Programme Cooperation Agreement 2010 – 2011

The participants of the third round of FK North-South exchange, meeting in Arendal before starting their placement periods. From left: Sahon Flan (Ivory Coast), Joel Sangulukani Simwinga (Zambia), Proscovia Khanzira (Uganda), Bernardas Padegimas (Lithuania/Norway), Rannveig Knutsdatter Formo (Norway), and Neto Nengomasha (Zimbabwe). (Photo by Lawrence Hislop)

North-South exchange

paid to targeting individuals (‘participants’) and national institutions (‘partner organisations’). GRID-Arendal and its African partners began the third round of the North- South exchange programme in September 2011. Six participants – two from Norway, one from Ivory Coast, one from Uganda, one from Zambia and one from Zim- babwe – are now almost half-way through their posting periods at their host institutions. To secure ownership, partner organisations set their own objectives for what they would like to see achieved in the current round of the exchange, in relation to national and regional atlases and other environmental assessments. In response, for example, capacity built at NEMA-Uganda is being used to develop the Zambia and Zambezi Basin atlases. In addi- tion, a common objective for all partners is to support the AEO-3, as well as to contribute actively to the rejuvena- tion of the UNEP-led AEIN. i The participants in the current exchange round have expressed their personal and professional ex- pectations for the exchange (see boxes below). The feed- back suggests that expectations are to a great extent be- ing met, which compares favourably with the results of overall programme monitoring by FK Norway. A vital component of the programme going forward will be a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the FK pro- gramme on partner organisations – a strategic evaluation

of this kind is timely given the length of the programme’s history in GRID-Arendal.

Expectations from the exchange:

“To grow professionally and personally.” (Bernardas) “To gain personal growth, work experience in a new en- vironment, new skills, techniques and ideas, and new friends and networks.” (Joel) “To gain skills in geographic information systems; to in- crease my networking with environmental experts and stakeholders both within and outside Africa.” (Neto) “To share my knowledge gained at the home partner with the host; to gain experience to help me in my professional and future advancements of study.” (Prossy) “To strengthen our partnership…. through new collabo- rative projects.” (Sahon) “To gain critical insight to the way in which a govern- mental environmental organization in a developing country in Africa works... to work closely with UNEP and …gain insight into the workings of this large inter- national organization.” (Rannveig)

29