In a bid to understanding the effects of international development cooperation on young people’s opportunities, Konrad Adenauer Stifung (Kenya) and the Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) will hold a two days conference in Nairobi.
The key focus will be on exploring the debate on development assistance taking stock of the last 60 years, as well as discuss experiences of the youth if it has helped them in decision-making processes in their countries, harness different topical approaches for knowledge exchange and peer learning which will include educational and health.
According to the conference’s concept paper, Kenya has made significant political, structural and economic reforms that have largely driven sustained economic growth, social development and political gains over the past decade.
“However, its key development challenges still include poverty, inequality, climate change and the vulnerability of the economy to internal and external shocks.”
Participants of the conference will be drawn the field of development economics, political leaders who will give their views from a government perspective, academia, youth, and civil society organizations actively involved in development assistance.
Key speakers will be Prof. Wolfgang Gieler – FH Dortmund, Raphael Obonyo-The Youth Congress, Natalie Mukundane – African Union Commission, Elsie Masava –Plan International, S. Opitz Head of GIZ in Kenya, Amb. Boaz Mbaya – Centre for Policy Analysis among others.
It is expected that proposals discussed at the conference will be used to come up with a publication and position papers to be used by KAS and IREN with a view to entrenching participation in political processes in Kenya and implementation of the findings.
Development assistance is designed to promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries is increasingly becoming a reagent for change. It has helped to create strides in the social (health, education) economic (infrastructure, source of income) and even political fields of some developing countries.
Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) shows a growing increase in development assistance to Kenya meant for development programming.
Government support comes in two forms: budgetary support and project support.
Unlike the past, where information on donor funds was hard to get, in Kenya today, Article 211 of the Constitution provides for Parliament to develop legislation to prescribe the terms on which the national government may borrow and also to impose borrowing requirements. The constitution also requires the cabinet secretary for National Treasury to provide any information concerning any particular loan or guarantee and its usage.
“These provisions have enabled the parliament to have an increased oversight role on development assistance and international aid in general,” according to Prof. Karuti Kanyinga in ‘Kenya Democracy and Political Participation.’
