Specialized Links

SPECIALIZED LINKS

Business Link

Politicians and Civil

Labour

Social Issues

Media

Club 29

Since its inception in 1995, the Smart Partnership movement as epitomised by the International Dialogues, has over the years generated numerous groupings from among the participants. The Smart Partnership framework enables these groups to interact with one another on issues, which are more specific and focused. This in itself is testimony to the growing international acceptance of the Smart Partnership movement and illustrates that with its value base and ethos for cooperative purpose at national, regional and international levels, there is a framework created for more specialized areas of interest and concern.

From the early days of the Smart Partnership Movement, the active participation of the government and business sectors highlighted the absence of a ‘missing partner’ or link, which was integral to the creation of a civil society. This missing partner was identified as the Labour link and with its establishment, the way forward was made more clear, based on mutually supportive efforts on the part of the three entities. In tandem with the three links mentioned earlier, the emergence of the Social Issues and the Media Links demonstrated the encompassing posture of the Smart Partnership community.

Hubbing and Webbing: Cooperative Networking

The Specialized Links are in no way definitive where structures, agendas and practices are concerned. Given the dynamism and commitment to change and adaptation in the Smart Partnership Movement, and with enablers in the form of Hubs and Webs at national and international levels, a fluid and evolving structure has emerged from all this.

Most of the participating countries have established Hubs to mobilize Smart Partnership activities within their respective areas, for example, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. To date, the Smart Partnership movement is empowered by five webs, namely the Caribbean, Southern and Eastern Africa, West Asian Mediterranean and South East Asia. These webs work synchronously and in tandem with the overall Smart Partnership philosophy, with the CPTM Hub providing the context and drive for all such ‘hubbing and webbing’.

Linking the Links: A Code of Practice

While no attempt will be made to impose some kind of governance of the Specialized Links, a Code of Practice, as stated below, will be expected of the Links concerned.

	Actively pursue the Smart Partnership ethos
	Create a Community of Practice that addresses emerging areas of interest and concern for collective good and well-being.
	Ensure that communication and interaction go beyond the event-based Dialogues.
	Wherever possible utilise ICT for collective advantage, and use online facilities to enhance the spirit of community.
	Ensure that the Links do not operate as exclusive bodies, rather optimize the opportunities for sharing, advocating and taking action steps across the many Links.

That these Specialized Links operate as responsible entities goes without saying. As befitting a Community/Club of responsible practitioners, the Links are enjoined to abide by the Code of Ethics that CPTM as the institutional body epitomizes in both spirit and practice. After all Smart Partners are ‘shareholders’ of CPTM.

Home • About CPTM • Governance • Latest Newsline • Specialized Links • Alexander_King.htm • Companions of CPTM • The Smart Partners Hub • Networking Activities • Contact us