February 9th 2011 will mark 20 years since the establishment of ACBF. The 20th Anniversary and the attendant celebrations planned offer a unique opportunity to demonstrate the centrality and continued importance of capacity development to Africa's growth, as well as the role of the Foundation in this effort. The objective is to demonstrate this with substantive events and credible documentation, such as a series of high-level fora, lectures, media and learning activities at various levels, Africa wide.
ACBF's new flagship publication, the 'African Capacity Indicators' (ACI), will play a critical role in this regard. The ACI will be an ACBF flagship publication) – designed to bring the capacity development agenda in sub-Saharan Africa to the fore. This unique20th Anniversary Report will examine the key issues and challenges facing both in-country and also cross-border developments in capacity in Africa. It will look at the ongoing efforts to support regional cooperation and will serve as a definitive knowledge product, primarily for policymakers in the region.
It is well known that countries face difficulties in financing, as well as maintaining regional and international public goods. The ACI will serve as a major diagnostic tool to guide the development of priority actions, providing practical recommendations where necessary. To this end, the ACI will form the basis for advocacy on major capacity building issues and bring given thematic and sectoral factors that might affect state and societal effectiveness in the delivery of specified mandates to the attention of policy makers. It will serve as a tool to galvanize actions for capacity building and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, by providing research-informed data on capacity development from across the region. Additionally, the ACI will furnish the ACBF with a unique opportunity to show-case various interventions. The Report will highlight the Foundation's special role as an institution, while at the same time pushing the frontiers of discourse on capacity building as a major driver of development, agency of change and a great source of transformation. It will give enhanced visibility to the work of the Foundation and its partners, as well as strengthening the operations of the current 'knowledge communities' – or ACBF TAPNETS.
Other high-level events and activities scheduled, as a build-up towards the actual date of the 20th Anniversary celebration, will further heighten the dialogue on, and draw enhanced attention to, the issue of capacity development on the continent, and the strategic position of ACBF in this unique field.
The Foundation intends to employ the 20th Anniversary of its establishment, including the build-up towards it, to re-position and re-brand itself, whilst re-tuning its key messages in view of the evolving and dynamic changes and scenarios in capacity building. The anniversary will also provide an opportunity for ACBF to increase its reputation and recognition as the key institution in capacity development in Africa.
Planned Activities
In preparation for the 20th Anniversary, the Secretariat has planned a number of events, central to which will be the high-level fora on capacity development in Africa; thematic and country-specific lecture series on capacity development; ACBF's participation in key global and continental for a, as well as a systematic 'capturing' and dissemination of beneficiary, stakeholder and partner 'voices.' Additionally, the build-up will involve a number of media events and other activities, aimed at building constituencies and raising awareness of ACBF's interventions and successes over the past 20 years.
At the core of the strategy for the 20th Anniversary celebrations will be the following:
• Publication of a brochure on the last 20 years of ACBF and its "new" strategy;
• Video messages capturing the 'voices' and/or endorsements of 'champions', alumni, project personnel, etc;
• The production of an ACBF information pack
• The re-launch of the ACBF internal newsletter
• A collection, collation and dissemination of ACBF success stories;
• Participation at a series of high level events
• A special 20th Anniversary page on the ACBF internet site, with a link to all project/program websites;
• The launch of a totally new ACBF website in 2010
• A series of learning events involving projects, alumni, African governments and other stakeholders;
• A multi-country launch of the ACBF flagship publication supported by dynamic media and dissemination activities; and
• A series of events in 2010 as a lead up to the actual 20th Anniversary celebrations in 2011.
On February 9, 2011, ACBF's 20th Anniversary celebration will be marked by a prominent learning event, publication launch, various activities and media events. On February 8th, 2011, the Foundation will launch its flagship publication, the 'African Capacity Indicators'. The plan is that this launch and other events will bring together African Heads of States, ACBF projects/programs, stakeholders, experts and opinion leaders to reinforce their commitment to capacity development on the Continent.
ACBF looks forward to celebrating a successful 20th Anniversary.
