Overview Presentation, April 27, 2006 First TAI Global Meeting, Bangkok, Thailand Africa

Background TAI pilot assessments conducted in Uganda and S. Africa in ; Pilot assessments presented a real opportunity to test the methodology; A number of African researchers and organizations have been deeply involved in the development of the TAI Tool kit

Selected Findings from the Pilot Assessment in Uganda  Progress on legislation and less progress on practice;  Legislative progress on participation – followed by information and least on access to justice;  Practice varies from sector to sector – less institutionalized and dependent on individual personalities;  Practice more common in social sectors e.g. health and less in economic sectors such as forestry, wildlife, fisheries, energy, etc.  Practice more widespread in sectors with significant donor presence and funding.

Expanding the Zones of TAI in Africa Since 2003 to date, TAI Africa has grown to encompass 9 countries. The expansion has been mainly guided by long standing relationships between ACODE and local partners in the selected countries as well as the availability of funding; Funding from the Norwegian Trust Fund of the World Bank helped bring ILEG (Kenya) and LEAT (Tanzania) on Board acting as nucleus for TAI coalitions in those countries.

Expanding the Zones of TAI in Africa Funding from the EU is supporting TAI assessments in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and a repeat assessment in Uganda; Funding from the FCO of the United Kingdom is supporting a TAI assessment in Cameroon/currently the only French speaking African country in TAI.

Status and Growth of TAI Africa Nigeria Cameroon Gabon DRC Angola Namibia S.A. Bots Zimb Mozambiq Zambia Malawi Tanzania Kenya Uganda

Case Study Selection in TAI Assessments in the Africa Region Fisheries policies and fisheries projects.

Case Study Selection in TAI Assessments in the Africa Region Pollution case studies

Case Study Selection in TAI Assessments in the Africa Region Forestry policy and forestry projects including permitting and concessions

Case Study Selection in TAI Assessments in the Africa Region Access to clean water and water projects

Common Outreach Strategies TAI findings are integrated into the programming work of partner organizations ACODE project on biodiversity and poverty funded by USAID; ILEG project on access to information supported by DFID; CEPA initiatives in SADC ACODE/ILEG/LEAT engagement with the EAC/AMCEN and NEPAD

Common Outreach Strategies Judicial training programmes on access rights; Legislative reform initiatives through supporting the work of Government Departments and Members of Parliament; Citizens petitions; Public interest litigation; Mobilization of African countries to join PP10.

Success Stories Out of Africa The enactment of the FOI Act in 2005 (the Act came into force on Thursday 22, April 2006) is significantly attributable to TAI work in Uganda; A Bill for a FOI legislation has been submitted to the Kenyan Parliament and ILEG was at the centre of ensuring information relating to the environment was included in the scope of the Bill; Judicial training in Uganda and Kenya has revolutionalized the perspectives of judicial officers on access to justice in environmental matters. Indeed, decisions coming out of East Africa over the last 5 years are a clear testimony of the far reaching impacts of our JTP; Selected support for communities has helped in raising awareness on environmental substantive and procedural rights.

Shared Challenges Intra and Inter-country diversity – language, political culture, development stages, the level of growth of civil society; TAI is a time intensive exercise especially if for organizations and individuals that work for change –many of African partner organizations have limited although committed human capital; Unpredictability/unavailability of adequate financial resources limit the growth of TAI Africa; The process of mobilizing African Governments to subscribe to PP10 will require substantial human and time input, predictable funding for the process and patience.