PAPP [TOKTEN\]

The Project
TOKTEN
TransferOf KnowledgeThroughExpatriateNationals

Budget earmarked: $622.000

Partner: UNDP.

Expatriate professionals and academics are participating in the reconstruction of their countries of origin
The region has witnessed several waves of emIgration since 1948. A veritable "brain drain" to the countries of the Middle East has resulted, as well as to Europe, Canada, the United States of America, Latin America and Australia. Thanks to the TOKTEN programme these people can now participate in the invigoration of their country of origin through the contribution of their expertise and know-how to the transter of technology.

Reversing the brain drainMany Palestinians with specialist knowledge and university qualifications live abroad. The purpose of the TOKTEN programme is to involve them in the construction of a new Palestinian society through their participation in technology transfer in very different fields: applied sciences, information technology and engineering; biotechnology, agriculture and food production; environmental protection; hydrology and water resource management and development; town planning, economics and transport; industrial and human resource management, and career guidance, among others. The assistance of these expatriates will crucially bolster the development of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, especially in the first two years. Their international experience, allied to their cultural affiliation, makes their involvement particularly fitting and will foster acceptance of such cooperation among local staff. Most of the TOKTEN experts are offering their services free-of-charge. Their travel and accommodation are cavered through UNESCO sponsorship. The participation of Palestinian experts is expected to be especially telling since the motivation of TOKTEN experts is generally very high.

Sources of Information UNESCO identifies TOKTEN experts with the help of a large number of sources at its disposal, especially the data bases of Palestinian universities, as well as cultural, professional and social associations of Palestinians throughout the world: The United Holy Land Fund, Chicago; the Federation of Ramallah, Detroit; Arab American University Graduates, Boston; the Palestine Centre for Policy Analysis, Washington D.C.; the Arab Medical Association, Los Angeles; The Institute for Palestine Studies. Washington D.C.; Anti-Arab Discrimination Committee, Washington D.C.; The Canadian Arab Federation, Toronto; Estudio Palestino, Chile; Confederacion Palestina Latino americana y del Caribe, Chile; the Association of the Palestinian Community in the U.K.; Medical Aid for Palestinians, London; Welfare Association, Geneva; Palestinian Red Crescent, Paris; Comité de coordination européenne pour les ONG et la question palestinienne; Danish-Palestinian Friendship Association, Copechagen; German-Palestinian Friendship Association, Bonn; Japanese-Palestinian Friendship Association, Tokyo; Italian-Palestinian Friendship Association, Rome; Greek-Palestinian Friendship Association, Athens; Brazilian-Palestinian Friendship Associahon, Rio de Janeiro; Swedish-Palestinian Friendship Association, Stockholm; Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Kuwait; Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah; Schumann Foundation, Amman; the Palestinian Embassies and Delegations in the Arab States, Asia and Africa .

A unique programme
The TOKTEN programme (Transfer Of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals) has been implemented in 35 countries since its inception in 1976, under the aegis of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). TOKTEN aims to mobilize volunteer professionals wishing to offer their knowledge to their country of origin in the form of consultancy missions. This programme is unique since it permits a transfer of expertise and an exchange of know-how and experience in the language of the country of origin. Experts are traced through a data base developed to record the names of émigré professionals and graduates. Another form of co-operation is conducted with European universities through the PEACE programme

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