Signing of MOU between the National School of Government and French Government
The Principal of the National School of Government (NSG), Prof. Richard M Levin signed a Memorandum of Understanding today with the French government for the yearly management training of South African government officials in France. The ceremony formalised the collaboration between the two institutions. The participation in the Ecole Nationale D’Administration ENA training programmes is considered as one building block towards a stronger, more meaningful and sustainable collaboration between ENA and the NSG.
“Let us take this initiative to greater heights. We need to tailor make the programme into and African Governance Programme and it must be offered as a higher diploma and later at a Masters level”, said Prof Levin. He further emphasised that the programme should be created at a global level and must resonate with the African continent. The training is aimed at capacitating civil servants in African states to enable them to initiate sustainable projects with lasting impact. Mr Matthieu Leclerc, Head of Department Africa/ Middle East within ENA, indicated that the partnership between ENA and the National School of Government NSG is important as it creates a space where learning will take place by both partners with similar ambitions to capacitate the state.
The ENA training programmes, the French Embassy and the NSG agreed that the scope of the partnership should be expanded to include other areas of collaboration such as exchange of information and publications on training programmes, curricula of studies and other activities of common interest; exchange of information on the use of pedagogical tools (case studies, seminars, simulations); promotion of contacts and exchange of trainees, students, top civil servants, experts and researchers (study visits, training sessions); increasing participation of South African candidates to ENA’s long-term trainings, in coordination with the French Embassy in Pretoria; joint participation in workshops, conferences, research programmes and colloquiums; joint search for new partnerships in other African countries, including post-conflict ones as well as annual participation in management training programmes offered by ENA, among others.
An important strategic development during the NSG and ENA collaboration is the signing of the Partnership Framework Document (“PFD”) by President JG Zuma during his State visit to France in 2011. A new Partnership Framework Document was signed by President JG Zuma and his French counterpart during the President’s State visit in July 2016. The PFD reaffirms the commitment of the two Heads of State to continue to work together for the development of their respective countries. The new PFD covers the period of 2016 to 2019.
Enquiries:
Ms Dikeledi Mokgokolo
Cell: 082 888 2355
E-mail: Dikeledi.mokgokolo@thesng.gov.za
