TRIP REPORT
USAID Network Partners: NESDA
Abidjan
June 2, 1997

As part of a larger tour of West Africa to consult with the AfricaLink liaison at the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), a brief visit was held with staff of the Network for Environmentally Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA) in Abidjan. An informal meeting was held with Mr. Abou Bamba on the work of NESDA and collaboration with AfricaLink.

An electronic discussion conference facility has been maintained for quite sometime in behalf of NESDA on the USAID server in Washington. Mr. Bamba confirmed his continued interest in taking advantage of this facility.

The services available through the AfricaLink Help Desks were discussed. As Mr. Bamba considers training for NESDA network members, he can call upon these Desks, at AfricaLink expense, to prepare appropriate training materials and conduct workshop sessions. When trainings are scheduled by AfricaLink for networks other than NESDA, NESDA members can nonetheless be invited to participate.

The general problem of utilization of Internetworking to improve information management was discussed. While connectivity has been secured for numerous NESDA members, a program of information management skills enhancement now seems required. Further discussions of this problem will take place on the AfricaLink-L electronic conference.

Persons Visited

Abou Bamba, Network for Environmentally Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA)
BP 95 Guichet Annexe BAD
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, +225.205223
bamba@globeaccess.net, http://www.rri.org/nesda/