donors

Dritan Agolli

Ref Batch
R
Focus Area(s)
City Management
Ref Batch Number
1
Country of Reform
Albania
Interviewers
Itumeleng Makgetla
Name
Dritan Agolli
Interviewee's Position
General Administrator of the City Municipality
Interviewee's Organization
Tirana, Albania
Language
English
Nationality of Interviewee
Albanian
Town/City
Tirana
Country
Albania
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
investment
legalization
public-private partnership
build support
Reform sequencing
integration
reconstruction
monitoring
infrastructure
municipal enterprise
pay taxes
survey
capacity
donors
management
budget
Abstract
Dritan Agolli discusses the municipal reforms that took place in Tirana, Albania, when Edi Rama became mayor of the city in 2000. He talks about the administration’s efforts to reduce illegal construction, improve infrastructure, and tackle special interests. He details how city administrators were able to improve facades, rebuild roads, clean city parks, and build playgrounds. He also discusses how private-public partnerships helped overhaul the city’s public transportation. Finally, he explains how Rama motivated Tirana’s municipal staff and successfully changed the attitude of its citizens. 
 
Transcript
Dritan_Agolli.pdf
Dritan_Agolli.txt
Headshot
dritan_agolli.jpg
Profile

At the time of this interview, Dritan Agolli was the general administrator of the city municipality of Tirana, Albania. He served in several important positions in the municipality under the mayor, Edi Rama, first as the general director of Public Works and then the general director of Urban Planning before becoming the general administrator. Prior to moving to Tirana, Agolli was cleaning supervisor in the city of Fier, Albania. Agolli was part of Tirana’s municipal team that radically improved city infrastructure and service delivery from 2000 to 2010.

Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
51MB
Full Audio Title
Dritan Agolli Interview

John Wallace

Ref Batch
G
Focus Area(s)
Civil Service
Ref Batch Number
6
Critical Tasks
Training
Country of Reform
Bangladesh
Interviewers
Andrew Schalkwyk
Name
John Wallace
Interviewee's Position
Consultant
Interviewee's Organization
Tribal-HELM
Language
English
Town/City
Dhaka
Country
Bangladesh
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
donors
human resource management
development
training
accountability
civil servants
Abstract

John Wallace, team leader of Bangladesh's Managing at the Top 2 (MATT 2) project, identifies lack of accountability as the major challenge to Bangladesh's civil service.  Wallace introduces the rationale behind MATT 2 and differentiates it with its predecessor, MATT 1.  Whereas the first stage of the MATT project (1999-2002) focused on the training of individuals but not on the culture of the organization itself, MATT 2 (2006-2013) sought to create a critical mass of reform-minded civil servants and enable a reform environment.  Wallace says, "It is all about giving skills to senior civil servants, giving them experience with reforms, actual experiences of reforms."  He addresses the relationship between the U.K. Department for International Development and the government of Bangladesh, particularly regarding reforms in governance and human resource management.  Wallace highlights the need for donor coordination for distribution of resources so as not to duplicate efforts and work at cross-purposes.

Case Study:  Energizing the Civil Service: Managing at The Top 2, Bangladesh, 2006-2011

Transcript
John_Wallace.pdf
John_Wallace.txt
Headshot
john_wallace.jpg
Profile

At the time of this interview, John Wallace was team leader of the Managing at the Top 2 (MATT 2) project in Bangladesh.  As a consultant with Tribal-HELM, a Northern Irish company, Wallace was charged with the implementation of MATT 2, a project funded by the U.K. Department for International Development to develop and advise civil servants.

Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
87 MB
Full Audio Title
John Wallace Interview

Dan Hymowitz

Ref Batch
C
Focus Area(s)
Centers of Government
Ref Batch Number
2
Critical Tasks
Donor coordination
Country of Reform
Liberia
Interviewers
Michael Scharff
Name
Dan Hymowitz
Interviewee's Position
Program Manager
Interviewee's Organization
Philanthropy Secretariat
Language
English
Nationality of Interviewee
American
Town/City
Princeton, NJ
Country
United States
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Keywords
Donor Relations
Philanthropy Secretariat
Philanthropic Foundations
donors
aid effectiveness
Liberia
donor coordination
government ministries
Liberia Reconstruction and Development Committee
Abstract
In this interview, Dan Hymowitz discusses the creation of Liberia’s Philanthropy Secretariat, a unit in the Office of the President designed to attract and coordinate philanthropic funding across sectors in Liberia. Hymowitz notes that the idea for a Philanthropy Secretariat took root in the wake of a prolonged civil war, in which Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, eager to rebuild, sought to match foundation funding with local organizations that were addressing her top priorities. Hymowitz discusses the critical steps that ensured the early success of the Philanthropy Secretariat: namely, support from the President, a dedicated staff led by a high level civil servant who won the respect of donors, and a group of funders eager to support the President’s efforts to rebuild.  
 
Transcript
dan_hymowitz.pdf
C2 CG MS Hymowitz_Final.txt
Headshot
dan_hymowitz.jpg
Profile
From 2008 to 2009, Hymowitz was Special Assistant to Mr. Natty Davis, then Minister of State without Portfolio, through the Scott Family Fellows Program. Hymowitz’s position gave him access to the discussions between the government and foundations and the opportunity to develop the Philanthropy Secretariat as both sides brainstormed the creation of a government office dedicated to working with foundations. From 2009 to 2011 he was the program manager for Liberia’s Philanthropy Secretariat. In these positions, he played a central role in planning Liberia’s 2008 Partners’ Forum, which raised nearly $300 million in foreign assistance. Dan Hymowitz holds a master’s degree of Public Policy from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University. 
Full Audio File Location
Full Audio File Size
80 MB
Full Audio Title
Dan Hymowitz - Full Interview