ECOWAS COMMISSION
COMMISSION DE LA CEDEAO
MAINSTREAMING ECOWAS VISION AND
THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Essien Abel Essien
Director, Strategic Planning
ECOWAS Commission
September 2009
OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION
• To communicate the ECOWAS Vision 2020
• To communicate the strategic planning process
• To indicate the role of each Institution plays within the
pyramids of success and translation developed as a
backbone to the implementation process
CONTENT PAGE
1.
Background
2.
Where are we?
3.
Role of Institutions: Linking the Vision to Your Roles
4.
Pyramids of Success and Translation
VISIONING
“Two important tools available to aid Management think strategically-- Visioning and Scenario building- by identifying what is on the horizon, signals of change in specific sectors of the macroenvironment (social, technological, economic, environmental, and political) and suggesting their
implications.”.

Visioning is more than writing vision statements that are framed and hung on
a wall.

Begins with the development of a vision for the organization and identifying
the desired states of that organization.
 A vision is a realistic, credible, attractive future for an organization to
aspire to

Proceeds to developing strategies to achieve those desired states and goes on
to scanning the environment to discover what things will hinder or help achieve
those strategies.
STRATEGIC PLANNING (1 OF 3)
•
Management is often so preoccupied with immediate issues that
they lose sight of their ultimate objectives.
•
The preparation of a strategic plan is a virtual necessity,
particularly when an organization has adopted a vision.
•
It may not be a recipe for success, but without it, an organization
is much more likely to derail/fail.
•
Strategic Planning:
o
Serves as a framework for decisions or for securing support/approval
o
Provides a basis for more detailed planning.
o
Explains the business to others in order to inform, motivate & involve
o
Assists benchmarking & performance monitoring
o
Stimulates change and become the building block for the next plan
o
Enhances Visibility
STRATEGIC PLANNING (2 OF 3)
Key Steps from Vision to Programs
Vision
Mission
A pen picture
in three or
more years
time in terms
of its likely
physical
appearance,
size, activities,
etc
Purposes of the
business—in
soft or hard
statements
(What business
vis. reason for
existence)
Values
Governing the
operation of the
business and its
conduct or
relationships
with society at
large,
customers,
suppliers,
employees,
local community
and other
stakeholders.
Goals /
Objectives
Specific interim
or ultimate timebased
measurements
to be achieved
by implementing
strategies in
pursuit of the
organization
objectives.
Should be
quantifiable,
consistent,
realistic and
achievable
Strategies
The rules and
guidelines by
which the
mission,
objectives etc.
may be
achieved,
organic growth,
or acquisition
plans, or they
can relate to
primary matters
in key
functional areas
Programs
Sets out the
implementatio
n plans for the
key strategies.
These should
cover actions,
time-scales,
deadlines,
budgets and
performance
targets.
STRATEGIC PLANNING (3 OF 3)
Key Steps in Developing a Strategy
Strategic
Thinking
Explore the
critical Issues
Road
Mapping
Identify a range
of possible routes
to your goals and
Investigate
‘stepping stones’
for each route
Goal and
Objective
Setting
Identify and
prioritize the
goals and
objectives – be
as specific as
possible
Capacity Gap
Identify any
gaps or
discrepancies in
your knowledge
and experiences
Communicate
the Plan
Communicate to
the different
constituents
WHERE ARE WE?
- ECOWAS VISION
• To create a borderless, peaceful, prosperous and cohesive
region, built on good governance and where people have the
capacity to access and harness its enormous resources through
the creation of opportunities for sustainable development and
environmental preservation
KEYWORDS
•
Borderless
•
Peace
•
Prosperity
•
Cohesion
•
Good governance
ENABLERS
•
Access
•
Harnessing
•
Creation of
opportunities
OBJECTIVES
• Sustainable
development
• Environmental
preservation
ROLE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING DEPARTMENTS
•
Coordinates between the implementation of these plans in syn with the
overall vision of the organization.
•
Aims at directing the resources of an organization towards achieving the
priority goals along with continuous development of the implementation
stages
•
Aids implementation through a system of monitoring and evaluation. thereby
raising the awareness of the employees on all related activities and plans.
•
In a much more global outreach organization, it will also assist in the
coordination of regional systems and policies.
•
Seeks to help the different constituencies and sectors within the organization
in setting their strategic plans
•
Ensures effectiveness and efficiency in the organization.
9
STRATEGIC PLANNING UNIT
MANDATE 1
MANDATE 2
MANDATE 3
MANDATE 4
MANDATE 5
Formulate a
regional
strategy based
on regional
integration and
aligned with
the
development
agenda of the
NEPAD
Framework
Ensure
conversion into
operational,
sectoral,
regional and
national
programs
Develop a
detailed
regional
strategic plan
indicating key
implications and
strategic
options for
implementation
Develop
short/medium
and long term
work plans
Develop a
mechanism for
facilitating
coordination of
the Commission
strategic plans
in collaboration
with the
Commissioners
and Directors.
MAJOR STEPS
- STRATEGIC PLANNING (1 OF 3)
How
are we
going
to do
this?
We need to be
clear about the
objectives of the
ECOWAS region /
Commission
• Determine our
main strategic
mandate
• Determine our
strategic vision
& mission
We need to
appreciate the
resources we
have available to
meet these
objectives
• Carry out a SWOT
analysis to
appreciate our
strengths and
identify our
obstacles
• Define our critical
issues
• Decide what
resources are
required
Allows us to
consciously be
responsive to the
demands of the
Community
• Define goals and
intermediate and
short-term
objectives
• Develop a strategy
profile for the
future
• Draw an action
timetable
Institute a Strategic Planning and
Programming System
MAJOR STEPS
- STRATEGIC PLANNING (2 OF 3)
Activities: Phase I
Program
and Plan
Synthesis
Established
an Institutional
Framework
Arrangement
Defined a
clear process
strategy
Draft the Zero
Version of the
Strategic Plan
Details
•
•
Analyze
Planning
Documents
Establish
linkages
• Management
Committee
• Participatory
Approach
• Agenda
• Strategic Planning
Steering Committee
• Ownership
• Core Values
• Acceptability/
• Environmental Scan
• Commitment
• Strategic Framework
• Stakeholders
Confidence
• Implementation
Strategy
• Strategic Planning
Operational
Committee
• Mission
MAJOR STEPS
- STRATEGIC PLANNING (3 OF 3)
Activities: Phase II
Develop an
Action Plan
Communicate
Strategic Plan
to internal and
external
customers
Develop
Capacity
Building Plan
having identified
capacity gaps
Institute a
planning &
programming
system within a
program
planning cycle
Details
• Identify planning
issues
• Set up different
Stakeholder Forums
• Develop Performance
Indicators
• Develop a
Communication
Plan
• Carry out costing and
integrate into a multiyear budgetary
framework
• Develop a capacity
building plan
• Monitoring and Evaluation
System
• Supportive ICT infrastructure
• Implementation Review
Reports
• Midyear Execution Report
• President’s Annual Review
Reports
WHERE ARE WE AT THE COMMISSION?
The region has
adopted the
2020 Strategic
Vision which
sets out a clear
strategic
direction
We are clear about our main
strategic mandate, vision and
mission
The 20102014 Strategic
Plan has been
submitted to
Management
We have aligned the strategic plan with
the 2020 Vision
We have
commenced the
preparation of the
medium term
action plan that
will define the
activities under
the Strategic Plan
We have started
defining the programs /
projects / activities
under the Strategic Plan
Other plans such as the
Capacity Building Plan,
Communication Plan etc.
to support and announce
the strategies are being
developed
ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS
- PRIORITY GOALS
1. Promote good governance and upgrade the conflict prevention,
management and resolution mechanism
2. Promote a competitive business environment
3. Sustained development and cooperation in the region
4. Deepen economic and monetary integration
5. Reinforce Institutional Capacity
6. Strengthen the mechanism for integration into the global market
THE SOCIAL CHARTER FOR THE PEOPLE
Serene,
Calm,
NonViolent
Control,
Supremacy
Good
Governance
Region
Peaceful
Region
Borderless
Region
Seamless,
No Limits,
No
Boundary
Unity ,
Consistency,
Solidity,
Organization
ECOWAS INSTITUTIONS
Cohesive
Region
Prosperous
Region
Affluent,
Wealthy,
Rich,
Thriving
PYRAMID OF SUCCESS
Where are we going?
A borderless, peaceful, prosperous and cohesive
region, built on good governance, and where
people have the capacity to access and harness its
enormous resources through the creation of
opportunities for sustainable development and
environmental preservation.
VISION
MISSION
How are we going to
achieve this?...What plan
should we follow?...How do
we know when we have
met our goals?...How do we
keep on track?
What are we here to do?
Coordinate all activities leading to the promotion of cooperation
and integration among member states in order to raise the living
standards of its people, by enhancing their capacity to access and
harness resources, maintain political and economic stability,
through the pursuance of sound economic management and good
governance, and adopting dialogue as a means of fostering
relations among member states.
STRATEGY
How do we do this?
The methods and tools necessary to achieve our
mission. It involves preparing the best way to
respond to the circumstances of the organization's
environment, whether or not these circumstances
are known in advance
CAPABILITIES
ARCHITECTURE
Processes
Good
Governance
Good
Governance
Institutions
Technology
Organization
Facilities
Culture
Funding
People
How should we structure our capabilities to
realize value and work efficiently as an
organization?
PYRAMID OF TRANSLATION
ECOWAS
CITIZENS
END POINT of Delivery to ECOWAS
Citizen
PROGRAMS
/PROJECTS
Managing the financial
resources for the programs and
projects
A process management system defines
how a business operates and the way in
which it delivers value to both to its
internal and external customers.
Processes involve both manual and
automated activities, and integrating
these activities into a seamless and
harmonious flow provides process
excellence and competitive/cost cutting
advantages.
FINANCE
(management)
PEOPLE
ICT
MGMT
FACILITIES CULTURE
SYSTEM
These are key drivers of an effective
process management system as they
continuously ensure that the right
people occupy the right positions, and
they possess the right tools to carry
out their duties.
PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Business Process
Manual
Key Performance
Indicators
Ownership/
Responsibilities
Business Rules/
Authority Limits/
Operations Manual
Automation
Support
Reports
Forms
Data
FINANCE
(mobilization of resources)
ECOWAS VISION
Having defined the vision,
finances must be sourced inhouse and through external
channels to translate the vision
into reality.
START POINT of Delivery to ECOWAS Citizen
CONTROL SYSTEM (Components – M&E, AUDIT, ICT etc.)
Programs/projects can only be
successfully delivered to ECOWAS
citizens within an established program
management framework.
There is a need to ensure that only viable
programs/projects (aligned to the vision) are
embarked upon, internal resources are
properly directed for effective implementation,
and resources are properly managed to ensure
program/project sustenance over time.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The regional architecture has to fit the vision.
Architectural Review should be in seven key areas
•
Institutional Arrangement
•
Process Redesign
•
Control Systems
•
Communication
•
ICT Infrastructure
•
Financial Strategy
•
Strategic Alliance
THANK YOU
MERCI
OBRIGADO