Strengthening the Capacity of Local Authorities in Algeria

8 - 10 December 201, Geneva, Switzerland - As part of the capacity building activities delivered by UNITAR's CIFAL Maghreb - affiliated International Training Center for Authorities and Leaders - in Algiers, sixteen government officials of the Algerian Ministry of Interior and Local Authorities took part in a Training of Trainers delivered over three full days in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Algerian government has, for many years, made training a priority, in particular, to empower state representatives at the subnational level and elected officials at the local level. The country can rely on a strong training apparatus focused on competence, with the National School of Administration (ENA) and the establishment of eleven training institutions for local authorities across the country, as its central pillars. In this context, UNITAR aims at complementing existing programmes by focusing, inter alia, on strengthening the capacity of trainers to provide state-of-the-art training that empowers local authorities in the most practical way.

The first Training of Trainers module delivered in Geneva indeed fits within this framework, since its objective was to reinforce the ability of trainers to integrate new training practices, educational procedures and methodological components enabling them to provide new training activities to local constituencies. First in a series, this training workshop’s objectives consisted in reviewing the pedagogy of adult learning, improving and assessing the efficiency of training materials, elaborating presentations and acquiring persuasion skills, implementing different types of training activities depending on selected objectives, and managing different types of audiences. Several simulation exercises enabled participants to turn newly acquired competencies into practice during the training.

With the Ministry's guidance, training delivered to local authorities across Algeria should be aligned with beneficiaries’ needs and their impact should therefore reach the next level, resulting in civil servants - including both officials working in Algiers and in Wilayas (subational administrative entities) – being better equipped to perform their duties. UNITAR is committed to strengthen technical capacity in order to enhance the quality of the relationship between administration and citizens at the local level.

Group photo of the participants

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