Venezuela: Governance and leadership in action

A technical cooperation which will give continuity to the Governance and Political Management Program 2005 was signed today by Enrique García, President & CEO of the Andean Development Corporation (CAF); Christopher Arterton, dean of the School of Political Management of George Washington University; and the authorities of the Universities of Univalle (Bolivia), Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Colombia), Francisco de Paula Santander (Colombia), Bucaramanga Autonomous University (Colombia), Pontifical Catholic University (Ecuador), Santiago Catholic University of Guayaquil (Ecuador), Pontifical Catholic University (Peru), and Andrés Bello Catholic University (Venezuela).

The CAF president explained: "After this program began with great success in Bolivia in 2001, CAF decided to expand it to the other countries of the Andean region to achieve the participation of all actors of civil society and municipal leaders and their support teams. The program forms a critical mass of actors with integrated training in political management, financial and social techniques, and a sense of game plan and the capacity to resolve conflicts and generate consensus. This process strengthens institutional development and improves the level of governance of the countries of the region and their communities."

García said that CAF had included the execution of the program in its action strategies to create a critical awareness among professionals of the relationship between political, technical and social aspects, and on that basis, move forward with institutional change for the benefit all social groups. The program also emphasizes the promotion of a new style of leadership guided by ethical and civic values in an effort to guarantee stronger democratic institutions.

The objective is to put future social and political leaders through appropriate training to teach the importance of an integrated view of the management of the political, economic, social areas, strategic communication and effective leadership.

The CAF CEO said that the program has trained 1,200 participants in the five Andean countries: four graduations in Bolivia, two in Colombia, three in Ecuador, two in Peru, and two in Venezuela. These results have confirmed the CAF projections and the universities have initiated the program, which guarantees its continuity.