Background

The Origins of TOKTEN:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) introduced TOKTEN in 1977 to help reduce adverse effects of the “Brain-Drain” phenomena or "reverse transfer of technology" in many developing countries. TOKTEN offers a window of opportunity for expatriate nationals with lengthy experiences in their fields of specialization to return to their home countries, for an agreed period of time. TOKTEN modality is considered as an efficient development intervention as TOKTEN Volunteers can merge their acquired learning with their familiarity of local culture and language in order to effectively transfer their knowledge and skills.

TOKTEN has since being expanded to more than 30 countries including: India, Pakistan, China, the Philippines, Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vietnam, Lebanon, Syria, Senegal, Nigeria, among other countries. In these countries, highly skilled expatriate professionals have provided technical expertise, policy advice and research to governments, private and public sectors, universities, and research centers in various fields.

Establishment of TOKTEN in Sudan:
Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the overall social and political environment has changed and opened an unprecedented window of opportunity to turn the devastation of years of war, displacement and under-development into a new era of peace and prosperity in Sudan. However, a large number of the qualified and experienced human resources of Sudan that could contribute to the recovery and development process in Sudan live outside the country. Studies conducted by different agencies on the expatriate Sudanese nationals living abroad have indicated that a large number of highly talented and experienced expatriate nationals are willing to contribute to the reconstruction and peace-building initiatives in their home country.

The Government of National Unity (GoNU), and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) are encouraging Sudanese expatriates to volunteer their professional experience to national and state institutions. Each government has human resources capacity building policies that encourage the involvement of the Diasporas in their recovery and development efforts.

In January 2006, building on the favourable policy situation and the increasing political stability in Sudan, with the support of the Netherlands Government and the UK’s Department for International Development, UNDP launched the Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals project, widely known as the TOKTEN. This initiative is a special volunteer programme that calls on expatriate nationals to volunteer in their country of origin for a short period of time.

Approach and Objectives: 

The approach of TOKTEN project could be summarized into the following points:
Demand driven with institution focus: this means institutions make requests for TOKTEN consultants after clearly identifying their capacity development needs.
First-come, first-serve: to avoid the tendency for regional allocation of services the project would handle requests as they are received. Being mindful of regional differentials the project intensifies its advocacy in those regions lagging behind with the view of making them more pro-active.
Knowledge transfer, not gap filling: TOKTEN consultants do not cover for staff shortage as that would be inappropriate use of their highly technical talents. Indeed having staff on the job is an essential condition for deploying a TOKTEN consultant to an institution.
Neither a return nor a re-settlement programme: The project is well aware of the agencies working in the field of return and resettlement. It is therefore, not a TOKTEN comparative advantage to engage in return or resettlement.

The main objective of the TOKTEN project in Sudan is to support the national capacity building of Sudanese institutions in various development sectors, through the transfer of knowledge from professional Sudanese in the Diasporas. Thus contributing with an invaluable, efficient, and sustained input to the humanitarian, peace and development efforts to rebuild Sudan, while capitalizing on Sudan’s owns human resources and expertise, including the achievement of Millennium Development Goals MDGs. The National TOKTEN project was planned cover at least 10 states in Sudan during its first life span – 2007 to 2010. However, upon recognition by the government that TOKTEN is strategic to Sudan human resource development; the project has been included in the new CPAP for the period 2009 to 2012.

The specific objectives are as follows:


Snapshots of the project's major achievements:

• Recruited 59 ( up to 15 - May - 2011) volunteers to provide institutional capacity building support for more than 90 government institutions, universities, and private sectors in Northern and Southern Sudan;
• Directly supported 50 national and state government institutions, universities and research institutions, private sector organizations, and NGOs in Northern and Southern Sudan;
• The project trained and built the capacity of 2,773 personnel from national and state government institutions, universities and research institutions, private sector organizations, and NGOs across Sudan. The trainings covered the following areas: governance and rule of law; HIV/AIDS and health sector; food security; basic and higher education; public administration and governance; sustainable environmental conservation; and economic development; micro finance development; geographic information system; media professional training; and public administration and project management;
• Developed a database that includes over 370 professional Sudanese expatriates who are willing to join TOKTEN through a mission in Sudan.

Table showing number of personnel who have benefited from TOKTEN training 2006-2011 (taken up to 15-May- 2011)

Thematic Area	Beneficiaries						Total for Thematic Area
	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Governance and Rule of Law	51	60	60	130	-		301
Gender in Development	-	-	-	100	-		100
Sustainable Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation and Management	-	-	30	-	24		54
Business and Sustainable Livelihood and Development	80	40	35	179	54	17	405
Agriculture, Food Security, and Rural Development	40	41	-	25	25		131
Health	155	30	155	-	2	150	492
Education, Training and Research	881	50	47	163	99	50	1290
Total Per Year	1207	221	327	597	204	217	2773