CAG Concludes First Pan-African Senior Leadership Programme on Building Strong Nations
- 20 senior government leaders from 10 countries across Africa were in Singapore to attend the final segment of the Strong Nations for Africa Programme as the inaugural cohort
- The Programme drew upon CIG's unique and holistic understanding of Strong Nations - which have wise governments, vibrant businesses and unified communities, and are helmed by leaders who understand and effectively steward the national story
- The Programme combined expert-led discussions and lectures with curated learning journeys, allowing participants to observe policy in practice and to identify good practices for their respective home countries
- This final segment rounds up and complements
the earlier two segments – one held in Nairobi, Kenya, and the other done
online
Held from 28 August to 1 September 2023, this final segment of the programme focused on the three pillars of a strong nation, which aligned to the three main actors in any country - wise government, vibrant businesses and unified communities.
Participants were introduced to the concept of national story, and the important role that government leaders play to steward that story in policy design and implementation. Participants drew on lessons from the Singapore story and discussed how they – as leaders – could also steward their own national stories. They were also introduced to the Singapore corruption control system, and reflected on tools and frameworks that could be adopted in their respective countries.
Mr. Kenneth Sim, Dean, CAG, sharing about the role of government leaders in stewarding the national story
Mr. Soh Kee Hean facilitating a discussion among the participants on fighting corruption in the Singapore context
The week-long programme also looked at the role of government in building a vibrant economic environment, which is the engine for prosperous nations and building a strong middle class. Following an expert lecture focused on tools and frameworks designed to help participants diagnose the health of a nation’s economy, participants were also brought on learning journeys to better understand key facets of Singapore’s policy approach towards economic development. These include visits to the Institute of Technical Education – a lynchpin for skills training and workforce development – and to Singapore’s industrial parks.
The Programme also looked at the government’s role in building unified communities in cultures of diversity. Participants embarked on a self-led learning journey to different parts of Singapore, including its residential heartlands, to understand how various policy levers in areas such as housing, urban planning and education, work in concert to foster social interaction and to promote social mobility. Lessons from the learning journeys were also discussed through an expert-led workshop on policies and systems adopted by governments across the world to build unified communities.
This final segment built upon, and complemented, the previous ones. The first segment held in Nairobi had focused on helping participants to develop a shared understanding of the African context, including its challenges and goals, and their roles as government leaders from the continent. The second segment – held online – was focused on helping participants understand and build individual leadership competencies.
More information about the intent and design of the programme can be found here.
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About the Chandler Academy of Governance (CAG)
For more information about CAG, please visit https://www.chandleracademy.org