5.1 Development Policies for Rural and Urban Development in South Africa

The Johannesburg-based National Institute for Economic Policy (NIEP), in conjunction with the History Workshop and the National Land Committee (NLC), will be hosting a conference on the theme of “Implementing Development: The Practice and Effectiveness of Development Policies in South Africa”. The aim of this conference is to identify practical approaches to development policy implementation in South Africa. Interested authors are invited to submit contributed papers, which may be either of a theoretical or a practical nature. Abstracts must be submitted before 31st January 2002.

Linking up: For more information contact Dr. Samuel Bonti-Ankomah at samuel@niep.org.za

5.2 Adult Education Conference within SADC

The Centre for Adult Education at the School of Education, Training and Development, based at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, is arranging an International Conference on Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) in the SADC region. The scheduled date is October 2002. The conference will focus on regional development, co-operation and the implementation of projects.

Linking up: Contact the organiser, Wendy Smith, at SmithWA@nu.ac.za

5.3 The concept and practice of civil society in International Development

To mark its 10th anniversary, INTRAC will be holding an international conference at Balliol College, Oxford from the 13th – 15th December 2001. The theme is 'Changing Expectations? The Concept and Practice of Civil Society in International Development'.

Although the programme is not yet finalised, keynote speakers will include:

• Clare Short (UK Secretary for International Development)
• David Begg - Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
• Dr Rajesh Tandon - Director of PRIA, an Indian NGO.

INTRAC, an international NGO, works in the broad arena of civil society training. Within SADC, it operates in Malawi where it strengthens local NGO support organisations to provide high quality capacity-building services to local NGOs.

Linking up: For more on the conference watch the INTRAC website at http://www.intrac.org/conference2001.htm

5.4 Zimbabwe conflict prevention workshop

The Southern African Conflict Prevention Network (SACPN) will be hosting a twoday workshop between the 9th and 13th December in Bulawayo to discuss ways in which the capacity of Zimbabwean NGOs might be bolstered to prevent further violence in the country. The workshop follows an earlier SACPN workshop held in July this year. Specific objectives of the workshop are to:

• Analyse the underlying causes of conflict in Zimbabwe from a national and regional perspective;
• Provide an environment for reflection on civil society's role in Zimbabwe's conflict; and
• Provide an insight on conflict prevention and resolution interventions for Zimbwean civil society.

Linking Up: The regional co-ordinator of SACPN can be contacted at yaliwe@kepa.org.zm. SACPN maintains a conflict prevention database, which can be accessed at: http://www.katu-network.fi