BackMore than 80 people, representing dozens of ombudsmen, mediators and “watchdog” agencies from more than 20 countries across Africa, participated in the Ontario Ombudsman’s “Sharpening Your Teeth” training course in Lusaka, Zambia, from November 11 to 16, 2013.
For the first time, at the invitation of the IOI and the AOMA, Ontario Ombudsman André Marin – accompanied by two of his senior staff members – delivered his training course in how to conduct systemic investigations in back-to-back sessions, first in French, then in English. There were about 20 participants in the French course (most of whom stayed on in Lusaka for further training conducted by the African Ombudsman Research Centre), and more than 60 in the English course, including several from Zambian government oversight agencies.
Hosted by the Commission for Investigations in Zambia (Zambia’s Ombudsman) and sponsored by the IOI, AOMA and the African Ombudsman Research Centre, the training detailed the Ontario Ombudsman’s methods for planning, executing and publicizing a major systemic investigation. Zambian Ombudsman Caroline Sokoni also hosted a joint dinner for all participants, highlighted by a panel discussion featuring the ombudsmen of Botswana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Namibia, Ontario and South Africa. Dignitaries who spoke at the training included the Acting Chief Justice of Zambia, the Deputy Minister of Justice of Zambia, and France’s ambassador to Zambia.
Countries represented at the training included: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.
For more information, please consult the full report below.
Source: Office of the Ontario Ombudsman, Canada
