A four-day training of trainers workshop on the Millennium Development Goals/Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (MDG/PRSP) advocacy and dissemination strategy ended last Friday at the Baobab Lodge in Kololi.

The training was organised by the research team led by the coordinator of Strategy for Poverty Alleviation Coordination office with support from the Pro-Poor Advocay Group and Action-Aid International - The Gambia.

It was aimed at providing participants with relevant messages to enhance the understanding of the general public about the MDGs and PRSP.

Addresing participants at the opening, Sheikh Lewis, secretary general of ProPAG lamented on the lack of visible linkage between national development and the MDGs. He observed that the initiation of UNDP showed how willing the UNDP is in collaborating with the government and civil society organisations in the fight against poverty.

Mr Lewis then defined capacity building as the ability of individuals, institutions and society to perform and solve problems as well as set and achieve goals in a manner that will be sustained. He then described the training as another step to build the ability of stakeholders to enhance efficient resource utilisation, allocation and expenditure.

For her part, Mrs Adelaide Sosseh, chairperson of the Pro-Poor Advocacy Group, described the campaign as vital as they already have major ingredients already in place to guarantee success. She reiterated that the training is important as a way forward for the successful national programme implementation to meet the targets set for MDGs by 2015.

Thus, according to her, it is of great importance to the UNDP and The Gambia government to embark on this laudable initiative of consultations with the general public with the view to strengthen ownership and also broaden their knowledge on the PRSP/MDGs process so that they can realign their programmes and priorities to eradicate poverty.
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rs Sosseh then highlighted the role of Pro-Pag as very important as they have been and continue to be active in the process of development of programmes targeting the poor and needy in The Gambia.  

Sering Falu Njie, director of Spaco highlighted major issues to be addressed during the PRSP II implementation such as ownership, expansion and strengthening the participation of stakeholders in all dimensions of the poverty reduction programme.

Mr Omar Jobe, a member of Pro-Pag explained that Pro-Pag is meant to advocate and build capacities in meeting the MDG/PRSP objectives and principles which will foster commitment, build accountability and transparency.
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her speakers included Alieu Darboe of MDI and Mrs Juldeh Ceesay of Spaco.