Capacity development continues to constrain development in Africa. The lack of state capacity to carry out basic public management functions means that large segments of the population cannot gain access to basic social services. Weak state institutions also hamper entrepreneurship, creating obstructions to competition and stunting economic growth.
Meanwhile, community and civil society groups without the capacity to organize cannot influence government planning and budgeting processes. Institutions of higher learning and think-tanks lacking personnel and resources will not undertake needed applied research, and support knowledge sharing between public, private, and civil society sectors. The Bank has extended its traditional focus in Africa beyond building organizations and individual skills to strengthening institutions and public services, and shifting to programmatic support, with emphasis on public financial management, decentralization, and governance. It has also increased its range of lending instruments for delivering capacity building support.
While the Bank is moving to customize its capacity building methods to country conditions, it must develop sector-specific guidance on diagnosing capacity needs and evaluating capacity building measures. |
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