DEVELOPMENT Solutions Ltd. (DS) provides research, strategic planning, and project management services including event implementation, in the arena of sustainable development for governments, the public sector, international organisations and multinational corporations. This work includes the organisation and implementation of training and TA for public and private sector operators in the international trade arena. In addition, DS has extensive experience in ensuring strong network and stakeholder relations management, especially where projects require an understanding of the operating protocols necessary when cooperating with officials and public sector bodies from developing countries. The work of DS constantly raises awareness of European Commission trade and external relations policies. It also helps to support the message of sustainable development as a key pillar of Europe’s strategic relationships with external partners.

Since 2003, DS has implemented a considerable number of EC-funded projects. As a result, DS has built up a bank of expertise and a team experienced in the procedures and requirements of project management on EC projects. We ensure that TA design is based on a thorough beneficiary needs assessment and training formats, which are relevant to the local context. Beneficiary needs assessment in developing countries is carried out by DS through both desk research and stakeholder consultation (questionnaires and direct face-to-face interviews). DS is experienced in the full project cycle of project management, including technical and financial reporting formats. This experience has been applied to the design and delivery of TA programmes, workshops, high-level conferences and seminars within a variety of sectors, which have included the participation of industry, civil society, government officials, and experts.

DS also specialises in designing and implementing promotional and visibility campaigns, and the targeted capacity building of stakeholders on substantive issues from policy development to codes of conduct for compliance strategies. Familiarity with various forms of media access has enabled DS to provide stakeholders the desired amount of publicity for their project.