• Mrs. Mam Sillah CHAM, Secretary-General of the Gambian National Commission
• Mrs. Claudina DUPRET, Permanent Secretary of the Cape Verdian National Commission
• Mrs. Hawah GOLL-KOTCHI, Secretary-General, Liberian National Commission
• Mr. Jean-Paul GOMES, Secretary-General ,Guinea-Bissau National Commission
• Mr. Assane HANE, Secretary-General, Senegalese National Commission for UNESCO
• Mr. B.I.S. KONNEH, Secretary-General, National Commission of Sierra Leone, were present at the meeting.

BREDA’s programme specialists and associate experts as well as Mr. A. Camara of BB on mission at BREDA, took part in the proceedings.

Through UNESCO National Commissions which serve as relays between Member States and the Organisation, Mr. Parsuramen expressed the wish to give new impulse to the dialogue with the Representation countries, strengthen cooperation and expand the scope of his action in order to make the Organisation more visible. This meeting aimed at identifying activities which could be jointly conducted during this biennium, and if not be planned to be taken into consideration in the next biennium.

Following a short introduction by Mrs. Marietou Diagne, Assistant, Liaison officer with National Commissions of the Host Country and those of the Representation countries, two addresses were made:

1. By Mr. Assane HANE, Secretary-General of the Senegalese National Commission (see in Appendice)
2. By Mr. A. Parsuramen, Director of BREDA which dealt mainly with the following points :

• BREDA’s willingness to work closely with National Commissions by actively involving them in its activities/programmes which thus should reflect their needs and preoccupations. BREDA which keeps in touch with National Commissions, will do everything to understand their preoccupations in order to meet their expectations with concrete actions.
• Missions will conducted as soon as possible to the Representation countries the Director had not yet visited.

- His wish that this meeting which is the first of its kind be held at least once a biennium.

2. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
3. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY SECRETARIES GENERAL :

Before they made their representations, all Secretaries General of the National Commissions unanimously expressed satisfaction at the fortunate initiative taken by the Director of the Office. They also expressed the hope that this unprecedented move by the Office will contribute to developing relations with NATCOMS.

SENEGAL :

• Wished to discuss request preparation and programme implementation with BREDA’s specialists ;
• Advocated synergies in formulating the Participation Programme. BREDA and National Commissions should work " hand in hand " ;
• Expressed the wish for training of the Commission’s personnel by BREDA specialists : for instance, a documentalist of the NATCOM is presently being trained.

CAPE VERDE :

• Reported her Minister’s will to invite the Director of the Office to come back on a visit to Cape-Verde (the Director has already been to Cape Verde to represent the DG at the Independence Commemorative celebrations) so that another working meeting be held ;
• Within the framework of cooperation between NATCOM’s and BREDA, and in order to enhance COMNAT’s participation in the programme, activities (C/5). She expressed the wish that contracts be established with the latter to implement activities ;
• Requested that officers of the National Commissions be trained in Information/Computer science and for the activities planned by BREDA as a follow-up to the World Forum on Education ;
• Expressed the wish that within the framework of the Decade of Culture for Peace, a joint event be organized by the six countries of the Representation.

• Stressed the need for an evaluaton to be carried out since decentralization has not been efficient for some time in the case of Sierra Leone.
• Due to the war, the 3 flagship projects were suspended. These are :

- Literacy for women

- The Bunumbu Project for the training of polyvalent teachers

- UNESCO ADB Project.

• He launched a pressing appeal for these projects to be revitalized.
• He invited the Director to visit the country in order to see on the spotl what the situation is and be aware of their need for assistance ;
• Requested BREDA to train two staff members who are newly recruited to strenghten the NATCOM. All personnel disappeared, which led to intertia these past years ;
• Expressed the wish to be provided with support in publications and documentation on BREDA and UNESCO, etc. so as to fill with books the Documentation Centre which given the totally dilapidated state of public libraries since the war started, have been used by the university and the population.

GAMBIA :

• Wished that all future activities fall within the framework of joint activities. She therefore launched an appeal to the NATCOM’s for joint action within the framework of request to the Participation Programme at the sub-Regional level ;
• Wished that BREDA clearly defined the role of National Commission in relation to their respective authorities in order to avoid precedence problems ;
• Insisted on the importance for her NATCOM to receive documentation in English, failing that, summaries in this language will do. She mentioned the case of the Declaration on Human Rights which was sent untranslated to her ;
• She hoped that their letters which used to be without replies, will be given due attention ;
• Mentioned a financial report requested by Headquarters for a school which was programmed to be built but for which funds were never received.

• Stressed the considerable communication difficulties encountered by this country since the war ;
• Requested insistently training for COMNAT Personnel ;
• Mentioned a US$300,000 emergency assistance given by Mr. F. MAYOR, during his official visit to Guinea Bissau in April 1997 to execute programmes. Part of the funds would have been decentralized to BREDA but due to the war, this assistance was not carried out. Mr. Gomes would to know what the exact situation is.

Mr. Parsuramen assured him that he will ask for the information and that he will report later to him when he has all the information about it.

Programme specialists present made presentations each in turn of their proposed working programmes for the 2000-2001 biennium.

The BREDA " Youth " Focal Point mentioned " Youth, victims of armed conflicts " which will be the subject of sub-regional reflexion seminars for West and Central Africa with a view to defining reinsertion strategies for Youth living in areas ravaged by armed conflicts.

The Associate Expert in Preventive Education presented the following foreseen activities :

• Resource Centre for HIV/AIDS Prevention : BREDA is setting up a resource centre for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS among youth. The aim of the Resource Centre is to put the information on preventive education in the field of HIV/AIDS at the disposal of educators, programme specialists, pupils, students and as well as anybody interested in the matter. In order to increase accessibility of documents and educational materials (audio-visual materials, cartoons, posters) the database will be later put on BREDA’s Website.
• Evaluation of HIV/AIDS Preventive Education Plans of Action in the School milieu : this evaluation aims at taking stock of the state of implementation of National HIV/AIDS Preventive Education plans in the school milieu.Inventory and collection of new sensitization materials and also the inventory of needs in preventive education in the various countries. Evaluation activity will be completed with two or three study cases.
• Sensitization Caravane : within the framework of the fight against AIDS, a sensitization caravane will organized in SENEGAL through UNESCO’s Club and Educational Resource Centres which are used as intermediary structures. Sensitization activities which will be launched thanks to these intermediary structures and should reach a great number of youth.

Objective : Enable Secretaries General to make concrete proposals after BREDA’s activities were presented. National Commissions were to make requests or proposals for cooperation to carry out activities which will fall within the framework of this biennium, if it is not possible, of next bienna.

Mr. Shabani, who is in charge of this Unit will be informed as soon as he comes back from leave. He wll make the necessary arrangements to meet this request.

The specialist replied that the project was in its final stage and that a meeting was foressen in order to request its extension.

The Director declared that he would submit these requests to the Director General so as to determinate to which extent UNESCO can assist Guinea Bissau.

It was suggested that the NATCOM informs ADB of ts will to involve BREDA in the project’s resumption.

BREDA provided for help in its work plan for the organization of this activity, but funds should first be available.

The Director advocated the use of CD.ROM’s. He would like BREDA to develop this practice thus the Office could send rapidely and at lower costs data to NATCOM’s.

Concerning early childhood, the specialist mentioned the on-going project of practical guide as well as the October International Conference which will be jointly organized by the Senegalese Authorities and the World Bank.

As regards children with special needs, the specialist specified that UNESCO adopted an inclusive approach aimed at integrating these children into the conventional educational system. Thus, this year a follow-up meeting to the workshop on training of trainers which was held in Mali last year, is foreseen.

The Specialist invited the NATCOM to send its written requests to BREDA.

The Specialised replied that funds are provided for this biennium workplan which remains to be approved.

The specialist asked him to make his requests with precise figures on the basis of which the Office will see how to give him financial and intellectual support.

The specialist replied that funds were already allocated to the UNESCO Copyright Chair and that the delay in launching, it was only due to an internal senegalese problem.

Mr. Parsuramen suggested to the Commission to have a meeting to define a workplan. He will also meet with each NATCOM when he makes official visits to their respective countries.

Declared that the Commission set-up a National Committee for the MOST Programme and that a focal point was designated in order to organize a database for social science researchers in Cape-Verde.

The Social science specialist offered to put the NATCOM in touch with Headquarters since he considered that information was what lacked the most in African countries. He expressed satisfaction at the initiative and hoped the Cape Verde exemple will be followed by other countries.

The specialist assured that he was willing to give technical and intellectual assistance and that if the workplan was approved there would be possbilities for financial contribution.

In as much as funds are available, the specialist accepted to give support, all the more so since there is well-developed documentation for some of the workshops/projects.

BREDA will send the documents as soon as possible.

The specialist indicated that she would ask Headquarters about the follow-up to the application to UNESCO list of World network of Biosphere reserves. He also mentioned possibilities for Sierra Leone’s involvment in the activities and working groups of the African Biosphere Network (MAB).

SENEGAL 

The sector stressed that the project was finalized and that its renewal was not provided for in the workplans. A request could be sent to Headquarters on this matter.

The NATCOM’s participation could be envisaged within the framework of the AFRIMAB network working groups and in relation with the UNESCO Programme " People and Plants ".

• UNESCO’s support to the sub-regional project entitled " Evolution de la marge de l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Relations avec l’expansion de l’Atlantique au CENOZOIQUE : Evaluation of natural risks, mining and energetic potential ".
• Implementation of the project related to water quality (study of Dakar’s bays).
• Follow-up project on shark fishing on the Senegalese coasts.

The Sector stated these proposals will be forwarded to the Sector Divisions concerned (Divisions of Water Science, IOC, Earth Science).

The specialist informed Mr. Gomes that the first AFRIMAB technical workshop for Portuguese and English-speaking countries will be held from 12 to 18 September at the UNESCO Office in Nairobi. He was asked to give the name of a focal point whom she will contact on this matter.

The NATCOM was invited to send a written request.

The specialist will get in touch with the NATCOM to consider these requests in a more in-depth way.

Intellectual support is possible.

Provided his workprogramme is approved, the Specialist planned an evaluation mission within the framework of rehabilitation of cultural facilities for the following countries : Guinea Bissau and Liberia.

The specialist reviewed the draft document to be used for preparing national EFA 2000 follow-up plans for the six countries covered by BREDA representaton. EFA Follow-up Committee (BREDA) would like to collect the Secretaries-General’s views and suggestions before the document is finalized, translated and sent to the various NATCOM’s.

Mr. Parsuramen invites all countries to get organized for EFA 2000 follow-up, since support is assured by donors. It was stressed by donors that within the framework of the Dakar Framework of Action, no country which made serious commitment in favor of basic education will have its efforts thwarted due to lack of resources.

The Participation Programmes were rapidely reviewed so as to allow the specialists to see to which extent BREDA could help the countries in accordance with their workplans.

The Office took note and will see what can be done as regards contracts with the NATCOM’s.

An Internet Demonstration was made for the NATCOM’s by the BREDA WEB team (Mr. Cadiou and Mrs. Massé). This team will help the NATCOMS to establish their respective sites. The basis for this collaboration will be established and each NATCOM should designate a WEB focal point.

The Director took this opportunity to encourage NATCOM’s to adopt the Internet tool for their work. This will make communication between NATCOM’s and BREDA and among themselves which had been difficult, more efficient just as it will make cooperation more fruitful.

The specialists assured the NATCOM’s of their will to be touch and also at their disposal in order to cooperate in their fields of competence. Mr. Parsuramen invites the Secretaries General to take initiatives concerning EFA 2000 follow-up, because there are possibilities for activity funding by donors. The Director layed emphasis on BREDA’s role which is foremost a catalysing one. It is up to BREDA to mobilize all partners to support the Member States. BREDA must provide technical support but it is up to the Commissions to suggest activities. It is also crucial that the NATCOM’s indicate in time, assistance they wish to receive from BREDA so that the Office can be in a position to give them satisfaction in so far as the workplan permits.