The paper explores ways to improve information capacity building activities in developing countries. Focusing on the capacity building process, it presents some principles and key questions for actors in this area. The paper argues that capacity ‘building’ efforts should be organized around partnerships where mutually beneficial relationships are fostered and capacities are mobilized and shared. It offers a set of principles for such partnerships such as forge new relationships, foster ownership, focus on processes, give priority to local capacities, use open standards, and prepare an exit strategy. The paper advocates capacity sharing for capacity builders in the information sector to bring together the multiple intitiatives in this field.
Policy Management Brief No. 11