The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need, and power,of focused international co-operation...... The lessons learnt give us an insight into the kind of action that is required to address many of our global challenges, such as the threat of climate change,poverty,air, land and sea pollution and other diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.
International co-operation is nothing new. There are numerous examples of treaties, agreements and memoranda of understanding that have had huge benefits for the participating nations.Few of these modes of co-operation, however,can compare, in terms of efficiency and delivery of outcomes,with the Project that has a clearly articulated set of objectives, budgets and action plans.
The aim of International Development Projects is to benefit society,irrespective of socioeconomic status.This justifies the commitment of large sums of public funds required for the execution of such projects. With the continuing growth of our global population such projects inevitably will increase in number,scope,as well as urgency.
A few examples of projects that fall in this category are:
•Developing a vaccine to immunize people so that their bodies can neutralist the pathological consequences of COVID-19 infection.
•Use of particular renewable energy sources and technologies to generate electricity so as the reverse the threat of global warming brought about by widespread use of fossil fuels as a source of energy.
•Re-cycling and re-use of plastics so as to reduce the environmental pollution brought about by dumping these materials after use.
•Developing technologies to make building materials from waste products such as alien weeds (that threaten ecosystems),bricks and concrete waste obtained from demolished buildings, and other solid waste materials that are often disposed of in landfill sites.
What is common to such development projects is that they all require:
1.Significant funding to make them successful.
2.High level knowledge and expertise to use appropriate technologies to realize the project objectives.
3.Good co-operation between the different project operators to not only complete individual activities correctly, but also to co-ordinate and integrate the contributions of individual project participants.
Apart from the above fundamental resources(money and manpower), to convert a development dream into reality, the following are needed:
a)Very good project management.
b)Agreement on values, i.e. the integrity involved in utilizing responsibly the allocated budget resources.
c)Dedication to the intended outcome. Invariably, many of the participants are also working on other urgent and time-consuming projects.
d)Commitment to achieving the agreed milestones.
e)Exceptional communication ability, because it is necessary to inform stakeholders continually on progress, as well as highlighting unanticipated problems which may require additional funding.
Many international development projects are administered by agencies which are attached to government entities that have their own reporting requirements and deliverables. The fact that there are multiple stakeholders,who all have an interest in the outcome of the project, automatically discourages personal or group interests from hijacking the project, as is often the case with projects undertaken by national governments where the party in power makes the rules.
The key for success is to have a capable, decisive and principled project manager.The project manager needs to be fully conversant with all the reporting requirements of all the stakeholders and ensure these are met.A good rapport needs to be established with all these agencies. This is necessary to develop trust between the funding agencies and the executing project team.Some agencies have specific notice periods for drawing of funds, which need to be taking into account when disbursements are required.
More importantly, the project manager needs to spell out the criteria including individual and sub-group transparency, responsibility and accountability, and emphasis right from the start that NO QUESTIONABLE BUSINESS PRACTICE will be tolerated, and when the manager becomes aware of the slightest deviation from these,he/she will exercise his/her authority to remove the offending person from the project.
The project manager needs to have his/her finger on the pulse, as it were, and know exactly what each member of the project team is doing at every stage of the project.All project participants need to understand that no lengthy negotiations or investigations will be entered into. To do this, it is necessary that the project manager has the necessary authority.
Other important considerations which are often overlooked include the following:
i.Many development projects involve the generation of intellectual property (IP) during the execution of the project. The question of ownership of intellectual property needs to be discussed up front. It is wise to avoid lengthy negotiations around IP because this can delay the project significantly.Agreement in principle needs to be reached that the IP issues will be sorted out fairly on completion of the project. This attitude fosters a spirit of co-operation and acknowledgement of co-dependence.
ii.The project manager needs to have the respect of ALL collaborators. Professional people often have divergent views on procedures, protocols or methodologies, and these can lead to sharp disagreements. Other challenges include financial constraints as well as interference by entities with political motives, and more. Sometimes the project manager needs to make decisions which are not popular with some members or the whole team, and if there is a lack of respect, this can derail the project.
iii.The role of the project manager of such high profile projects comes with considerable prestige, but also has a burden of great responsibility and the incumbent needs exceptional wisdom to overcome these and other challenges. When difficulties arise which can threaten to destroy the project,ALL participants need to recommit to the original objectives of the project and put aside personal preferences.Often the tact and ingenuity of the project manager is tested to the limit.
Participation in international projects is often a huge learning experience, but the benefits of a successfully completed project of this magnitude frequently exceed the financial investment and pale into insignificance in comparison with the inconvenience of having to suspend individual plans that the participants have,of necessity,had to do.
Engagement with clearly defined collaborative projects is often a far more effective way of bringing about change,as compared to signing a memorandum of collaboration, or a collaboration treaty, because the latter examples are often too vague to result in specific intervention.In the author’s opinion a well-structured international project with clear objectives is the most effective way of addressing a problem that plagues us in our complex world.
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