The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), World Bank Group and Islamic Development Bank convened a high-level dialogue and curriculum development workshop for the PIUneer platform in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 31 and September 1.
PIUneer, meaning “Project Implementation Units for Results”, is intended to strengthen how project implementation units measure and deliver development results.
The platform seeks to address fragmented monitoring systems across multilateral institutions by developing shared standards connected to national systems.
The curriculum will cover monitoring and evaluation, project delivery, behavioural science, data science and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital platforms and geospatial data.
Project professionals will also receive coaching and participate in peer exchanges designed to support evidence-based decision-making.
Kenya Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning John Mbadi said stronger implementation was essential as the country confronted population growth and limited employment opportunities. “The biggest challenge that we have as a country is the challenge of a growing population, young people coming out of colleges and institutions of higher learning, and jobs are scarce,” Mbadi said.
“If you don’t find something for them to do, then certainly you will have a problem.”
World Bank Vice-President for Eastern and Southern Africa Ndiame Diop said 360 million young Africans would reach working age during the next decade, while only about 150 million jobs were expected to be created. “Africa’s youth want jobs and a stake in the future,” Diop said.
AfDB Impact and Results Department Director Armand Nzeyimana said the discussion should focus on converting investment decisions into measurable results. “Today’s conversation really needs to focus on execution, translating ambition and investment decisions into measurable, impactful, tangible development outcomes for Africa,” Nzeyimana said.
“It is equally important, as we seek to achieve lasting development results, to invest in institutions and people, in their ability to plan, prioritise, implement, measure and use evidence to drive development.”
Islamic Development Bank Partnerships, Global Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation Department Director Syed Husain Quadri called for country-led development and fewer overlapping reporting systems.
Quadri warned against imposing “five different results frameworks, five different scorecards and five different mutual assurance agreements” on implementing institutions.
The Nairobi workshop concluded with consensus on the curriculum structure, priority skills, learning model and implementation plan.
The meeting marks the beginning of further PIUneer engagements and regional rollouts across Africa.
–AfDB/ChannelAfrica–
