Publications

ASIST Bulletin no. 9, July 1999

EIP news from West Africa

By Valter Nebuloni, EIP specialist, ILO/EMAS, Dakar

The ILO Multidisciplinary Advisory Team for Sahelian Africa - (EMAS), covers the following countries: Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Guinea Conakry, the Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In September 1998, an EIP specialist was appointed to cover EIP-related assistance.

In these countries, national strategies and policies increasingly refer to labour-based growth, and poverty alleviation programmes often include an employment-intensive component. The sub-region embraces countries and areas emerging from armed conflicts where labour-based works may offer an immediate answer to reconstruction needs.

There is therefore sufficient scope for ILO services in relation to national efforts for job creation through employment-intensive programmes. In order to effectively respond to the demand for such services, EMAS works in collaboration with a pool of qualified national and international consultants.

Since November 1998 EMAS, in collaboration with the ILO's Development Policies Department (POLDEV), has been actively promoting the establishment of employment intensive policy units (`Cellules HIMO') within Government structures, which are responsible for the elaboration of national investment plans. These units are meant to provide the Government with sound arguments for orientating the use of national resources towards labour-based investment options. The Governments of Guinea Conakry, Senegal, and Mali expressed their interest in such units, and formulation missions are being organised.

Capacity building is one of the main components of a sub-regional programme (`Appuis et Conseils aux Travaux d'Infrastructure et Formation pour l'Emploi et l'Entreprise en Afrique ACTIF') jointly developed by the ILO and the AFRICATIP network. ACTIF is intended to assist national training programmes focusing on the application of labour-based construction technologies. It targets local entrepreneurs, NGOs and community groups. The funds for programme implementation remain to be obtained.

The ILO is in the process of organising a trainers' training course in Dakar in collaboration with the AGETIP-Senegal. Similar agencies, as well as selected engineering consultants from other West African countries, will also participate in the course. The ILO will provide the necessary training modules and international instructors.

The MLI/98/M01/NOR:'Mise en valeur des forêts du cercle de Kita par les organisations paysannes' is the third phase of an ILO-assisted forest management project financed by the Norwegian Government and UNDP. This third phase started in July 1998 and is to last five years. The project addresses employment creation and nature conservation concerns in Kita district, Mali. It is implemented with the active participation of local communities and technical agencies staff. It uses a contractual approach to natural resource management. The contract established between a village association and the local administration provides villagers with a direct share of profits from the sale of wood. From the technical standpoint, the contract corresponds to forest management plans approved by the local forestry office. The villagers receive directives concerning methods of cutting and the species to be preserved. The project is handled by a national team backed up by EMAS.

In Guinea Conakry, an ILO team has been providing, since 1995, technical assistance to the rural infrastructure development component of the EU-Development Fund (FED) programme for Guinea. Under this component, local labour-based contractors were provided skill development and business opportunities in feeder roads rehabilitation and maintenance. Thirteen local contractors grouped into an association. Their overall working capacity in feeder road rehabilitation is 300km/year. Negotiations are underway for a possible involvement of the ILO in the context of the forthcoming 5-years new phase of the Guinea FED programme.

An ILO-assisted feeder roads spot improvement project in Sierra Leone had to be frozen at the end of 1998 further to a new wave of hostilities in the country. The project forms part of a World Bank emergency programme. The security situation remaining precarious, project operations are still on hold.

An effort is being made at EMAS to develop EIP information materials in French. The work will continue throughout 1999 and entail collaboration with other EIP units. Expected materials include a series of technical sheets (`Fiches HIMO') on various EIP-related aspects, a set of overheads, and a consolidated list of the most relevant EIP publications available in French.