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DI Development, a Business of DynCorp International, Supports Efforts to Strengthen Control Systems in Paraguay

January 19, 2012 at 1:27 pm

DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is working in Paraguay to strengthen control systems within the country in a fight against corruption.  As an implementing partner with USAID on “Programa Umbral,” DI supports the Paraguayan government on this international initiative.

Strengthening of Control Systems

With DI Development’s assistance,  Paraguayan government officials completed training at Universidad Católica in basic communication tools needed to strengthen anticorruption control systems. Eleven workshops throughout the country were held, and three hundred officials participated. In addition, technical experts from the Office of the Controller General of Colombia trained more than 3,000 Paraguayan government officials in the 29 standards comprised by the Internal Controls Model for Paraguay (MECIP) to fight corruption. Read more →

Using Social Media in El Salvador to Address Transparency and Corruption

January 17, 2012 at 3:18 pm

Politica Stereo, which translates to Radio Politics, is a civil society organization (CS0) with local chapters in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the U.S. using social media to fight corruption in El Salvador. The organization’s Facebook campaign is part of a larger international anticorruption initiative, the Democracy Strengthening Program (DSP), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and  administered by DI Development, a business of DynCorp International.

It’s a public awareness effort that’s showing signs of success.

Today, Politica Stereo has more than 3,600 Facebook “likes”, meaning  that  many people can view and learn from their five online video messages produced by DSP on transparency and anticorruption from Politica Stereo academic and government leaders. Their videos received more than 18,000 views within the first three days of being posted! Read more →

Miguel Garcia-Gosalvez, DI Development’s Director of Innovation, On Innovation in the Development Arena

January 12, 2012 at 2:28 pm

There is a common tendency to associate innovation with technology, but it is important to emphasize that innovation goes beyond that. Innovation is, “the creation of better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society.” With that in mind, DI Development is making an effort to bring new initiatives to the development arena that emphasize the identification of different ways of approaching problems to enhance technological solutions. Read more →

DI Development Helps Paraguay Build Citizen Trust of the National Police Force

January 5, 2012 at 10:27 am

DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is helping the government of Paraguay increase public awareness of the role the National Police Force plays in the lives of its citizens. The effort is part of U.S-Paraguayan initiative to fight corruption.

DI is an implementing partner with USAID on “Programa Umbral,” literally meaning “Threshold Program.”  The program is a two-year activity that builds on the success of Paraguay’s first MCC Threshold program, signed in May 2006. The MCC Threshold program fosters key reforms in Paraguay’s public administration and supports anticorruption activities in the judiciary, customs and the healthcare sector, as well as in law enforcement. Read more →

DI Development, a Business of DynCorp International, Strengthens U.S. and Paraguayan Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights

January 3, 2012 at 4:15 pm

In 2004, the governments of the United States and Paraguay signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen legal protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) in Paraguay. The MOU was a bilateral agreement consistent with international standards of IPR law. A few highlights include:

  • Legislation – Paraguay ensures that its IPR laws fully comply with its obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs).
  • Enforcement – Paraguay uses effective enforcement to reduce the levels of copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting.
  • Transparency and Reporting – Paraguay increases its transparency of IPR activities, including developing ways to objectively measure progress and reporting of enforcement-related activities. Read more →

DI Development Provides Technical Assistance and Training for Transparency Initiatives in El Salvador

December 29, 2011 at 8:21 am

In an effort to fight corruption in El Salvador, DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is providing technical assistance and training to increase transparency for the Government of El Salvador (GOES). DI Development carries out this work as an implementing partner on the USAID Democracy Strengthening Program (DSP), part of an international effort to fight corruption in the Central American nation.

Three Components of Transparency Training

  1. Establish a National  Committee of Transparency Experts
  2. Verify in-situ among member countries’ progress in fight against corruption
  3. Evaluate the Government Ethics Tribunal (GET) in the framework of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (IACAC)

Committee of Experts

The Organization of American States (OAS) issued a report in El Salvador that calls for preventive measures against corruption, including the formation of a National Committee of Transparency Experts, based on recommendations established by the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (IACC) Convention. Read more →

DI Development Supports the Strengthening of the National Customs Department in Paraguay

December 27, 2011 at 2:58 pm

As an implementing partner with USAID, DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is working with the Paraguayan government to help strengthen the nation’s National Customs Department. The effort is part of “Programa Umbral,” which translates to Threshold Program, an international initiative to promote and strengthen the fight against anticorruption in the South American country.

Strengthening of the National Customs Department

DI helped the Paraguayan government develop software for the Attention and Claims Center (ACC) of the National Customs Department. Manuals for functionality and procedures for the ACC were also completed and validated. An information guide was printed for the National Customs Department (NCD) and its services.

To ensure that the ACC can more efficiently receive and track complaints and claims, a new software program is under development, with rollout expected in 2012. Read more →

Strengthening the Judiciary System in Paraguay

December 22, 2011 at 11:19 am

DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is working in Paraguay to help strengthen the judiciary system in the fight against corruption. DI is working with the Paraguayan government as an implementing partner with USAID on “Programa Umbral,” Literally “Threshold Program.”

Strengthening the Judiciary System

DI helped the Paraguayan government form a new disciplinary agreement that defines applicable violations and penalties involving corruption. DI Development gathered statistical information on local practices from courts across Paraguay to develop this agreement. Officials have already been trained to enforce the new agreement.

Several improvements have also been made in the auditing process of the Paraguay courts. With DI Development’s assistance, a protocol to streamline the auditing process has been approved and implemented by officials in the Office for Complaints and the Constitutional Guarantees of the Interior. This protocol included an upgrade to their software system, which included training for officials. Performance monitoring indicates the time taken to resolve cases has already reduced since 2010. Read more →

DI Development Supports Civil Society Transparency and Anticorruption Initiatives in El Salvador

December 20, 2011 at 2:01 pm

DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, is working in El Salvador to engage civil society in the fight against corruption. DI is working with the Salvadoran government on the international initiative as an implementing partner with USAID on USAID Democracy Strengthening Program (DSP).

Civil Society with Three Components

  1. Involving private sector organizations in the fight against corruption
  2. Establishing a Transparency International (TI) chapter in El Salvador
  3. Training a new generation of leadership

Involving Private Sector Organizations in the Fight Against Corruption

While working in El Salvador, DSP officials met with a number of private sector organizations to engage them in the fight against corruption. Some examples include:

CASALCO: CASALCO, or the Chamber of Construction Sector of El Salvador, is working with DSP to promote the adoption of an Ethics Code for all affiliates of CASALCO and the institutionalization of Integrity Pacts.  These pacts aim to prevent corruption practices between governmental institutions and private contractors for any public work in the areas of public works, health and education. Read more →

DI Development, a Business of DynCorp International, Sponsors 2011 SID Annual Gala Dinner

December 15, 2011 at 1:01 pm

DI Development, a business of DynCorp International, was a sponsor at this year’s Society for International Development (SID) Annual Gala Dinner honoring Andrew S. Natsios, former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Natsios served as Administrator from 2001 until 2006. During this period, he managed the agency’s reconstruction programs in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sudan which totaled more than $14 billion over four years. He previously served at USAID as Director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance from 1989 to 1991 and Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Food and Humanitarian Assistance (now called the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance) from 1991 to 1993. After being appointed Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance and Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan in 2006, he was the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan from October 2006 to December 2007 where he dealt with the crisis in Darfur and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan. A veteran of the Gulf War, Natsios served 23 years in the U.S. Army Reserves as a civil affairs officer before retiring in 1995 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Read more →

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