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Summary Annual Report 2008 3
1. Foreword
Strengthened capacity for positive
change in West & Central Africa
A number of recent successes demonstrate
that rapid progress is possible
across Africa when sound national programmes
are matched with good governance,
dynamic local leadership,
adequate development assistance and full
technical support.
These tasks have now become more challenging
since we face a global economic
slowdown and a food security crisis, both
of uncertain magnitude and duration. Climate
change has also become a major
concern. These developments will directly
affect our efforts to reduce poverty: the
economic slowdown will diminish the incomes
of the poor, the food crisis will increase
the number of hungry people in
the world and push millions more into poverty,
and climate change will have a disproportionate
impact on the poor,
especially in Saharan countries. However,
this could also be an opportunity for
Africa to boost her regional markets. The
recent meetings of the West African Economic
and Monetary Union and the Economic
Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) mentioned this opportunity.
The midterm evaluation of the global effort
to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals by 2015 shows already that
many WCA countries are having problems
achieving the goals set. All this presents
us with a real challenge of sharing a vision
in order to be able to act collectively
in fighting these crises within our competencies.
As we confront these new challenges, our
strategy remains to keep our focus on increasing
access to good basic services
(such as primary education, primary
health care and sanitation) and increasing
income and employment opportunities.
At the same time we need not to
forget matters such as governance for
empowerment, domestic accountability
and gender equality.
Supporting relevant stakeholders in identifying
the actions and policies needed to
respond to these and other multifarious
and interlinked development challenges is
at the heart of SNV’s work.
As this year’s Annual Report details, we
do this by developing the capacity of
men, women and institutions to improve
lives and accelerate change in their environment.
This report highlights the relevance of our
work. It outlines how SNV is focusing its
support on increasing access to good
basic services (BASE) and increasing production,
income and employment opportunities
(PIE). Alongside the two impact
areas PIE and BASE we focus on Governance
for Empowerment and sustainability.
Through these and other activities,
and in close collaboration with other partners
such as the Embassy of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands, SNV WCA remains
committed to supporting countries in
their efforts to help build a better life for
their people by connecting people capacities.
Hans van der Graaf, Regional Director
SNV West and Central Africa
SNV West & Central Africa