutes (DMIs) and Public Administration institutes (PAIs). One such initiative undertaken by DPMF is the forging of active cooperation within and among CSOs and research institutes for monitoring and advocacy of democratic governance in the process of deepening regional integration in Africa. Another initiative is the launch of African Development Management Institutes Network (ADMIN), which is aimed at facilitating exchange of information and experience and the pooling of resources for developing dynamic curricula which will enhance training of civil servants in good governance as well as in critical contemporary issues such as conflict management, peace building, regional integration and strategic thinking. A third major initiative is the formation of National Policy Fora which are designed to provide open and democratic platform for policy dialogue between policymakers and civil society groups.
The dissemination of good practice in governance, research findings, and/or basic data and information, through various types of publication, is an integral part of DPMF's program of consolidating and institutionalizing democratic governance. DPMF carries out this important activity of raising knowledge level and consciousness through its various publications and through the generation of databases.
DPMF has a three-tier structure: a General Assembly made up of the Forum’s members; eight elected board members, one member representing the UNECA as hosting institution and the executive director as a non-voting member; and, a secretariat.
The General Assembly meets every two years to elect board members among other things. The board members, who are expected to meet once annually, have three-years renewable terms and represent four regions of the continent: i.e. east, west, central and southern regions. The Secretariat is responsible for the day to day running of DPMF activities. The secretariat staffing includes the executive director, a part-time accountant, an office assistant and from time to time, a number of interns who act as research and/or program officers. Staffing is directly related to the level of project funding.
Some of DPMF’s key partners include: the AU, NEPAD, RECs–EAC, IGAD, COMESA, SADC, ECOWAS, CENSAD, UNECA, UNDP, African Governments (parliamentarians and Civil Servants), Donor Agencies, (UN, Ford Foundation, IDRC, SIDA etc.) and major regional African research organizations such as CODESRIA, OSSREA, AFSTRAG, AAPS, IDEA, AISA, ACARTSOD, National NGOs/CSOs working on Conflict, Governance, Regional Integration, Gender and on CSOs.
Track Record
DPMF has developed a unique strategy that brings together three critical groups in Africa: policy makers, CSO leaders and researchers. It provides an independent forum for these groups to exchange views and perspectives on critical issues of governance as it applies to democracy, development and conflict management.
In addition, DPMF has successfully undertaken comparative research on some important and critical issues along its five thematic areas. Other than research ventures, the organization has undertaken important capacity building programs for policy makers at both the regional (involving Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, among others) and the sub-regional (SADC, EAC and IGAD) levels.
The organization has also developed partnerships and expanded its network to include: major regional inter-governmental organizations, UN agencies, the major African social science organizations, national organizations in Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern Africa; and governments of South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Senegal, and Nigeria.
With the support of NEPAD, DPMF has established a major pan-African network—the African Management Development Institutes Network (AMDIN)—based in South Africa. In addition it has been actively involved in the creation and establishment of the African Governance Institute (AGI) supported by the AU and UNDP as well as the Africa Forum for former African Heads of State.
DPMF has published widely on Democracy and Governance in Africa. It regularly produces the following types of publications: Books, DPMF Bulletin (tri-annual), Occasional Papers, Workshop Reports and Conference Proceedings, Roster of African experts in Development Management and DPMF e-News Forum (online newsletter). It has also facilitated the compilation of policy briefs for policy makers (politicians and technocrats) which have proven useful to update them on contemporary developments in governance issues. The organization has and continues to facilitate the Annual General Policy Conference which is a pan-African conference that provides a forum for dialogue between policymakers and researchers on critical topics such as conflict, democratization, regional integration and development strategies. In addition, DPMF's website (http://www.dpmf.org) provides full-text documents of its publications except books.
Challenges
Although DPMF has done tremendous work to fulfill its objectives, a number of challenges still exist. Many global changes have a direct bearing on DPMF’s programs, agenda, role and mandate, among them opportunities and challenges. Some of the factors and trends likely to have a profound influence on DPMF’s programs include: environmental factors, politics, research and donor influence.
The highly complex, dynamic and uncertain conditions that come with poor environmental policies in transforming societies threatens the transfer and survival of the knowledge generated by DPMF. Research-based institutions may be forced to adhere to the broad guidelines and research framework of the IMF and EU, and funding may be withdrawn if they overstep their margins. This tampers with the independence of the research outputs. Major changes in political direction of donor countries and consequent changes in their priorities may lead to marginalization of the work and importance of knowledge based NGOs / CSOs especially those that counter external hegemony and domination of foreign powers and Institutions in Africa.
Investor influence: Foreign donors, who tend to dominate the entire space of research-based NGOs / CSOs, sometimes make unreasonable demands and expectations on their investments without necessarily appreciating the difficulties and complexities involved in the transfer of knowledge in the African context. Such demands pose challenges for DPMF and other organizations. Additionally, the absence of real partnership with shared responsibilities and accountability leads to the development of strained unproductive relationships.
DPMF like many other AROs is prone to financial problems. The lack of (core) funds causes infrequent Board meetings and limits ‘in-house capacity’ to work towards the satisfactory achievement of its objectives. There is also poor programming continuity and loss of tacit knowledge due to the nature of staff who are contracted on temporary terms depending on the approval of programmes.
Opportunities
The wide range of DPMF´s research, publications, and dialogues on democracy, governance, peace and conflict has been instrumental and has had a far-reaching effect in bringing policy makers, practitioners and researchers together. Hence DPMF has a huge opportunity to expand its network particularly in combining in these areas, provided reliable long-term funding is available. Especially, governance problems are complex, have no tinned solutions, and require a lot of commitment, and time investment to be successfully resolved and for results to be seen. This calls for sustained long-term support to institutions that are targeting the problem. Here is as well an opportunity for donors to support DPMF.
Further, DPMF could also act as a consultant in its areas of expertise for the AU, UN, governments, civil society, donors, etc.
