The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has unveiled a groundbreaking web-based platform designed to elevate governance practices and empower governments in fortifying their national planning endeavors.
This initiative comes as the ECA advocates for the integration of digital tools to enhance transparency, efficiency, and efficacy in governmental operations.
The Integrated Planning and Reporting Tool (IPRT), as articulated by the ECA, aims to revolutionize planning processes through technological innovation. It facilitates the digital monitoring of national, provincial, and sectoral plans, aligning them with annual budgets and international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.
With over 30 countries already benefiting from its implementation, the IPRT is poised to garner further adoption across the continent, according to the ECA's announcements.
The endorsement for embracing the IPRT was prominently voiced during the "Leveraging Digital Technologies for Integrated Planning to Advance the SDGs and Agenda 2063 in Times of Multiple Crises" forum held in Ethiopia.
Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ECA, stressed the pivotal role of technology in modernizing development planning processes. He noted that while many countries excel in establishing priorities through broad stakeholder engagement, the sheer volume of identified priorities often hampers effective implementation. Pedro emphasized the IPRT's role in overcoming this challenge, facilitating streamlined planning and execution.
Bartholomew Armah, Chief of Development Planning at the ECA's Macroeconomics and Governance division, hailed the IPRT as a groundbreaking tool for integrating diverse development agendas into national plans. He elucidated on its ability to provide a unified framework for progress reporting.
Annette Griessel, Deputy Director-General of National Planning Coordination at the South African Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation accentuated the transformative potential of technology in addressing historical development disparities stemming from South Africa's apartheid era. Griessel underscored the IPRT's role in bridging these gaps and driving inclusive development efforts.
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