Smart Grid, Smart Workforce, and Capacity Development

The number of jobs in the renewable energy industry worldwide is growing and studies indicate that much of this employment is shifting to Asia. Smarter grid will require a highly skilled workforce, with implications for retraining, training, and education. Some studies also find that the renewable energy industry indicates more gender parity than the broader energy sector. This session discusses the implications of this emerging new industry for the education system, the power sector, and the labor force.

Pilar Avello

Ms. Pilar Avello is a Programme Manager and one of SIWI’s experts on democratic governance and accountability in the water sector. She has more than nine years of experience working in with government agencies and civil society organizations in Latin America, Africa and Europe to strengthen and promote integrity in public administration by putting in practice transparency, accountability, participation and anti-corruption’s policies, regulations and mechanisms. Currently, Pilar is leading Water integrity and Accountability projects in different parts of the world.

Hasaan Khawar

Hasaan Khawar is an international development and public policy professional. He is a former civil servant belonging to Pakistan Administrative Service and has also worked with two Fortune 500 corporations. With diverse professional experience in a mix of public and private sectors including B2B, B2G and G2G settings, he has project experience in Pakistan, USA, Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

"What Elephant?" Framing Governance Reforms in Real-World Conditions

As mindsets and institutions take a long time to change, implementing sustainable reforms instead of practicing good enough governance is the right approach. Reforms, however, are not sustained when preferences differ between those stated and the ones revealed. Political commitment is a necessary condition for sustainable reforms to take place at all levels of government.

"What Elephant?" Framing Governance Reforms in Real-World Conditions

Focusing on a country's institutions and its political economy enhances understanding of the reform process. This learning event was held in the context that even as Asia has prospered under real-world conditions, "good governance" tends to be displaced by "good enough governance." It discussed how to frame and communicate reforms in this conceptual shift.

Capacity Development for Growth and Poverty Reduction in Mindanao and Bangsamoro: A Medium- to Long-Term Approach

With its abundant natural resources, the second largest island of Mindanao has the potential to contribute more to the development of the Philippines. Poor capacity, institutional weakness, and ineffective service delivery, however, hinder the effective implementation of local development plans and investment programs in the different regions comprising Mindanao. Addressing this challenge will require improving coordination, strengthening institutional mechanisms, and promoting capacity development.