This week was scheduled for a CP3P training in Senegal. CP3P refers to the Certified PPP Professional Program initiated by the World Bank, EBRD, ADB, Inter-American Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank and managed by APMG. I am an accredited trainer for this program since 2018 and I deliver these trainings on a regular basis on behalf of K-infra, a premier PPP training boutique from Spain.
After an early train to Brussels and a comfortable flight with Brussels Airlines albeit with a 2 hour delay, I arrived in Dakar on Tuesday evening. Missed my airport transfer so I had to arrange a taxi which is always a hassle in particular when you’re new to the country. Negotiated a fair price for the ride to Sally which is approximately one and a half away from the airport. Turned out I had negotiated quite well as the price I had paid was about half the normal price, I had to endure though quite some complaints from the driver. Mostly in French so I could not understand everything, which maybe was a good thing.
The training venue was Hotel Filao, a resort like setting that was occupied for the most part by senior citizens from France enjoying their winter sun. At the beach, with a swimming pool and daily entertainment in the evenings. Which may sound holiday like though is actually quite frustrating as you cannot enjoy any of it being locked up the training room from 9 in the morning til 5-6 in the afternoon. And after a full day of training I first need to recoup for some time before I can even enjoy at least some part of the evening.
The training was organised by ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States and funded by the Spanish Development Agency AECID. The group included mostly government representatives from ECOWAS countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, The Gambia, Liberia and Cabo Verde. Definitely an interesting group and as typical for Africa somewhat chaotic yet enthusiastic, warm and with lots of humor.
When in Africa, the credo ‘when it cannot be done as it should be done, it should be done as it can be done’ definitely applies. The course materials as well as the exam papers had not arrived in the hotel, so I had to start without the printed handouts and in the meantime also track the whereabouts of the missing parcels. Thanks to the support from K-infra’s backoffice, Cristina Bocos and Laura Romero, we were able to locate the parcels. They were at the local DHL office, which was 300 meters from the hotel….. They had called the hotel several times though for some reason it was not delivered or picked up.
The schedule was also, let’s say dynamic. Initially the plan was to have the training course for all 3 levels of the training program in 10 days. Normally, the different levels require respectively 3, 6 and 6 days. In total 15 days. Already following the webinars it became clear that this was not realistic and it was agreed that level 3 would only be introduced and would have to be done largely through self study. Allowing 2 days for level 1 and 6 days for level 2 and 2 days for introducing the level 3 course. However, after 1 and a half day of level 1, it became apparent that quite a number of participants had difficulties in absorbing the quite substantive amount of information. Obviously it was particularly challenging for the Francophone participants as the course and its materials was in English albeit with simultaneous translation. So we agreed to revise the schedule to allow 3 days for the level 1 training. Unfortunately it did not fully result in the aspired effect as still 9 out of 25 failed the exam, which is way below what I’m used to. It’s always frustrating to inform candidates they have not passed their exam.
Quite a tough week. Physically demanding even (at least for a middle aged man with some overweight). Long days with no time off in the weekend. Nevertheless highly rewarding as reflected in the received positive feedback. Though as much as I love Africa and its people, I don't mind that my friend Andres Rebollo arrives next Tuesday to take over and deliver the remaining days.
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