Support to the European development fund National authorising officer (NAO): ten assignments / technical assistance jobs in nine countries since Y2000

 

A. Comoros Union : Technical assistance to the EDF NAO support unit

 

1. Date :  March 2020 - June 2021 (250 days)

2. Location : Moroni

3. Beneficiary organisation and parties involved : EDF NAO support unit, NAO support programme, technical ministries and programme management units on relate intervention sectors.

4. Position : Institutional expert, head of the technical assistance mission (1 other long term main expert and several short term ones), in partnership with ProMan Ltd. (L).

5. Responsibilities : Taking over from the previous incumbent (who resigned in 2018), in charge of executing this assignment’s last year of implementation ( 3 years or 36 months initially but extended to some 4 years on top of the short term assignments) more or less « zebra mode » for the team leader i.e. some 14 months’ presence.

6. Major activities and achievements :

Coordination of the technical assistance and advisory support to the NAO office in the challenging context of implementing a project in a state of crisis being very much behind schedule beginning 2020 with respect to the results to achieve in every area (institutional reinforcement, mastering of EDF financial and contracting procedures, strategic information system – monitoring and evaluation on top of the constitution of a critical mass of trained officials. Coaching or on the job support to the personal in charge of the NAO’s basic attributions 7 days a week, which includes the coordination and operational and financial follow-up of all EDF-funded projects. All the above while providing methodological and conceptual support as to:

 - the programming, identification and formulation of all projects ;

 - abiding strictly to EDF financial procedures ;

 - the management of tenders and calls for proposals ;

 - the execution of numerous training programmes, including those specific to EDF management.

At the core of the challenge to take up, the relaunching of the institutional transition that is to say the gradual transfer of the NAO office’s specific tasks (within the ministry) from the support programme that entertains an external unit let alone parallel to the national administration with viability as an obvious goal.

7. Skills and experience acquired :

Yet again another more in-depth involvement of Roland Deschamps on the long run as to reinforcing the EDF NAO staff. Getting back on the spot while picking up an assignment started more than two years before wasn’t going to be a piece of cake not to mention that the local personnel turn over had been quite important in the same unit.

ON the other hand, it was for Roland Deschamps another opportunity to execute a long term support assignment while coordinating the work of other experts (long term et short term).

 

B. Democratic Republic of the Congo : Evaluation of support to the NAO projects since 2010

 

1. Date :  January - February 2020

2. Location : Kinshasa

3. Beneficiary organisation and parties involved : EDF National authorising officer support unit (COFED - ministry of finance), NAO support programmes (PAON), technical ministries and project management units in related focal areas.

4. Function : Institutional expert, head of the evaluation mission (one other expert), in partnership with ProMan Ltd. (L).

5. Responsibilities : Coordination of the mission consisting of the final evaluation of the 10th EDF “PAON” (Support programme / 2010-2015) and the mid-term evaluation of two other 1th EDF support programmes (“PAON” / 2015-2020).

6. Major activities and achievements :

Evaluation of successive NAO supports according to the DAC criteria (relevancy, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, viability) and to those specific to the EU (added value and coherence with member States’ support). The assignment included an evaluation of the work carried out by the beneficiary entity (COFED) as well as recommendations as to future support programmes as soon as March 2020, notably with respect to staging the progressive reduction of financial support to “PAON” through the EDF ("exit strategy", EDF post Cotonou scaling down (“degressivity”) and adapting the COFED’s implication to the reality of the Community’s ODA within the years to come.

7. Skills and experience acquired :

A mission that enabled Roland Deschamps to reconnect with a context very familiar to him as he has was an important actor of support provided to the DRC NAO between 2004 and 2010. At the time he had indeed been responsible for supporting the NAO directly until the said COFED was resurrected (actually starting from scratch) and operational again as from the end of 2007. His implication included recruitment of its personnel, coaching and supporting it once the programmes they were to take direct responsibility of were effectively transferred. This in the frame of a context that remains very difficult while being different of what prevailed after 2002 when resumption of structural cooperation with the EU took place. He nevertheless could see from his own eyes the functioning of a structure rather effective and very professional.

 

C. Chad: Technical assistance (advice & support) to the office of the EDF NAO

 

1. Dates: July 2018 - July 2019

2. Location: N’Djamena

3. Beneficiary organisation and parties involved: EDF NAO units (Ministry of Economy and Plan development), NAO support project, technical ministries and programme management units on relate intervention sectors.

4. Position: Main expert and Technical assistance team leader (3 other main or long term experts), in partnership with Landell Mills Ltd. (GB).

5. Responsibilities: Following the team leader’s premature defection (Dec. 18), in charge of executing the final year of the technical assistance contract (some 4 years initially amounting to 62 months’ added up presence for the 4 experts not including the short term ones) on both “dotted” and phasing-out mode w.r.t. the team leader; Involving some 7.5 months on location to spread out over a year (till July 2019).

6. Major activities and achievements:

Coordination of the TA and support to the NAO staff while taking up the challenge of succeeding in the context of a project facing a crisis and very much behind schedule mid 2018 with respect to goals to be achieved in many regards (institutional reinforcement, mastering of EDF finance and contract procedures, strategic information / M&E system and constitution of a critical mass of trained officials. Support on a coaching mode to staff in charge of tasked with NAO function on a daily basis; All of this while providing methodological support to:

Programming, identifying and formulating if projects,

Strictly abiding to to EDF financial procedures,

Managing call for tenders or proposals,

Executing many a training programs including those specific to EDF management (such as “TOM-AT” software).

In the midst of the challenge to take up, reactivating the institutional transition i.e. progressively transferring what the NAO department within the ministry is tasked with from the on-going support programme mainly consisting in an external let alone parallel unit to the national administration in an obvious perennial aim. A particular highlight is put on training (“capacity reinforcement) following the andragogy’s precepts (adult / vocational training) as well as on communication between stake-holders and partners within the NAO system and hence on information management through the exchange and collaboration structures as to EDF projects and programmes supervision and ownership.

Besides, a particular stress is set on communication between actors or partners of the NAO system hence on improving the management information system through all collaboration and exchange structures concerning matters of EDF funded project ownership, project management and implementation.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

Yet again another more in-depth involvement of Roland Deschamps on the long run as to reinforcing the EDF NAO staff. Although this time according to an execution sequence more to-date lately: the combination of the phasing out (less involvement every year) and the “dotted” (not a continuous presence of TA on location) modes.

Besides this assignment’s specific challenge consisted in resuming on short notice a mission initialised some three years before (back in September 2015), which wasn’t that obvious as personnel allocated to the main entity turned out to be very unstable (many resignations). Moreover, the project’s main axis was very short of being abandoned as parties concerned (TA, NAO unit et EU delegation) could simply not agree on the terms of reference, hence on the contents of the tender dossier for the recruitment of the trainers to be tasked with implementing the odd thirty modules foreseen.

Furthermore, there were some 5 weeks left to take this up as the deadline for financing was end of August. In spite of a very tense atmosphere, parties involved having lost patience, Roland Deschamps’ intervention allowed the tender dossier to be completed. Having also suggested another source of funding, the call for tenders was launched successfully (3 submissions) in September rather than in August. Once the contract awarded (300,00 €), the training programme (6 months) could be implemented starting January. 2019.

Last but not least, andragogy being one of Andaman’s areas of expertise, it turned out to be a very nice opportunity in being involved in a training programme designed according to its philosophy.

It also came as an occasion for Roland Deschamps to return to Chad four years after having lead the Support to the NAO formulation team (2 other experts) and later, see with his own eyes how it was being implemented. This in the context of a deliquescent public service and a country facing a genuine crisis since 2015 and the fall of oil prices, combined with a geopolitical (Nigeria, Cameroon, Libya, South Sudan, CAR) and security environment quite frail and unstable (armed rebellion in the country’s centre).

 

D. Interim of the technical assistance mission team leader in support to the Papua New Guinea EDF NAO

 

1. Dates: 5 weeks in May - June 2018 and on a regular basis between July and December 2018 (backstopping from Brussels or Ndjamena).

2. Location: Port Moresby, Independent State of Papua New Guinea

3. Beneficiary organisation and parties involved: Support to the NAO unit within the Department of National planning and monitoring)

4. Position: Independent consultant specialised in TA to the EDF NAO

5. Responsibilities:

Comprising two main experts, the TA team was confronted at the onset (first month) with the team leader’s defection as to was to take up a 40 months presence including the coordination of a many “short term” experts amounting to 2,320 days as from July 2018.

 

6. Major activities and achievements:

The consultancy managing the contract (Proman based in Luxemburg) being supposed to submit an inception report, Roland Deschamps was required to draft it early June at latest while launching activities foreseen at the beginning of the assignment in his capacity of interim teal leader.

 

6.1. Establish contact with stake-holders:

With the initial support of the M&E expert (a Dutch living in Fiji), contact was established with main parties concerned within the Department (including the head of the support unit), the European Union delegation and some of the projects being implemented.

 

6.2. Support and advice as to the NAO function

The new team tasked within the Department in supporting the secretary for Planning in his capacity of NAO being mostly staffed with young and inexperienced individuals, Roland Deschamps has provided them with advice on a daily basis. Among others concerning monitoring programmes (as the M&E expert was only there for 2 weeks during his stay) or drafting key documents (reports, ToR, monitoring fiches etc.).

 

6.3. Drafting the inception report

It mostly involved highlighting the relevant points contained in ProMan’s proposal while updating the planning of the numerous activities to be carried out notably through the interventions of short term experts and various specialists foreseen as soon as mid 2018. This involved, amongst other challenges, to revisit the baseline studies produced in 2017 in terms of needs and establish priorities in the eyes of both the country and the EU.

This taking into account that the EDF execution was way behind schedule to such an extent that a whole strand of the current one (10th NIP - National indicative programme) had to be left aside, which represented several million euros in the education sector.

 

6.4. Drafting terms of reference for five support assignments to be provided by short term experts

A works reception mission with respect to the rehabilitation of a training centre ending up to be carried out as a matter of urgency, an initial support was provided by Roland Deschamps in drafting the ad hoc ToR which enabled its execution before the end of June. Another specialised intervention regarding a computerised management system for the national financing and monitoring programme of all projects required advice in updating its ToR. Il was afterwards required to draft some ToR for another three short term assignments with respect to:

 - assessing training needs (EDF procedures notably);

 - budget support (general or sectoral) and making use of the EC’s new financial tool (“blending”) enabling the combined mobilisation of resources from other sources (including a regional “Pacific” facility) as well as from the private sector, which requires an assessment as to PNG’s ability to meet its prerequisites;

 - public support to investment: guidelines and procedures included in a national guide needing an important update.

All this was entered upon as soon as June and carried on till December 2018.

 

7. Skills and experience acquired:

This experience allowed Andraman and Roland Deschamps to increase their experience in a part of the “ACP world” unknown to them so far in spite of many an opportunity having popped up as soon as 2009. At the far end of Asia and at the Indian ocean’s threshold, Papua New Guinea is particular in many respects. Formally under the queen of England’s tutorship since its independence obtained from Australia (still very present) in 1975, it faces numerous and major challenges. The near to 7.7 million inhabitants (several hundred ethnic groups, mainly Papuan), very unequally spread out on a rather vast territory (462,840 sq. km) often very rugged and varied topography (many islands) mostly live in situations of great precariousness with a difficult access to basic socio-economical infrastructures outside the capital, which is notoriously one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Although abounding with oil, natural gas, copper or gold and above all forests, agriculture (and fishing) involves some 4/5th of the population. Exploitation of natural gas should have a positive impact on the country’s economy on the medium run, however, in the meantime the country “boast” many a frightening record such as illiteracy and violence towards women. Furthermore, projects benefiting from external support endure a very high staff turnover (comprising expatriated personnel), PNG being very much up to its bad reputation in spite of a very important tourism potential.

Roland Deschamps’ assignment was a success, the inception report having been submitted on schedule and approved by main parties concerned.

ProMan’s director, Mr Tom Bultereys himself to PNG mid-June in order to officially tender it to the NAO office and inform the EU delegation of its major axes. Moreover, although by himself for three weeks, Roland Deschamps rapidly came out as a genuine interim TA mission team leader. He was actually offered, several times, to fill in from July onwards (3 years), which he could only decline as he could not afford to be separated so far away and for such long time periods (9 to 10 months a year).

His mission’s component that consisted in drafting terms of reference for the above described assignments, the last 3 ones more particularly, was also wrapped up in the time-frame convened to the NAO’s office satisfaction allowing the subsequent first short term experts missions.

In spite of the important challenges to take up, Andraman will be happy to go back to both this country or part of the world in the very next years, as from 2020.

 

E. Burkina Faso: Technical assistance (advice & support) to the office of the EDF NAO

 

1. Dates: since April 2015

2. Location: Ouagadougou

3. Beneficiary organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (including the support unit of the Support to the implementation of Burkina Faso-European union co-operation project) at ministry of Economy and Finance, EU delegation, technical ministries and project/programme implementation units in sectors concerned.

4. Position: Main expert and team leader, in partnership with Agriconsulting Europe.

5. Responsibilities: In charge of executing technical assistance contract (25 months’ presence on both “dotted” and phasing-out mode) and therefore team leader of all short term experts mobilized regularly for some 12 to 13 months during the contract’s execution (training, financial and contractual procedures, monitoring & evaluation, communication and visibility.

6. Major activities and achievements:

Support to the NAO staff through coaching as well as to all departments scattered within the ministry while sharing the NAO’s attributions, in terms of administrative, preparatory and accessory tasks as to planning and following up of EDF financed projects. This includes supporting co-ordination of several structures of the Burkinabese administration concerned by the “NAO’s system” which also involves capacity building of those in charge of executing the Support to the implementation of the Burkina Faso – UE co-operation programme aiming at:

 - improving quality of documents at all stages of EDF project cycle management;

 - reducing red tape or administrative processing of EDF dossiers;

 - the full integration of EDF financing management within that one of all external resources;

 - improving the visibility of UE supported co-operation activities.

 

This while providing a methodological and conceptual support as to:

 - Programming, identifying and formulating projects;

 - The strict applying of EDF financial procedures;

 - Managing call for tenders and call for proposals;

 - Executing training programs.

Besides, a particular stress is set on communication between actors or partners of the NAO system hence on improving the management information system through all collaboration and exchange structures concerning matters of EDF project ownership, project management and implementation.

 

7. Skills and experience acquired:

Yet again another more in-depth and on the long run implication in reinforcing the EDF NAO staff. Although this time according to an execution sequence more to-date lately: the combination of the phasing out (less involvement every year) and the “dotted” (not a continuous presence of TA on location) modes. Besides this assignment’s challenge consisted in resuming on short notice a mission initialized in August 2014 by a first expert who chose to resign in February 2015 both for health reasons and because of the disruption following the major political unrest that occurred in October 2014 (violently repressed demonstrations, arson of the parliament and eviction of the president and head of State in place since 1987).

 

Although basically focused on the NAO staff, the mission makes sure that collaboration with all parties concerned is secured, including and mostly with the European Union delegation and its chief of co-operation. Furthermore, this turned out to be an opportunity to return to Burkina Faso following up on an initial support mission executed between July 2010 and March 2011. Since November 2014 the country is at a particular moment of its history, being at the midst of a political transition and awaiting the organisation of transparent elections in October 2015. A path which unfolding was severely disrupted in September 2015 by a coup lead by the former presidential guard. A violent attempt that involved major disturbances again (numerous casualties and wounded, exactions, intimidation of leading civil society players), the seizing of hostages (the acting president and three acting ministers including the premier) and extreme tensions. An attempt eventually put to a halt early October 2015. Eventually, the situation resumed to normality which allowed the organization of transparent elections at the end of November 2015. Lastly, Burkina Faso counts amongst the pioneers as to the integration of the NAO staff to its public administration.

 

F. Republic of Cameroon: Final evaluation of the 10th EDF support to the NAO office project

 

1. Dates: October - November 2014 & January - February 2015

2. Location: Yaoundé

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (EDF Support unit - CAON-CAM), EU delegation, technical ministries, national EDF tenders commission, project/programme implementation units.

4. Position: Short-term expert, (in partnership with ETI Consulting)

5. Responsibilities: as a member of a team of 2 experts, tasked with evaluating the performance of the project supporting the NAO and his office in carrying out all EDF management related duties as they are spelled out in the  Cotonou Agreement.

6. Major activities ans achievements:

Carrying out of an in-depth assessment of the performance of the NAO support unit in managing all EDF funded projects and programmes in Cameroon; This involved meeting or exchanging with all parties involved in the technical ministries (several direct labour set-ups), the PIUs, the EUD and the CAON managerial staff. As usual, this was done in order to assess the project's performance in light of the DAC criteria i.e. sustainability, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and relevancy. The assignment was carried out in two stages, the initial and main one being implemented between October and November. Recommendations also focused on the best possible NAO set up and technical assistance or support to be funded under the 11th EDF as of 2015, which included the technical cooperation facility ('TCF') as well.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

Although very often in a situation where assessing the on-going project's performance in the framework of other assignments, this was an opportunity to be involved in a typical evaluation mission while looking into the strategic particularity of supporting an NAO office yet another time.

All the same an opportunity to return to Cameroon over two years after having provided technical assistance to the very NAO office and support unit already in place back in 2012.

 

G. Republic of Chad: technical assistance (advice & support) to the NAO’s office in identifying and formulating the next support to the NAO project for the 11th EDF

 

1. Dates: February – June 2014

2. Location: Ndjamena

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (including the support unit) and ministry of planning, EU delegation, technical ministries and project/programme implementation units across all sectors.

4. Position: short-term expert, in partnership with ARS Progetti.

5. Responsibilities: team leader in charge of 2 experts specialised in vocational training and NAO support set-ups.

6. Major activities and achievements:

Performance and organisational analysis of the NAO support set up’s structure in Chad; Drafting of relevant documents as to the identification (PI fiche) and the formulation (Action fiche) of the project; Presentation of the different options possible and recommendations notably regarding vocational training and human resources management as well as with respect to the reinforcement of the Chadian administration; Organisation of several participatory workshops with all parties involved in the NAO system.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

Yet an other opportunity to take part in the highly strategic issue of supporting the EDF NAO function and related set-ups as well as reflecting on the EU’s aid effectiveness in general in the frame of the Paris Declaration/ High level forums agenda (ownership, harmonisation, alignment, results-based management and mutual accountability); In-depth analysis of paradigms concerning the absorption capacity of public administrations to integrate the NAO function, which is complex and with many folds.

 

H. Republic of Tanzania: advisory services as to future NAO support in the context of a gradual EDF phasing out

 

1. Dates: April – July 2013

2. Location: Dar-es-Salaam (& Zanzibar occasionally); field missions in Kigali (Rwanda) and Nairobi (Kenya).

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (support unit), EU delegation, technical ministries, departments and agencies, project/programme implementation units as well as EC Head office (….services / departments) and over 20 EU delegations and NAO offices/ support units in other ACP countries.

4. Position: Short-term expert, in partnership with Sofreco.

5. Responsibilities: Support to both the EU delegation and the NAO office (including its EDF funded support unit) in designing an EDF phasing out / exit strategy as to supporting the same office; This involved analysing how this issue is or has been addressed in other beneficiary countries while aiming at better ownership, capacity-building or streamlining of such set-ups.

 

6. Major activities and achievements:

6.1. In-depth analysis of the NAO set up in Tanzania, its connections or collaboration channels with ministries, departments and public agencies concerned; This included a workload assessment, numerous interviews or encounters with representatives or staff of all parties involved including within other international public aid structures (bilateral & multilateral) present in Tanzania; This involved contacting numerous EU delegations and NA offices across the EDF world, mostly in Africa and countries comparable or geographically close to Tanzania; Eventually, two field visits were carried out during the assignment (in Nairobi, Kenya and Kigali, Rwanda) for comparison purposes.

6.2. Organisation of a brain-storming workshop involving parties concerned (EU delegation, the NAO office, the MDA and implementing partners); This resulted in a intensive exchange of information/experience and a consensus on how to envisage the exit strategy sought without disrupting the on-going programmes while preparing a progressive phasing-out.

 

7. Skills and experience acquired:

An opportunity to be involved in the very highly strategic reflexion on EC aid effectiveness in the frame of the Paris Declaration/ High level forums agenda (ownership, harmonisation, alignment, results-based management and mutual accountability) as well as the future of the support to be provided to the NAO offices while ensuring ownership and sustainability.

This issue is very high on the agenda as the 10th EDF programming ends in December 2013 and that the 11th EDF is the last one falling under the present Cotonou partnership agreement (valid till 2020). It was very alighting indeed to see how these issues are addressed in most ACP beneficiary countries and what innovative solutions or approaches have been either envisaged or even implemented in countries, including neighbouring ones such as Kenya and Rwanda, both visited during the assignment.

 

I. Republic of Burundi: Technical assistance (advice & support) to the NAO’s office in the field of monitoring and evaluation of EDF funded projects and programmes

 

1. Dates: November 2012 – April 2013 & November – December 2013

2. Location: Bujumbura

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (Support unit included: CELON-FED), EU delegation, technical ministries and project/programme implementation units.

4. Position: short-term expert, in partnership with Sofreco.

5. Responsibilities: in a first stage, in charge of providing technical support with respect to M&E on one hand while designing and then executing a training programme in related matters (PCM, logical framework approach…); in a second stage (late 2013), in charge of following up on the technical support provided earlier as well as supporting the 11th EDF programming exercise to come.

6. Major activities and achievements:

Baseline analysis of the M&E system between the NAO’s office, the technical ministries and the project implementation units; coaching of the Celon staff in developing M&E tools, communication channels and strategic positioning; design and execution of a two month training programme (several components) provided to Celon staff, technical focal points within ministries and PIU staff; This included larger workshops on specific issues and involving staff of the European union delegation. The training programme was completed and the NAO office eventually adopted as well as implemented new M&E tools (such as data collection systems, an “essential indicators” fiche, dashboards etc.) between February and March 2013. During the second stage of the assignment, carrying out of a participatory assessment of the M&E tools put in place between November 2012 and April 2013 in order to reinforce the information system between the NAO’s office, the technical ministries and the project implementation units; coaching of the Celon staff and the project teams as to improving the M&E tools on trial, communication channels and strategic positioning of both the NAO support team and the EU delegation.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

Another professional experience acquired in a post-conflict country that has been through a very long period (since before the 1962 independence up to 2010) of swathes of political instability and severe ethnical conflicts followed by the displacement and reinsertion of people on top of overall extreme poverty. The EUD was very attentive to the evolution of my assignment as it was very concerned about acquiring strategic information of project performance bearing in mind that EUR 90 millions (out of a total of EUR 230 millions EDF envelope) are disbursed through direct budgetary support. The EU Commissioner for development visited Burundi on 20-21 February.

The second phase of the assignment provided us with a unique opportunity to follow-up on the implementation of an M&E system through the introduction of information collection tools. As M&E systems are often, let alone systematically, weak because of the lack of sufficient resources allocated to them (human, technical or financial), it was a very typical case of an attempt in reinforcing M&E tools in spite of the many constraints. It was also an opportunity to support the NAO support unit and its focal points within technical ministries in its capacity-building exercise on top of seeing how on-going programmes are faring.

 

J. Paris: Provision of a training programme to international civil servants on the role and responsibilities of the EDF National /Regional authorising officer

 

1. Dates: November 2012

2. Location: Paris, France

3. Organisation and parties involved: Institute Perspective, UEMOA (West African economic and monetary union)

4. Position: short-term expert; in partnership with the Perspective institute (Sofreco)

5. Responsibilities: in charge of providing a 5-days training programme to management staff members of the UEMOA commission (based in Ouagadougou) on several matters related to the EDF procedures (PCM, logical framework approach, tender and contracting procedures…).

6. Major activities and achievements:

Design and execution of a one week month training programme (several components) including the role and responsibilities of the NAO and RAO according to the Cotonou agreement and the practical guide, financial, tender and contracting procedures, the design and drafting of a project (including a practical case study) according to the logical framework approach and the priorities in terms of performance monitoring and evaluation.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

As a regional organisation, the UEMOA is regularly tasked with the management of EDF funded programmes with cross border involvement or impact (such as in the transport & communication sector or the environmental management one). This of course requires from staff of such organisations to master EDF procedures on top of project cycle management ones. A first time experience with respect to an assignment specifically devoted to training in an environment dedicated to education and andragogy or vocational training. I indeed usually provide training on PCM and related matters as a component of support to EDF managed projects assignment. A most interesting collaboration with the Perspective institute at Sofreco headquarters and perhaps a first step towards providing training or educational programmes in the area of managing international public tenders and/ or project management.

 

K. Islamic republic of Mauritania: Technical assistance in identifying a support programme to the Mauritanian security forces in the framework of implementing axis 2 of Europe’s Security and development strategy for the Sahel

 

1. Dates: October-November 2012

2. Location: Nouakchott.

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (Cellule d’appui à l’ordonnateur national du FED - CAON-FED); EU delegation and Mauritanian defence and security forces.

4. Position: short-term expert, in partnership with Linpico.

5. Responsibilities: in charge of assisting the NAO office (CAON) and the ad hoc working group in drafting the PIF – Project identification fiche and its schedules related to this new type of programme for the EDF in Mauritania. It involved working on almost a daily basis with military and police staff (army, gendarmerie, national guard, national security, police and civilian protection services) while constantly liaising with EUD staff and the CAON.

6. Major achievements and activities:

A comprehensive PIF was delivered before leaving the country during a meeting with the EU Delegate and staff concerned. As all its components needed be addressed, a thorough baseline analysis was carried out though meetings and working sessions with all parties involved. Which includes member States (France, UK, Spain, Germany) and others such as NATO and the USA. This included analysing the institutional context and the country’s national strategy on the matter, summarising these while following the logical framework approach in order to assess problems identified, stakeholders and possible areas to focus on. Half-day workshops with all involved were held three times during this 4 weeks assignment in order to agree on risks and assumptions to be taken into account so that success or failure factors pertaining to this kind of intervention would be identified as well. The identification process includes also looking into implementation modalities and drafting of a rough budget.

7. Acquired skills and experience

A major challenge as all had to be wrapped up in less than a month when parties involved had some disagreements on how to tackle the matter and related priorities. This involved putting together people from very different horizons (International aid and high-ranked officers from different security forces) not used to talk the same language. A most interesting experience in a country often subject to political instability let alone most of its population living in extreme poverty in a country squeezed between the Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean. This while the economical context is fragile and natural resources scarce (fishing, cattle, mines…) with on top of it all a very sensitive geopolitical disturbance both within national borders until recently and in neighbouring countries (Mali) presently.

 

L. Gabonese Republic: Assistance and council to the NAO with respect to the organisation of the EDF support unit

 

1. Dates: June-July 2012

2. Location: Libreville

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (Cellule d’appui à l’ordonnateur national du FED - CAON-GAB); EU delegation, technical ministries and project/programme implementation units

4. Position: short-term expert, team leader in partnership with Sofreco.

5. Responsibilities: 2 experts in charge of making recommendations with respect to managing EDF funds in the Gabon. This included an in-depth assessment on the whole NAO system in the middle of which stands his staff (the CAON - mostly supported by the Gabonese government since 2-3 years in this particular case) in the context of 10th EDF (already reduced at mid-term) envelope to be committed within a year and a half at latest.

6. Major activities and achievements:

Completion of a comprehensive operational audit of the CAON and the NAO system as a whole in Gabon. Analysis of the internal organisation and resources management (human notably), relationships with the EUD and PIUs, technical ministries and newly established government agencies as well as other major donors or technical and financial partners. To each weakness or threat identified, a recommendation was made in relation with forces and opportunities one could build on within the system. The assessment was carried out in a participative manner as CAON staff members (made of civil servants and contracted employees) were regularly invited to share their concerns or realities through interviews or small working sessions.

7. Skills and experience acquired:

A major challenge to meet in a quite difficult and tense context in which the management of EDF funds is very much weakened in a country experiencing an in-depth mutation since the new government issued from the 2009 elections embarked on restructuring its administration.

A task even more challenging indeed as time allocation was short in comparison with the diagnosis to be established (which involved many a meeting with focal persons) and the fragile situation the CAON found itself when government resources tended to be irregular or scarce notably with the defection of experienced staff members.

 

M. Republic of Cameroon: Technical assistance to the NAO support unit with respect of its internal procedures guide and the EDF overall management

 

1. Dates: March and May 2012

2. Location: Yaoundé and Douala

3. Organisation and parties involved: NAO staff (Cellule d’appui à l’ordonnateur national du FED - CAON-CAM); EU delegation, technical ministries, national EDF tenders commission, project/programme implementation units.

4. Position: short-term expert, team leader (in partnership with MDF international)

5. Responsibilities: as a team of 2 experts, tasked with a technical assistance assignment with respect to the drafting of a « strategic framework » on the management and monitoring of the European aid (EDF mostly) as well as with drafting a internal procedures guide for the CAON on the other hand.

6. Major activities ans achievements:

Carrying out of an in-depth assessment of the current situation in terms of projects and programmes funded which involved meeting or exchanging with all parties involved in the technical ministries (several direct labour setups), the PIUs, the EUD staff and the CAON managerial staff. This aimed at establishing or reminding roles and responsibilities of all involved in the project cycle be it programmes in the process of being identified, formulated, executed or evaluated. Amongst other things, a clear distinction needed be recalled between the master of works and the project manager attributions.

The assignment also involved coaching the CAON staff in carrying out its specific asks in terms of project manager, mainly with respect to reporting and/or monitoring & evaluation, management information system and executing programme-estimates such as the one pertaining to the Support to the NAO project (PAON in French) in a context of a CAON entirely supported by the EDF but having its own results and objectives to report on.

The achievements include:

1 / the drafting of a code of conduct (good practices) on the 10th EDF (€246,5 millions) management as to the roles to be played by all stakeholders at the different phases of the project cycle;

2/ the drafting of a very comprehensive guide on internal procedures to the CAON-CAM in order to prepare its phasing out « exit strategy » (of the PAON) and reinforce the role of government and its technical departments in their respective qualities of master of works or project manager.

This involved holding an appropriation workshop (1 day) focusing on these very roles and the responsibilities attached to them. This exercise included the participatory adoption of the above-mentioned documents by representatives of all stakeholders to the « NAO system » including the UE delegation and the technical departments of ministries concerned.

 

7. Skills and experience acquired:

A very typical case of a NAO office entirely financed through a specific EDF project (PAON) and supposed to act as an interface between the technical ministries and the EC (EUD) while formally falling under the minister that has been designated as the NAO (actually in charge of Planning and land administration) although not it does not have its own infrastructure. An opportunity to complete ones experience on how to co-manage the EDF through a devoted structure more or less integrated to the national administration.

An opportunity all the same to discover a country with much variety as to culture and geography (« Africa in miniature ») formally belonging to the Central Africa ensemble (as a neighbour to Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Congo and the CAR) but as much connected to West Africa (as a neighbour to Nigeria) and the Sahel (as a neighbour to Niger and Chad through the eponym lake all the way up north).

 

N. Burkina Faso : Technical assistance to the NAO department within the International co-operation directorate general

 

1. Dates: July - December 2010 & February – March 2011

2. Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

3. Organisation and parties involved: EUD, PIU, technical ministries and in first line, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, directorate general for Co-operation (DG COOP), in charge of co-ordinating external aid allocated to Burkina Faso as a whole (multilateral, bilateral, NGO…) as well as to measure its effectiveness  (Paris Declaration & high level forums). Community (EC) aid in Burkina Faso represents over 962 million euros since 2001 (9th & 10th EDF) and amounted to 1/5th of total PAD in 2008. Contact points: Mr Léné Sebgo, director general of Co-operation; Mr Dieudonné Goungounga, director for multilateral co-operation, Mrs Isabelle Sanou, head of EU service UE within the DG COOP an on the other hand, within the EUD, Mr Theo Hoorntje, Mr Arnaud Borchard an Mr Stéphane Brossard respectively head of operations, head of the  Economy, social sectors section and in charge of the support to the NAO project (PAON).

4. Position : monitoring & evaluation expert (in partnership with Cowi Belgium) more particularly in support of the NAO’s M&E monitoring & evaluation unit within the department in charge of following up EDF programmes (SPPC-UE – service de promotion des programmes de coopération avec l’UE). In charge of reinforcing capacities regarding PCM (which includes tender & contracting procedures) as well as issues related to co-ordination, the management of information and of human resources.

5. Responsibilities : reinforce NAO monitoring & evaluation system

In charge of elaborating and executing a training programme on EDF project cycle management (PCM) together with a methodological support delivered through the  « coaching » of the whole staff (13 civil servants) of the SPPC-UE. The programme was executed as complementary components during more than 3 months next to three specific workshops which included 2 on the « ideal » NAO support project.

PCM and M&E : training and coaching aiming at mastering all procedures and necessary tasks to be fulfilled when designing or implementing correctly EDF projects as a NAO. This of course includes drafting project identification fiches, Action fiches or annual action plans, tender dossiers mastering & contracting procedures, contract management, payment procedures, joint annual reports (NAO & EC) following the precepts of the EC on those matters (as in the PRAG) ;

Internal & external coordination – including with other technical and financial partners or donors : support to the coordination with other DG Coop departments as well as within the ministry of Finance (Planning, public tenders directorate…) project support units and above all the EUD (operational sections & « finances - contracts » section)  notably with respect to identification or formulation assignments;

Results – based external monitoring, monitoring & evaluation and development of management tools (dash boards and alert systems) : combine theory and practice through real life cases and solving everyday problems with the officials concerned. Support to information access and archiving ;

Tender & contracting modalities Modalities : as from October 2011, in close collaboration with the expert in charge of supporting the « contrôle-DAO » unit, execution of training modules (Cotonou agreement, EDF and NIP implementation, Financial Ruling, variety of contracts…

 

6. Major activities and achievements :

 

6.1. Assessment update on EDF management in Burkina Faso: as to the appropriation of the capacity of project manager, communication circuits, HRM (turnover, motivation and incentives....) ;

 

6.2. Elaboration and implementation of a training programme: 2-3 hours training sessions on site over four days each week in order to allow civil servants to allocate enough time to everyday commitments related to their job.

 

6.3. Specific one week workshop (October 2010) in Tengodogo: in collaboration with the expert in charge of the tenders – control component, Mr Dominique Lecompte (already a colleague in the DRC between 2004 and 2007), organisation of a workshop on the NAO’s responsibilities as a whole as project manager in a small town in eastern Burkina which involved the whole staff. Emphasis was put on financing, tendering, contracting & implementation procedures.

6.4. Two workshops on the « ideal » NAO set up  (December 2010 & march 2011):

A one-day workshop was held at the end of the first phase of the mission in order to examine how the NAO system could be improved through the best possible support project at present and under the 10th EDF. The whole SPPC-UE staff was involved as well as the contact person at the EU delegation. During the 2nd and final phase of the mission (February – march 2011), I have planned and then conducted a workshop (two days) focusing on designing the « ideal » NAO support project in Ouagadougou; next to NAO staff were several EUD officials and agents (including the head of cooperation) as well as officials from other departments of the ministry of Finance (Public tenders, Planning, Budget, Permanent secretariat…). The heads (DG) of all these departments were met at first in order to reinforce the participatory process. Outcome of the workshop was a consensus on the approach to follow especially in terms of specific technical supports. This exercise took into account the recent administrative restructuring implemented within the ministry in 2010 and which consequences were that the approbation circuit (and hence the system) was extended to other departments on top of the International cooperation DG.

6.4. Support and advice to the West Africa network meeting (8 – 20 October 2010):

The Burkinabe NAO department hosted the members of the « Réseau ouest-africain des cellules d’appui à l’ON » (which includes 12 francophone and lusophone countries in the region). responding the head of department’s request, I made a presentation on the specificities of the Burkinabe set up – actually quite similar to that one in place in Senegal. This was the opportunity to balance the advantages of a NAO office completely  integrated within the administration with more classical arrangements.

 

7. Acquired skills and experience :

 

This experience in Burkina Faso between July 2010 and March 2011with the NAO services within the very ministry of Finance gave me the opportunity to widen my knowledge on NAO set ups across the EDF environment, in West Africa more particularly, namely through taking part in the above-mentioned regional meeting.

The organisation in place in Burkina Faso, with this particularity of having all bilateral and multilateral co-operations united within one single government department, being almost one of its kind, was quite interesting to experience from « inside ». It is the implementation of the Paris declaration principles. This set up has its advantages as it has its weaknesses, notably as to the EDF system, which remains unique  and quite demanding in terms of allocated resources when compared with other technical and financial international partners.

Experiencing a country located across the Sahel and a sensitive position geographically (just when elections where taking place in neighbouring Ivory Coast but also with sporadic AQMI/AQIM interferences in Niger and Mali) was very enriching. The country has been through severe droughts but floods as well following heavy rains in Ouagadougou (September 2009) and in the West in August 2010. It is to mention that the EU and others have allocated means to those events.

It also allowed me to reinforce my experience trough frequent high-level contacts with both political and economical authorities in the country (top brass civil servants and officials, heads of cooperation, industry leaders…)

Being on location in February was an opportunity to experience the acme of the country’s cultural life, particularly alive with its theatre week and its notorious movie festival (Fespaco). The La political situation was slightly stirred late 2010 – early 2011 due to a growing discontent with respect of having the same man in power since 1987 (Blaise Compaoré). It even turned out to worsen quite significantly in March-April.

 

O. Democratic republic of the Congo : technical assistance to the EDF NAO as to monitoring & evaluation

 

1. Dates: February- March & June – July 2010

2. Location: Kinshasa, Democratic republic of the Congo

3. Organisation and involved parties: EDF NAO office & support services (COFED) du FED en RDC, ministry of Finance. The COFED, reinstalled as from 2005 after an EDF suspension that lasted some twelve years and again operational since 2007, was in charge of supporting the Finance minister in his capacity of NAO. It would co-manage (with the Commission) all EDF funded programmes and projects (9th and 10th  FED) ; which amounted to more than 1 billion euros since resumption of Community co-operation in the DRC back in 2002 (signing of the 8th and 9th National indicative programmes)

4. Position: monitoring & evaluation expert (in partnership with Linpico), in charge of setting up an M&E system for the NAO with respect to all EDF programmes and projects in the DRC, all areas included.

5. Responsibilities:

Under the direct authority of the COFED head, deputy NAO, and in close collaboration with the technical assistance team in place (3 TAs), in charge of piloting an awareness and preparation mission, both within the Cofed as with EDF technical partners. It consisted of developing a streamlined reporting system as to the achievements of expected results as formulated in the projects being implemented.

 

6. Major activities and achievements:

6.1. 1st phase: baseline assessment, designing and organisation of an initial M&E workshop:

Following the first interviews, it was decided to focalize on the 9th EDF Health Programme (PS9Fed), the Support to governance programme (« PAG » 9th EDF) and possibly the 2nd Support to rehabilitation programme (PAR II) of transport & communication infrastructures in general. The PS9Fed, started in 2006, was the first one being followed-up by the Cofed as it was reorganised beginning 2004. The team was completing its contract by mid-2011. As to the « PAG », having barely started in 2009, its project team had just been restructured at the end of that same year. In both cases, it was interesting to adapt the M&E system to the NAO’s needs with the advantage of the PAG’s one still being redesigned.

In parallel to those encounters, a workshop designed for those Cofed staff concerned, was run during several half-days in order to agree on the situation prevailing and on the most obvious needs. This was an opportunity to take all M&E systems in place through the grid in the various projects and being very practical while reviewing theoretical concepts with these very staff members. The outcome was a set of monitoring fiches (2 times one page) for two projects: one having to be filled in by the project units in the field, the other to be forwarded to the NAO after having been reviewed and analysed by his office in order to enable him to communicate on results achieved and objectives aimed at.

 

6.2. 2nd phase: implementation monitoring and consolidation workshop on lessons learned ad skills acquired:

Monitoring of the actual working out of the M&E tools designed during the first phase; notably with the PSUs of the Health programme (PS9FED), the PAG (support to governance)  and the PAR II  9th EDF, in close liaison with the sections concerned within the EU delegation. The assignment ended with a one-day workshop with all PSU heads, technical ministries officials and EUD staff concerned. The overall goal was to convince those interested in designing harmonized - hence simple, tools, meaning that could be understood by people that are not involved in those areas (such as colleagues present that day). The issue of communication to the NAO and from the NAO was the exercise’s spine.

 

7. Acquired skills and experience:

 

This experience enabled me to assess the level of professionalism acquired by the NAO office set up between 2004 and 2007. The progression in terms of responsibility had become very important. The NAO now monitors the whole 10th EDF programme and almost all 9th EDF ones.. Having taken part very significantly in its building-up since the beginning, being involved in recruiting and assisting many a Cofed staff member, it was quite enriching to realize how much was achieved.

 

On the other hand, the 2nd stage of my assignment coincided with the festivities related to the country’s 50th anniversary of independence, and it was truly thrilling to experience it on location.

Finally, working in Kinshasa remains a permanent challenge as one has to adapt continuously to a context that keeps on being very difficult in many aspects (political, logistical, juridical, security wise and even military). A county where the State of right is still inexistent and fundamental human rights such as individual freedom, liberty of press are still very stuttering.

 

P. Democratic republic of the Congo: Seconded to the head of the EU delegation in his capacity of EDF national authorising officer

 

1. Dates: November 2004 – December 2008

2. Location: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

3. Institution and parties involved: EC delegation in the DRC, on top of the Council and the European parliament, the Commission, a major institution of the EU, which is tasked with conducting its external policy, notably with ACP countries, representing some 24 billion euros (10th EDF at the time) in terms of development aid. This framework (Cotonou agreement) was suspended in 1992 with the DRC and resumed in 2002 with the signing of the 8th and 9th National indicative programmes (NIP). The Government office in charge of managing the EDF had withered and eventually disappeared during that very troublesome period.

4. Position: Responsible of the EDF Project management department, seconded to the head of delegation in his capacity of NAO on behalf of the Congolese government, which is to say managing all EC funded projects from their identification to their final evaluation and on the way their implementation (including tendering and contracting); This involved managing an envelope of some 1 billion euros, of which some 300 million in the course of being executed (6th, 7th and 8th EDF).

5.  Responsibilities:

NAO « makeshift »: Under the direct authority of the head of delegation, on one hand, in charge of setting up (as of end 2004) and then run the ad hoc unit (comprising a secretary and an accountant) within the same delegation (« internal » NAO) and on the other hand support the reinstalling of the structure aimed at assisting the EDF NAO (minister of finance) and the Congolese government in recovering the responsibilities temporarily in the hands of the EC through the delegation in the DRC. This meant assisting the HoD (and all operational section heads) as the prime interlocutor of the NAO as well as managing the abovementioned internal NAO cell under his formal responsibility as well.

   Project cycle management: making sure that project life cycles are well followed up, meaning the execution of all tasks linked to project identification and instruction, the elaboration of financial proposals, tender dossiers and procedures, contracting, implementation monitoring and control, payments authorisation and execution, joint annual reports with the NAO, in brief, everything according to EC rulings, precepts and procedures.

Liaise with all parties involved: making sure that there is coordination with the delegation’s « finance & contracts » section, bring technical competences to the NAO in the frame of the attributions him granted through the Lomé and Cotonou conventions, the appropriate training, regular contacts with all actors/partners involved within the delegation as with all technical parties (NAO services, technical ministries, contract holders, other donors and international agencies multilateral & bilateral …) ;

Follow up, monitoring and evaluation: making sure that project execution happens as prescribed by EC precepts both as to administrative and financial procedures as well as to managerial ones (results oriented management, logical framework approach). In coordination with the NAO office and related EUD units, making sure archiving and filing of all financial conventions / projects happens in a simple and effective way while being pedagogic with all those involved, especially on the Congolese side.

 

6. Major activities and achievements or projects:

6.1. Setting up of a NAO support unit within the delegation: a very specific management information system was put in place (as project documents had to follow a double circuit) in order to enable the NAO in his capacity of project manager to be included within the delegation while allowing operational sections to fulfil their role as EC; This involved training my own staff (secretary + accountant) in the process.

6.2. Support to the HoD in his role as NAO: Moreover, the HoD as project manager from the EC side had to be represented in his monitoring role within the project support units as well as towards the technical ministries or departments in their own capacity of master of works for all EDF funded projects 6th, 7th or 8th for most of them.

6.3. Support to the Congolese authorities in putting back the NAO system in place (€3.2 million project): In constant liaison with the co-ordinator of the NAO support unit (Cofed) and his technical assistant (an LT expert: Mr Dominique Lecompte), my office has been instrumental in reinstalling this national cell within the ministry of finance, notably through direct contacts with the minister and his staff, as to recruiting and training the personnel (2005-2006) as well as to restoring a formal collaboration circuit formal between the Cofed and the delegation on one hand, between the Cofed and the public services concerned by the EC co-operation on the other hand;

6.4. Institutional support Programme (€19.2 million): a project managed by the EUD from A to Z (closed end 2006), it entered upon several areas related to reinforcing the capacities of those involved in dealing with the NAO’s office; it also supported areas directly involved in the on-going democratic transition in place (justice, elections, "transition" institutions – June 2003 to December 2006).

6.5. Support to rehabilitation programme (€ 80 million): consisting in restoring the country’s major roads, tracks and causeways (Kinshasa, Bandundu, Equator provinces), it was by far the most important projects amongst those under implementation end of 2004 when it actually started. It followed up on a very similar one that ended that same year. It was still being executed in 2010. In the absence of an actual head of infrastructures section within the delegation until mid 2006, I was tasked with its coordination, which included supervising the PSU team (3 expatriates and several Congolese engineers) and all projects components across the country.

6.6. Assist in co-ordinating with other donors or international technical & financial partners as representative of the EC / EDF: as there was no chief of co-operation until early 2007 and between late 2007 and early 2008, I filled in on many a instance as the EUD representative or co-representative in monthly donor meetings that included the UK (DfiD), the USA (Usaid), France, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, the IMF, the IBRD/World bank and all other UN agencies regrouped under the UNDP resident representative and his deputy (Mr Mountain and Mrs Lise Grande). This included a meeting in Brussels late 2006 that paved the way to closer collaboration with the national authorities through the ministries of Planning and Finance after the installation of the newly elected government in February 2007.

 

7. Acquired skills and experience:

 

This professional experience within an EC delegation in the DRC enabled me to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the EC’s procedures (financial, managerial and contractual) and the way it actually works between the headquarters and the field. More specifically it included life experiences as essential as:

 

- Evolving in a country in a « post conflict » situation (almost under trusteeship of the UN with some 17,000 soldiers / blue helmets spread across the whole territory) where national capacities (human, material) are extremely week and the risks of a major destabilization still pretty much important;

-  Adapting to a most difficult context in many crucial or basic areas (political, logistical, juridical, and even military or related to severe insecurity still prevailing in huge swathes of the country ware extreme violence occurs on a daily basis, let alone the risk of having foreign troops intervening or of militias supported by outside quite high.

 

It also allowed me to enrich my experience thanks to:

 

- Continuous and in-depth contacts at the highest level with political and economical authorities including counsellors to the presidency, ministers, senators and members of parliament, top brass civil servants and members of the, captains of industry, entrepreneurs and business people etc.

- A much wider and deeper knowledge of a country where I had my first professional experience some 13 to 15 years earlier (between 1989 and 1991), notably through trips and assignments across the country (in 8 of its 11 provinces), in its eastern part more particularly (Katanga, North and South Kivu and Oriental – Iturbi);

- Being an elections observer through the EU’s financial involvement if financing and organising the December 2005 referendum and October 2006 presidential and legislative elections (the first ever over some forty years).

 

Q. Support to the Comoros NAO project (amongst other projects followed-up between 1999 – 2002 within a major international consultancy – cfr. « Engineering, procurement & construction ») folder

 

1. Dates: September 1999 to June 2002

2. Location: Brussels, Belgium (with many a assignment to Romania and Tunisia for EU funded programmes)

3. Organisation/ company: MWH sa (Montgomery Watson Harza), Belgian sister company of MWH Inc. (USA & UK).

International engineering firm specialised in contracting, turnkey projects and technical assistance in various areas, world leader with respect to water and environmental issues (wastewater treatment, sewers, hydropower, industrial and household waste management) Numbers 5,500 staff and set-ups across the world (Americas, Europe, Africa, Near-, Middle and Far-east, as well as Oceania).

Turnover for 2001 fiscal year: € 850 million.

4. Position: Business Manager, seconded to the managing director of the EPC&M (Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Management) department.

5. Responsibilities:

As project manager, I would, amongst other activities, be involved in identifying, responding and following up international tenders issued by States or multilateral organisations which included contracting eventually.

 

6. Major activities and achievements - main projects (refer to the « EPC » folder on the main webpage, as well as to the « Monitoring & evaluation » and « Donors and international financial institutions » folders) with notably:

 

6.1. Support to the NAO of the Islamic republic of the Comoros

Pardevo SA, front office of Montgomery Watson in Belgium in an initial stage, merged with MWH afterwards, held for some years this typical EDF system project (it was re-awarded in 1999). Considering the quite difficult context in which the contract evolved in some instances, notably as to the personnel turnover and the relative geographical isolation, the backstopping and involvement in Brussels could be quite significant.

 

7. Acquired skills and experience:

 

This professional experience with MWH, although initially focused on wastewater and environmental management, would regularly overflow on to other areas (in correlation with Pardevo’s practice and expertise) such as technical assistance or projects / programmes supported by the external and/ or development aid in fields as essential as (see also other above-mentioned headlines):

 

- The performance monitoring and evaluation (PMES) of international projects financed by major institutions (EC and Tacis, Phare, MEDA, EDF, ISPA, the EBRD, the World bank, the ADB…) including bilateral (International co-operation DG, Finexpo, BTC in Belgium, DFID…) and the mastering of their administrative procedures (e.g. « logical framework approach » of the EC);

- The management and backstopping of international teams in multicultural environments;

- Procurement and supply control;

- Cost control, demands and constraints of wide range projects (€40 to 50 million)

It also enabled me to widen my experience through permanent contacts with both local authorities and companies and numerous countries: Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Near East, in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.