German-Tunisian Academy for Good Governance

projekt beendet

ContextAfter the revolution in 2011, Tunisia went through a process of transformation. For a successful transition towards a free and democratic basic order, several conditions need to be met: decision-makers from politics and administration must promote the process in a peaceful and constructive way, and citizens must support the changes. At the same time, the administrative machinery must be reorganised into a modern and citizen-responsive system which is guided by the principles of good governance, such as transparency (including decision-making), cost-effectiveness and the rule of law.The great majority of experts and managers in politics and administration have not yet been able to implement this adequately. The conduct of many employees is still typical of the previous autocratic, centralist system. Individuals employed after the revolution have only been able to gain limited practical experience. Overall, the knowledge and skills needed to actively shape change are lacking in many places.ObjectiveManagers and experts in government and administrative bodies at national, regional and local level achieve significant and lasting changes in accordance with the principles of good governance.ApproachThe project works closely with the National School of Administration (ENA), which has a long tradition. The school’s infrastructure is modern and it has a pool of 400 teaching staff. The focus of the project is on qualifying experts and managers and promoting mutual exchange. The German-Tunisian Academy for Good Governance has been set up at the Tunisian National School of Administration for this purpose. One of the conditions for participants to take part in the academy’s training course is that they develop and implement an actual reform project with their respective ministries. The project should achieve a transformation in administration which is tangible for the citizens.The academy offers a wide range of activities:- An eight-month training course in Tunis for 25 to 35 participants covering the topics of good governance, for example decentralising the administration, controlling finances, ensuring integrity and combating corruption;- Regional seminars for experts and managers from the regions on good governance topics;- Study trips to Germany for acquiring practical experience and interacting with experts in selected fields of good governance policy;- International conferences and dialogue events in Tunis and the Tunisian regions on selected topics of good governance;- Promotion of networking between alumni and Tunisian and German experts on good governance, for example through events and guest lectures;- Reform coaching and organisational development.With its training course, study trips, regional seminars and an international conference, the academy has now trained more than 1,500 individuals from administration, the private sector and civil society, one third of them women.The project’s cooperation partners are the European Academy Berlin and the Leadership Academy of Baden-Württemberg. The project supports Tunisia’s International Academy for Good Governance and is housed on the premises of the National School of Administration (ENA) in Tunis.The project is part of a special initiative run by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) designed to stabilise and promote development in North Africa and the Middle East. Through the projects that make up this special initiative, BMZ is helping to open up economic and social prospects for people in the region. Within this context, an additional sum of more than EUR 300 million has been earmarked for projects carried out by GIZ and other implementing organisations in the period from 2014 to 2021. The thematic focus is on youth and employment promotion, economic stabilisation, democracy and stabilising neighbouring countries in crisis situations.

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