PRESS RELEASE: IDM signs an agreement with BALA

The Institute of Development Management (IDM) and Botswana Association of Local Authorities (BALA) have entered into a partnership to facilitate training of local government structures. This follows the launch and roll-out of the IDM Centre for Local Governance, a product developed by IDM for councilors, council administration, land boards, tribal authorities as well as district and village development structures.
“This is a historic moment for us as an institution that has consistently aligned its mandate to that of Government to make a meaningful impact in the livelihoods of citizens. The signing of IDM & BALA Memorandum of Understanding will see a collaboration between our two entities in training local government authorities in various areas of leadership including, Strategy; Corporate governance; Project Management; Performance Management as well as Strategic Planning Awareness and general appreciation of Botswana System of Governance,” explained Dr Onalenna Seitio-Kgokgwe, IDM Country Director during the ceremony on Tuesday this week.
In 2018, IDM developed a program designed to build capacity amongst Councilors and local authorities by providing them with leadership skills to effectively manage their mandate. This one-stop-shop aims at strengthening the performance of the local governance institutions, especially local authorities to improve their effectiveness in service delivery.
In response, BALA President, Hon Councilor Jeffrey Sibisibi said they are excited to collaborate with IDM to equip Councilors with requisite skills to help them perform their responsibilities. This, he says comes at a crucial time when the world is gripped by a health disaster that challenges thought leadership and the ability to make bold decisions as a nation. He said: “Local authorities are close to the people, they are the first point of call, and they are the front-liners when it comes to service delivery. It is important to capacitate them to build confidence to remain resilient as they take their constituencies through the storm.” 
The Centre was launched after an extensive engagement with several stakeholders across the country including Councils, Tribal authorities, Land board authorities, and District and Village Development structures among others.