ABSTRACT

The concept of capacity-building is founded on principles of democracy, participation, development and continuous improvement of skills, shared learning processes and equal access to opportunities. The debate on sustainable development preceding and following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) placed capacity-building at the top of priorities for international development assistance, as a condition to enable the achievement of effective and sound development in all regions. Currently, it is also recognized that this activity is about ensuring technical and decision capacities that will lead to ways of making better decisions and environment and social issues are integral parts of economic development.