Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

David Stillman, Executive Director and Alexander Baldwin, Program Manager of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation took part in a United Nations-hosted seminar entitled “Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Protection of Women in Africa.” The event was chaired by Patrick Hayford, Director of the Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (OSAA), on September 15th, 2009. Ms. Ecoma Elaga, a gender and SSR expert from Women, Peace, and Security Network in Africa, presented a working paper that served as the basis for discussion.

Ms. Elaga described SSR as a process to reform or rebuild a state’s security sector, notably in post-conflict or transitional situations, especially as aimed towards ensuring human rights and rule of law. She presented findings and recommendations on how donor agencies, national governments, and international stakeholders can best implement SSR that is responsive to the needs of women. Currently, the greatest challenge is getting actors and stakeholders adequately to budget for and implement existing resolutions and policies. Other main areas of concern were general resource constraints in the sector, need for better monitoring with assured consequences, and strengthened coordination among donors and stakeholders.

Discussion amongst panelists evaluated Ms. Elaga’s paper, and the history and current issues of the security sector in Africa, leading to dialogue on how to proceed in making protection of women and SSR viable.

Adedeji Ebo, Chief of SSR at the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), stated that many security sector institutions in Africa dated to colonial control mechanisms, and in more recent years also had many negative connotations. He thus asked participants to think of SSR in relation to positive strategic objectives of participation and governance. He was glad that African voices were making important contributions to the SSR programs of the UN.

Kristen Valasek, the Gender and Security Sector Reform Project Coordinator at the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, highlighted that SSR is a global issue and lessons learned from various stakeholder experiences were helpful in developing a more coherent strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Anne Marie Goetz, Chief Advisor for Governance, Peace, and Security at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), lauded Ms. Elaga for her ambitious paper and stated that moving beyond rhetoric remains a problem for gender issues. Ms. Goetz cited that despite the recent focus on economic and social empowerment for women, currently only a minuscule portion of donor funding is invested in gender-focused programs, and with little input from the countries where programs are implemented.

Speaking in the open dialogue, Stillman urged that the proceedings lead to practical outcomes linking public and private sectors and all relevant stakeholders. He noted the DPKO Gender Resource Package for Peacekeeping Operations (2004) and mentioned his previous work for OSAA on human security in Africa (Dec. 2005). Ms. Goetz responded to Dr. Stillman’s contribution as saying it was imperative to follow up with relevant United Nations agencies to generate tangible outcomes.

Regarding follow-up to this seminar, Ms. Mieko Ikegame, Senior Adviser of OSAA, mentioned that the outcome will be fed into ongoing activities related to the various inter-agency task forces such as those on SSR, DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration) and Africa. OSAA also intends to make the outcome available to UN Member States through regular contacts with African missions as well as the members of Friends of OSAA.

Mr. Hayford concluded the meeting by stating that OSAA intended to continue to foster discussions and documentation that could contribute to shaping policies and actions within the UN family and in African countries. The discussion paper will be available in the near future and will be linked to by PPAF when released.

Related Links:

Human Security in Africa by David Stillman

Gender Resource Package for Peacekeeping Operations

Mountains of garbage are a dirty reality for Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. But with assistance from the UN Development Program, a new waste management project hopes to turn trash into a cheap source of energy. The paper waste gets pounded, mashed up, mixed with sawdust, and then squeezed into cylinders to make a dry briquette of recycled paper charcoal. Without electricity, Haiti’s population of nearly nine million depends on wood-based charcoal for fuel. So it is no surprise that the country has lost 98% of its trees. Though a tropical island, parts of Haiti are fast becoming a desert, where bare mountainsides lead to erosion and severe flooding. The briquettes could help solve Haiti’s looming environmental crisis.

The Public-Private Alliance Foundation now has an events page that provides extensive coverage of PPAF events, including Flickr photos, YouTube videos, mentions in the media, press releases, and event summaries. Visit this page to get the latest information on upcoming and previous events hosted by PPAF!

The third in PPAF’s series of meetings on biofuels and bioenergy, in collaboration with ResearchPAYS, will take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from October 7 to 9. Planning meetings took place in early September in Santo Domingo. Please see the press release, events page, and the YouTube videos below for further information.

Interviewed on Dominican TV, David Stillman and Tom Kadala describe plans and the format for the forthcoming Bioenergy international debate co-organized by PPAF and ResearchPAYS. The meetings will be held 7-9 October 2009 in Santo Domingo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Co-hosts will be H.E. Carlos Morales Troncoso, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Enrique Ramirez, President of the National Energy Commission. The Revista 110 Sabado Agropecuario show is hosted by Dr. Enriquillo Rivas and Manuel Gonzalez Tejera.

Ambassador Federico Cuello introduces Pres. of National Energy Commission (CNE) and organizers of forthcoming international debate Bioenergy Investment Risk Management through Business Model Innovation. CNE President Enrique Ramirez announced convening of event and spoke of importance of bioenergy to the D.R. Others present: David Stillman, PPAF; Ambassador Juan Pla Gomez; Tom Kadala, ResearchPAYS.

The Maxims News Network featured the Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF) today in an article entitled Financial Solutions for Green and Bio-Energy in Dominican Republic. The article includes videos, photos, and an event summary from the “Partners Against Poverty” conference held at the United Nations and co-sponsored by PPAF on June 17, 2009.

For further information, please read PPAF’s report on the event or visit Maxims News article.

The UN Economic and Social Council reviewed the report of the UN Public-Private Alliance (UNPPA) for Rural Development at its July 2009 session in Geneva.  This report of the UN Secretary-General was part of the Council’s review of economic and environmental questions for sustainable development.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF), a non-profit organization, was created under the aegis of the UNPPA to work in practical ways for business, poverty reduction and the environment. Work of PPAF is highlighted in the report.

Nikhil Seth, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination introduced the report on UNPPA. E/2009/72    It is also available in Spanish and French.  He said that the promotion of rural development was essential to reducing poverty and for promoting better standards of living for much of the world’s population and for meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  The report provides updates to the 2003 declaration of promoting partnerships amongst stakeholders in support of rural development. It highlights the importance of rural development and the impact of the recent global financial and economic crisis on this. According to the report, the crisis can be expected to further impoverish people in many developing countries, and further compound their difficulties arising from food and energy crises and the climate change.

In the discussion among government representatives to ECOSOC, speakers said that partnerships among stakeholders were vital for rural development and in protecting local resources.  In particular the United States delegate encouraged the UN to foster partnerships focusing on sharing knowledge and expertise for development of rural communities and to promote partnerships for sustainable development.

The Report makes special note of the contributions of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF) to the efforts of UNPPA by bringing together corporate sector, government, civil society, academia, and the United Nations, to facilitate linkages, promote partnerships, encourage capacity-building and mobilize resources, commerce and investment in support of development.  The report also highlights the PPAF role in two UNPPA countries – Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.

In May 2007, PPAF held its first Partners Against Poverty event at the United Nations, to connect policy-makers with local development initiatives. This led to organizing a conference on fish farming in the Dominican Republic, with collaboration from the Dominican Aquaculture Association (ADOA), the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, the UN South-South Unit, the FAO and others.  ADOA has since taken several further actions.  PPAF enabled Esperanza International, a microfinance organization in the D.R., to obtain a grant from Western Union Foundation.  PPAF provided funds to the Office of the First Lady of the D.R. for community efforts to rebuild housing after tropical storms.  PPAF also promoted the charitable work of the famous Madagascar singing group Mahaleo and the opening of a permanent exhibit on Madagascar at the Bronx Zoo.

At its second annual Partners Against Poverty event at the United Nations in July 2008, public, private and other representatives gathered to focus on promotion of health, agribusiness, renewable energy, sustainable tourism, microfinance and entrepreneurship in Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.  This led to PPAF collaboration with Project C.U.R.E. to deliver over $1.2 million in medical equipment and supplies to Madagascar. The Permanent Mission of Madagascar to the UN and Project C.U.R.E worked to raise $100,000 from private donors for shipment of the goods.

Building upon the 2008 meeting PPAF has worked with a Dominican growers’ nonprofit organization, GLOCAL, and with a Canadian buyer and investor, Oneel Corporation, to promote production and export of vegetables and fruits and related farmers’ capacity-building.  PPAF has also collaborated with New York representatives from the National Supermarkets Association, the distribution company Super-Produce, and the Centre for Export and Investment of the D.R., to promote Dominican exports to New York’s Hunts Point Market.

PPAF and business collaborators also explored issues of sugar-based ethanol and related bio-energy, leading to a partnership with ResearchPAYS, Inc. to develop further initiatives for stakeholder collaboration.

PPAF’s third annual Partners Against Poverty event (May 2009) brought together high-level Dominican, Brazilian, Haitian, U.S. and UN public and private participants to focus on ethanol, leading to further work in New York and the Dominican Republic on investment and commercial prospects of bioenergy.

PPAF continues to work with the United Nations and other stakeholders to promote development and alleviate poverty in developing countries. PPAF looks forward to building upon its collaborations in the Dominican Republic and Madagascar and expanding these to Haiti.

Frank Astacio, host of Sabado Agropecuario TV, interviewed Dr. David Stillman, Executive Director of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, which was a co-convener of the First International Conference for Investment, Education and Transfer of Technology for Development of Aquaculture in the Dominican Republic.

Christiana Sciaudone of Recharge News recently wrote a story featuring the Public-Private Alliance and their efforts to facilitate public-private investment in ethanol that was published on June 26, 2009.

The full article, Dominican Republic ripe for sugar-cane ethanol financing, can be found below:

With many of its sugar-cane fields lying fallow, the Dominican Republic is ideal for ethanol investment, and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has launched a major initiative to make sure that happens.

The New York-based Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF) is seeking ways to finance ethanol deals, It aims to “reach business deals in ethanol and related biofuels”, says David Stillman, PPAF executive director, PPAF says it has received calls from groups in places as diverse as Hong Kong and New Jersey that are interested in participating.

Sugar is currently grown in the Dominican Republic, but ethanol is not produced because Stillman says it considered that “the market was not right”. However, steps have been taken to improve market prospects, including a law that promotes renewable energy with favourable taxation and import-structure regulations.

PPAF held a major meeting last month, bringing together government, business, NGO and academic representatives,

Grupo Vicini, which has been growing and milling sugar cane in the Dominican Republic since the 19th Century, is participating in the PPAF discussions, and is analysing the potential of producing ethanol and co-generating electricity.

‘We are still going over the numbers,” explains Marino Incháustegui, industry and energy director at Vicini. The analysis should he done within the next four months.

He adds that while ethanol investments will be judged by the bottom line, “if the bottom line is there, we will be there”.

The export potential for the Dominican Republic is also promising, as it is not limited by trade barriers like those in Brazil, where the US imposes a $0.54 per gallon tax. Brazil is being consulted, due to its years of ethanol-production experience, and it is hoped Brazilian development bank BNDES will be interested in financing local production.

However, one possible problem specific to the Dominican Republic is that most of the cane-cutters are Haitian immigrants. There are long-standing issues regarding both illegal immigration in the country and their working conditions, which must be tackled if plans go ahead.

The article is available for download in PDF, Microsoft Word .DOC, and JPG.

Bill Miller, host and producer of Global Connections Television, interviewed Francis Lorenzo, Ambassador, Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations and Vice-Chair of the Board for the Public-Private Alliance Foundation. They discussed the Millennium Development Goals in the D.R and how public-private alliances can contribute to alleviating poverty.

Bill Miller, host and producer of Global Connections Television, interviewed Aristides Fernández-Zucco, Minister of State and President, Dominican Republic National Energy Commission. They discussed the bio-energy strategy of the D.R. and Law 57-07, and development of bio-fuel production on the Haiti-Dominican border.