In contexts such as the one in Mali, implementing activities and building resilience is partly dependent on the ability of aid organisations to adapt and respond effectively to changes in the context at different levels. This ‘agile’ (or adaptive) management is nevertheless not easy to implement in Mali. Indeed, humanitarian and development organisations are faced with a constantly changing crisis, with calm phases and peaks of violence, in a very unpredictable context which looks as though it may continue in the long term. Development organisations who take action in such contexts are not in their comfort zone (development programmes where there is some stability) while humanitarian organisations find themselves faced with the difficulties of longer-term planning than they are used to.
The course has two objectives:
- Increasing participants’ familiarity with the notion of ‘agile’ (or adaptive) management in a complex, unpredictable and protracted crisis context;
- Promoting approaches and tools that can help humanitarian and development organisations to adapt and respond effectively to the instability and insecurity of the Malian context.
It is aimed at field workers in charge of implementing activities as well as ‘country’ desk officers in charge of managing and coordinating operations. Donor representatives are also welcome to take part in the key parts of the course – if interested and available.