Training and Peer Learning workshop on Infrastructure Asset Management for local and central government officials in the Gambia

The United Nations Capital Improvement Fund (UNCDF) organized a workshop on infrastructure asset administration in Banjul from 12-15 June 2023. This workshop passed off as a part of the worldwide (carried out in a number of nations) joint UN DESA, UNCDF, and UNOPS mission “Enhancing the resilience, accessibility and sustainability of infrastructure belongings in growing nations alongside the Belt and Street initiative in assist of the 2030 Agenda” (Known as UN-Infrastructure Asset Administration: UN-IAM) .The Gambia is the primary nation internet hosting the mission in West Africa.

The capability constructing on Infrastructure Asset Administration is essential in growing nations notably in The Gambia. Underinvestment in upkeep of infrastructure has been estimated to price some growing economies as much as 2 % development in GDP. Underbudgeted and under-maintained infrastructure belongings usually tend to fail, disrupting important providers like transport, water and sanitation or strong waste administration. Such vulnerabilities have been notably evident in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put further pressure on infrastructure belongings like hospitals, IT, power grids and water and sanitation programs to reply to the pandemic and its financial and social impacts.

With the participation of regional space councils and native authorities officers from – areas (Brikama, Kerewan, Mansakonko, Jangjangbureh, Kuntaur and Basse), the occasion was inaugurated by Lands, Native Authorities and Non secular Affairs Minister Hon. Abba Sanyang represented by Ms. Fatou Gibba, Director of the Division of Neighborhood Improvement (DCD). 54 contributors had been drawn from a number of central authorities establishments and and native governments like Banjul Metropolis Council, Kanifing Municipal counil, Brikama Space Council, Kerewan Space council, Mansakonko Space council, Jangjangbureh Space council, Kuntaur Space council, Basse Space council, Division of Neighborhood Improvement (DCD), Gambia Affiliation of Native Authorities Authorities (GALGA) and Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Company (NDAMA).
The coaching aimed to:

• Improve capability amongst central and native authorities officers
• Perceive and provoke the appliance of infrastructure asset administration toolkits of the Handbook in assist of the sustainable growth
• Design and formally undertake a participatory multiyear AMAP for every native authorities.

Companion companies supplied updates on the on ongoing work relating to their Municipal Infrastructure Asset Administration. Over three days, the coaching included displays and exhaustive discussions on asset administration ideas, fundamentals, and local weather resilience associated features. Trainees had been initiated to Asset Administration diagnostic instruments and AMAPs ideas and elaboration steps and labored interactively on defining AMAPs for essential infrastructures recognized on the degree of their native governments.

In accordance with Mr. Touchdown B Sanneh, President of GALGA: “As custodians of decentralized buildings and grassroot growth in The Gambia, the coaching on Asset Administration has but once more supplied our Asset Managers with the requisite information on asset administration and its contributing worth to the expansion and growth of the assorted councils. Offering such an necessary coaching will pave the best way for our cherished goal to arrange area to construct the inspiration for change in Councils, which can embrace the right administration of Councils’ belongings with efficient and environment friendly service supply”.

UN-IAM interventions in The Gambia will assist native and nationwide entities to undertake higher infrastructure asset administration practices. UNCDF will due to this fact promote:

• the combination of the monetary, human and materials useful resource wanted to conduct correct infrastructure asset administration into public funding methods to strengthen the sustainability of public investments.
• good asset administration to additionally assist debt sustainability: Sound infrastructure asset administration practices decrease long-term public expenditures tied to asset failures, improve their income potential and foster creditworthiness of native and nationwide governments.

“Sustainable infrastructure administration is one the best Gambian native governments expressed and noticed wants, this workshop goals to design and launch the implementation of sensible plans to face this matter. At UNCDF, we’re wanting to assess the way it will work and dedicated to boost and tailor our future actions with our UN mission companions accordingly” stated Issam Chariag, Program officer at UNCDF.

As deliberate, the most important output of the workshop was a participatory multiyear AMAPs for every native authorities designed and formally adopted. To make sure the method continuity, an asset administration champion by native authorities has been designated to guide the refinement, finalization, and implementation of the AMAP of their areas, UN associate companies will accompany the method and supply the wanted assist for every of the six native governments.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Capital Improvement Fund (UNCDF).