The Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) is Singapore’s umbrella technical assistance programme to developing countries. In 1999, the Small Island Developing States Technical Cooperation Programme (SIDSTEC) was set up under the SCP as part of Singapore’s efforts towards assisting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to achieve sustainable development. Through close collaborations with development partners and recipient countries, it aims to foster mutual learning, cooperation and friendship amongst countries to promote sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
Key Information
Case Study
Background:
Singapore launched the Small Island Developing States Technical Cooperation (SIDSTEC) Programme at the United Nations General Assembly 22nd Special Session in 1999. This five-year programme was part of Singapore’s contribution to sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). SIDSTEC initially covered topics such as urban development and environmental management, which were closely aligned to the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action.
In 2005, Singapore announced the indefinite extension of SIDSTEC at the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS. SIDSTEC also expanded to cover a broader area of current developmental issues such as public administration, governance and law, and civil aviation.
Results Achieved:
To date (July 2010), the SIDSTEC programme has trained over 6,000 officials from 37 small island developing states.
Main Activities:
Over 50 training courses, conference, seminars and workshops are organised in Singapore annually where training and living costs (training fees, accommodation, per diem) are covered under the SCP. Besides classroom lectures, participants also make country presentations to share experiences and exchange views. Participants are also brought to site visits to observe first hand the best practices of various facilities and organisations in Singapore. In some cases, Singapore trainers have flown to recipient countries and foreign experts from our partner countries have flown to Singapore to offer value-added expertise in their specialised areas.
Future Replicability
Lessons Learned:
In recognizing effective technical cooperation it is important to consider the the changing needs of recipient countries as well as react quickly to the ever-changing regional and global landscape, especially on issues that are transboundary in nature, e.g. issues such as environmental sustainability, emerging diseases and pandemics, and natural disasters. Regular reviews are conducted to ensure that training courses remain topical and relevant.
We have also learned that more output can be achieved with greater impact and having limited resources by creating synergistic partnerships with both recipient (South-South Cooperation) as well as developed countries and International Organisations (Triangular Cooperation).
For example, the SCP has forged strong development partnerships with more than 30 like-minded countries and international organisations. Collectively with our partners. We are able to do more and offer greater breadth in coverage and depth in expertise in our joint programmes, to better meet the needs of the developing countries.
Key to Success for Future Replicability:
The key success of the SCP and SIDSTEC lies in its commitment to human resource capacity building through continuous consultations with key stakeholders. This involves getting structured feedback from participants and training agencies through various evaluation channels before, during and after each training course.
In addition, collective sharing of best practices, knowledge and experiences is also crucial to the success of this project. The programmes goes beyond classroom lectures, as it includes case studies and visits to relevant institutions in order to educate participants with relevant on job experience. As every country is different because of social, economic and geopolitical factors, the program encourages participants not to adopt wholesale but to shape ideas and lessons learned to suit their countries' specific needs The value proposition is that such adaptation will help speed up progress and development.
Contacts:
Focal point(s) in lead country/organizationmfa_scp@mfa.gov.sg
Focal point(s) in other participating countries
