ALSF board adopts 2013 workplan and budget, reviews achievements of past year

20 November 2012
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

The Management Board of the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) met on November 19, 2012 at the Temporary Relocation Agency of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) in Tunis. The objective of the meeting was to discuss, among other issues, the Work Plan and Budget for 2013 and the progress made since last meeting.

The Management Board that is responsible for defining the ALSF strategy and overseeing its work also reviewed the achievements of the Facility over the past year. The Board adopted the Work Plan and Budget for 2013, taking into account the Medium Term Strategy (MTS) adopted in 2012 that provides a five-year roadmap (2013-2017).

The ALSF has sensitized Regional Member Countries (RMCs) on legal issues related to key sectors relevant to their economic development. As a result of contacts made and identification missions conducted during 2012, the ALSF has faced an increased demand from the RMCs for technical assistance and over 20 projects are now in the pipeline.

In line with the MTS and in order to respond adequately to the needs and expectations of its stakeholders, the ALSF is implementing nine projects approved by the Board in 2012 in addition to six other projects already approved. The Facility is providing technical assistance to African countries to strengthen their legal expertise and negotiating capacity in matters pertaining to vulture funds litigation, debt management, natural resources and extractive industries management, and contracting, infrastructure and public and private partnerships.

The countries that have so far benefited from the ALSF's direct support are Djibouti, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Zambia and Guinea. In addition, projects from Mali, Niger, Tanzania, Senegal, Chad, Burundi, Ghana, The Gambia, Malawi, Togo, Mauritius, Djibouti, São Tomé and Mozambique are under consideration. At least 50 of the 54 RMCs have also benefited from the capacity-building efforts of the Facility.

Currently the Board consists of Chairperson and Tunisian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Moufida Jaballah Srarfi; Serge Zoniaba, former AfDB Executive Director and Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of the Congo and current Congolese Minister Responsible for Technical Education, Vocational Training and Employment; Ndoumbe Lobe, AfDB Director for Governance, Economic and Financial Management; Aboubacar Fall, lawyer; and José Manuel de Morais Briosa e Gala, former Portuguese Minister of Cooperation and current Personal Representative and Special Advisor for Africa to the President of the European Commission.

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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