On 2 March 2009, the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Edwin N. Forlemu, ACBF Executive Secretary a.i., signed on behalf of ACBF and Carlos Lopes, United nations Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UNITAR, signed on behalf of UNITAR.

As part of a joint ongoing UNITAR/IDI/UNCTAD Global Project to train Public Debt Audit Officials in ‘Auditing Public Debt Management’, a survey was conducted (February 2009) to assess the feasibility of using distance learning and e-Learning as part of the training process. The survey questionnaire was sent to Sovereign Audit Institutions (SAIs) of 28 developing and emerging economies with a view to study the e-Learning readiness of these institutions.

6 April 2009
Nairobi, Kenya

Within the contents of the agreement, a wide array of areas are covered including in-country capacity development projects; satellite imagery analysis and education to assist in operational missions ; the dissemination of international migration law (IML) ; the advancement of strategic policy thinking and dialogue in this important field; and the strengthening of local networks to foster inter-regional collaboration on integration issues.

In its April session, the Global Project Board welcomed UNITAR as an Associate Partner of the Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies". The Global Project, which is hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and run in collaboration with other international and regional partners seeks to become the world wide reference point for those who wish to measure, and assess the progress of their societies.

With outreach, cost-effectiveness and flexibility in mind, UNITAR will use its time-tested and innovative methodology of e-Learning (online training) to train public finance officials from Ibero-American nations.
In the coming months, UNITAR will develop and deploy four six-week e-Learning courses, on themes including negotiation skills, intellectual property and capital markets. These will be offered for free to the public sector, civil society and academic institutions, thanks to generous support from the Spanish government.

Following the partnership, signed on 21 April 2009, between the Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain) and United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), it was agreed that UNITAR will receive fresh graduates from the university and provide them with an opportunity for a first international working experience in the United Nations specialized body in training and research.
UNITAR’s International Law Programme is pleased to welcome the first collaborator from the Universidad de Zaragoza.

Under this joint effort, UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) will build upon the training resources (case studies and exercises) developed under the UNITAR administered project, Climate Change Capacity Development (C3D) to develop a joint module on vulnerability and impact assessment.

Building for Peace 
Launch of the International Architectural Prize in Post-Conflict Reconstruction
Hiroshima, 24 April 2009
An initiative by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)
and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
 

Course dates: 20 April – 29 May 2009
Application deadline: 10 April 2009