November saw the launch of ICLD’s latest international training programme on inclusive political leadership. The purpose of the programme is to analyse how teams from different countries can work together to come up with solutions for improving access to clean water, for sanitation and more effective waste management.
“Globally sustainable societies depend on a new leadership. An inclusive leadership is important for social, economic and ecological development for the whole world”, says Astrid Nunez, Programme Officer for international training programmes at ICLD.
They are to examine ways of solving problems associated with the provision of local services and functions.
The teams are made up of local politicians, members of non-governmental organisations and local officials in various groupings.
“It was the first time we met both mentors and participants. It was interesting to notice that there was a positive dynamic right from the start. We got the impression that this is a good group with good mentors,” says Astrid Nunez after the first meeting, which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The teams from South Africa, Botswana and Namibia are made up of five individuals, while the teams from Zambia and Kenya have three participants. ICLD advertised via its local networks in order to recruit participants, but the organisation also used other contacts in the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKL) and Swedish embassies. The applications were reviewed, the applicants interviewed and then a selection was made.
“It feels like these participants are extremely motivated, which is an important factor for us,” says Astrid Nunez.
Following initial meetings, the teams will now work on the projects for a period of 18 months. They will travel to Sweden for two weeks of intensive training at the end of April/beginning of May 2018.
“Every time you take a new step it needs to be evaluated, which will probably happen in June 2018, after the first Sweden phase,” explains Astrid Nunez.