A cinematic cliché it may be, but it rings true: Development professionals will always have Paris. The French capital is home to the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, along with a key outpost of the U.N. Environment Program; since France is a major player for bilateral and multilateral official development assistance, the French Development Agency is a required stop for many; and the Paris embassies of Africa’s two dozen Francophone countries often offer chances for serious face-to-face meetings without the agony of a red-eye flight to a far-flung capital. Plus all those French NGOs. Not to mention the fact that international African-bound travelers often need to make a European stop en route.
With the OECD Global Forum on Development happening this week, why not schedule 48 hours in Paris?
About the author
Bill Hinchbergerhinchberger
Bill Hinchberger is a global communications professional and educator. He studied at Berkeley and has taught at the Sorbonne. Based mostly in Paris, he spends quality time in Brazil and the United States, and works extensively in Africa and Latin America. He has served as an international correspondent for The Financial Times, Business Week, ARTnews, Variety, and others. One current focus of his work is content creation for foundations, NGOs and other organizations, especially those working on issues related to international affairs, the environment and development. He also runs training programs for professional journalists, notably in Africa, and is an associate of Rain Barrel Communications, a leading consultancy for social justice projects.