Stories, ideas, and updates from DGers around the world

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation will contribute $1.45 million over the next three years in support of the Development Gateway Foundation’s efforts to provide Internet solutions for more effective aid and efficient governance in developing countries. The goal of this funding corresponds to the objectives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development. The funds will be used to help implement the Foundation’s Web-based Aid Management Platform in several partner countries, enabling governments to better…

 "This course must be obligatory for public functionaries," according to Jovany Santana, a participant from Fusagasuga, outside Bogota. Colombia Some youth in Colombia are showing what their generation can do to increase accountability in government. Ocasa, a nonprofit organization located in Bogota, has generated a large network of young people who are engaged in strengthening democratic institutions in their country.The nonprofit develops programs on transparency in public institutions and civic participation. Ocasa has trained more than 100 people, ages 16 to 30, in anti-corruption…

The Development Gateway Foundation is calling for nominations for its US$100,000 prize for outstanding achievement in the use of information and communication technologies to improve lives in developing countries. Sponsored in part by Intel Corporation, this year’s Development Gateway Award is focusing on initiatives that empower or improve the conditions of youth. The award will be launched here today at the United Nations’ World Urban Forum III, at a special reception for youth participants following the close of this weekend’s World Youth Forum. Both events…

The Mexican Council for Economic and Social Development (COMDES), in cooperation with the Internet Office of the President of Mexico and 30 other organizations, today launched a national web portal to promote cooperation, transparency and civil society participation in Mexico’s economic development efforts. Called the Mexican Development Gateway, it is part of the international network of Country Gateways supported by the Development Gateway Foundation in Washington, D.C. The initiative was launched at the Presidential Residence of Los Pinos before hundreds of participants from the public…

The World Bank has contributed $2 million to the Development Gateway Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides Internet-based solutions to strengthen governance and improve aid effectiveness in developing countries. The Development Gateway was created within the World Bank and became an independent entity in 2001. Its programs help partner countries increase transparency and build capacity in procurement, financial management, civil society relations and other key areas. The Foundation’s services include online government tendering systems, aid coordination and management tools, and online knowledge-sharing platforms at the…

Dr. Hisham El-Sherif of Egypt, Mr. Walter Fust of Switzerland and Mr. Dhanendra Kumar of India have been elected to the Board of Directors of the Development Gateway Foundation, an Internet-focused spin-off of the World Bank. The Development Gateway provides web-based solutions to help developing countries improve governance and the effectiveness of international aid. Dr. El-Sherif is a leading authority on telecommunications and information technology (IT) in Egypt. He is Chairman of IT Investments, a holding company with subsidiaries in networking and telecommunications, IT systems…

China has begun publishing government tenders on dgMarket.com, the leading independent website aggregating government procurement information from 150 countries. dgMarket, created by the Development Gateway Foundation, aims to increase access to government contracting and bring down government procurement costs through greater competition. dgMarket is a multilingual online service that enables business users to search $500 billion dollars worth of government tender opportunities each year. Procurement notices from China valuing $20 billion on an annual basis are expected to be added to dgMarket over the next…

The leading independent aggregator of government tender information online, dgMarket, has expanded coverage to include US Federal Government tender notices. The dgMarket service, which is a growing program of the Development Gateway Foundation, will now feature more than $500 billion in contracts worldwide on an annual basis. dgMarket is a global database and e-mail alert service that helps business users find tender opportunities at home and abroad. With the inclusion of US tenders, dgMarket will feature virtually all national tenders from 34 countries, plus information…

Mr. Mark Fleeton has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Development Gateway Foundation, an independent spin-off of the World Bank. The Development Gateway’s mission is to leverage the Internet for the benefit of people in developing countries, providing online solutions to strengthen good governance, improve the effectiveness of international aid and support local and global knowledge-sharing initiatives. Mr. Fleeton has spent his career in the management of international aid to assist developing countries. He has been acting as Interim CEO of the Development Gateway…

Mozambique When basic information systems are lacking, it is not easy to make the most of a country’s resources and serve people in need. In Mozambique, a nation of 19 million people in southern Africa, daily operations have been made even harder by a lack of communication among different government institutions. Mozambique’s government recognized the problem and outlined a plan calling for a nationwide network to connect public administration entities, called the Government Electronic Network (GovNet). Once feasibility studies were done, government officials wanted partners…