South African Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan and Canadian Minister of International Cooperation, Honourable Julian Fantino, have signed an agreement that will see Canada increase its support for projects aimed at improving the performance of South African government agencies.
Canada will, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), contribute $10 million Canadian dollar over five years to the National Treasury’s Technical Assistance Unit (TAU).
Established in 2001, TAU is focused on improving the performance and the quality of government spend in the South Africa. It provides technical and advisory services and management support to government institutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service.
The type of assistance TAU provides focusses on capacity development in operations management, managing for results and leadership development.
TAU has received R86 million from CIDA since 2007 and supported 213 departments and public entities during that period. These projects include the Financial Intelligence Centre for Operational support and the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation in its endeavour to introduce the outcome-based approach.
This approach to development aid not only provides a platform for capacity development, but forms the bedrock of the strategic relationship that has developed between the two countries.
While South Africa has made great strides since the dawn of democracy in 1994, it struggles to cast out the legacy of apartheid. Initiatives such as TAU are aimed at addressing key capacity constraints in implementing its various policies.
Mr. Gordhan and the Honourable Fantino met at the margins of the World Economic Forum for Africa in Cape Town.
