SURF-WCA Mandate

The SURF WCA has been mandated to provide support to the West and Central Africa sub-region. In this context, our vision is to contribute to the strengthening of UNDP's CO substantive capacity by delivering knowledge services and providing knowledge products in concentration areas, whilst supporting the generation of business opportunities for the CO.

The following paragraphs will provide a succinct description of all the types of services that we can put at the disposition of the country offices in the West and Central Africa sub-region.

Policy advice and technical backstopping in UNDP's practice areas. Our Policy Advisors are available to share their expertise and insights when you need policy support or have key programme documents that need review. Many Country Offices have taken advantage of our help in programme development and drafting, CPDs and TTF proposals, reviewing CCA/UNDAF's, or consulting on PRSP's. SURF-WA staff are also available to consult on national HDRs and all aspects of the MDG's, including monitoring and reporting. Policy advisory missions can last from 2 days to 2 weeks.

Finding the right expert or information when you need it can be a particularly difficult. To help you meet this challenge, our expert referrals give you access to high quality CVs and SURF staff can provide you with research based on in-depth web and database searches.

Networking and knowledge sharing is key to UNDP's strategic plans. We actively participate in UNDP's global knowledge networks and are working to develop mechanisms to promote information sharing in the sub-region for UNDP staff and development partners. We have recently established sub-regional knowledge networks for UNDP Resident Representatives, economists and communications officers to discuss MDG related issues.

UNDP is committed to become a knowledge-based organisation through effective knowledge management. Learning from practice is an important part of this process. We want to help you disseminate successes and lessons learned, both within the sub-region and globally. We will work with you to identify, codify and disseminate best practice examples and lessons learned. In addition, SURF-WA staff plan and participate in conferences and training events that promote learning from practice.

The SURF-WCA will continue to support the UNDP country offices in the sub-region, on a demand driven basis, whilst concentrating in the Practice Areas of Poverty Reduction, Democratic Governance, Energy and Environment and HIV/AIDS and the crosscutting areas of Gender, Capacity Development. and Knowledge Management and Resource Mobilization. Additionally, support to the achievements of the MDGs is envisaged by our team. Furthermore, the SURF is already seeking alternative strategies to adequately respond to the new and growing demand for services from the country offices. Some of these strategies will consist on the production of knowledge products that can be used by a greater number of country offices.

In summary, our SURF-WCA is committed to closely work with your country office aiming to better respond to the Administrator's challenge of making a difference in Africa which as he correctly put it in the Dar Cluster Meeting "Africa is the frontline. If we do not make a difference in Africa, we will not be credible".