Fernando Rojas
Fernando Rojas
Born in Cali, Colombia, 04. 21. 48
Colombia citizen
Married, four children.
Languages: Spanish, English, French.
EDUCATION
Master Public Administration (M.P.A.), Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, 6. 1973
LL.M. , Harvard Law School, Cambridge, 6. 1972
International Tax Program Certificate, Harvard Law School,
Cambridge, 6. 1972
Law School, Rosario University, Bogota. Completed law studies
11. 1970
High School, Colegio Berchmans, Cali, Colombia, 7.1965.
TEACHING – ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
*Visiting Fellow, ‘State Reform’ and ‘Urban Development’
Harvard University, 1996-1998
*Visiting professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University,
Toronto, Canada, Spring Term, 1990
*Visiting Fellow, ‘State Decentralization and Inter- Governmental
Fiscal Transfers in Latin America’, CEDLA, University of Amsterdam,
The Netherlands, Fall Semester, 1989.
*Visiting Fellow, ‘Citizens’ Participation at the Local Level’
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada,
August –October, 1989.
*Lecturer, ‘Colombian Fiscal Policy’ School of Economics,
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 1. 1987-12. 1987
*Tinker Professor of Law, ‘Law and Social Change’ and ‘State
Modernization in Latin America’ ‘Law and Social Change’ and
‘State Modernization in Latin America’ Law School, University of
Wisconsin, Madison, 1985-86
*Lecturer, ‘State Transformation in Latin America’ Graduate Studies
CIDER, University of Los Angeles, Bogota, 1982-85, 1987.
*Lecturer, Law School, University of Los Angeles, ‘Colombian Income
Tax’, ‘Legal Sociology’, 1982-83.
*Director, Postgraduate on Fiscal Policy in Colombia, Escuela Superior de
Administracion Publica, Bogota, 1982-1983.
*Visiting Professor, ‘Public Administration Reform in Colombia’ Institute
of Social Studies, The Hague, 1980-81
*Visiting Professor, ‘Integrated Rural Development Programs in Latin
America’ Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin, Fall
Semester, 1978.
*Lecturer, ‘Public Policy’ ,Universidad Externado de Colombia, Spring
Semester .1978.
*Research Fellow, ‘Law and Social Change in Colombia’, Stanford Law
School, Stanford CA, 1975-76
*Professor, ‘Agrarian Reform’ and ‘Tax Policy’, Law School and School of
Business Administration, University of Los Andes, Bogota, 1973-75.
EMPLOYMENT - INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT
-The World Bank, LCSPS. August 1998 – present. Currently Lead Public Sector Management Specialist.
In this capacity, Fernando Rojas has led several World Bank’s Policy, Analytical, Technical Assistance or Fee-based projects on State Reform, Fiscal Policies, Public Management and Institutional Development, both at national and subnational levels in countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru. These projects aimed at the transformation of public/private roles with emphasis on community participation and local development; strategies for state decentralization and private sector participation; institutional development including integrated financial management and performance-based budgeting, and fiscal Decentralization in Latin America. He has also led the Bank’s dialogue on public sector reform and has been responsible for coordinating strategies and actions with other multilateral or bilateral donors in countries like Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay and Uruguay.
-International Consultant on State Reform, Fiscal Policies and Institutional Development at the Subnational Level for Latin American countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua: 1976 – 1996. Bilateral and Multilateral donors including The World Bank, IDB, GTZ, Dutch Technical Cooperation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, USAID, ECLAC, CLAD.
-International Consultant on Public-Private partnership at the local level, including:
*A Comparative Analysis of Programs for Land Regularization,
Association and Access to Capital Markets in Latin America. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, January 1997-1998
*Maintaining Social Infrastructure through Matching Grants as
Incentives for Participatory Planning and Public –Private Alliances
FISE-IDB, Nicaragua, November 1996-1998
*Keynote Speech and Moderator, EDI (World Bank Group)-ICNL
electronic conference on ‘Law Reform for the Formation of Public Private
Alliances in Latin America’ ,July –October, 1997
*Consultant PAISA, JOVEN, a public-private program for production
and employment in Medellin, Colombia. GTZ, September, 1997.
*Strengthening Local Governments for Participatory Democracy in
Haiti. ARD-USAID (team member together with James Thompson, ARD, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, The Philippines), April-May, 1997.
*Legal obstacles to the formation of partnerships at the municipal level in Latin
America. A policy oriented paper for EDI, The World Bank, Washington, December, 1996.
*Public-Private Alliances for Poverty Alleviation Programs. Final report of a
Seminar jointly organized by IAF, EDI, The Vesper Society and the MacArthur Foundation, Washington, October, 1996.
*Papers for the World Bank and the IDB conferences on state and private sector
reform in Latin America. Jakarta, May, 1996, Madrid October,1996; Washington; Barcelona , March, 1997.
*A research study of ‘best practices’ towards competitiveness in
Colombia. Andean Finance Corporation and the Presidency of Colombia, 11. 1995-07, 1996.
*Developing public private interaction as a means to support public policies
towards the children in several Latin America cities ,UNICEF, 09. 1994-02-1996.
-International Consultant on State Decentralization and Public Service Delivery in Latin America, including:
*Quality Control Person, Two Workshops, Sub-sovereign Capital Markets
Program, The World Bank, 1998
*The agenda of State Decentralization in Lain America Keynote Speech, XI Latin
America Conference on Development Administration, Madrid, October 1998.
*Restructuring the Social Investment Fund (FHIS) in Honduras, The World Bank,
October, 1997
*Service Delivery at the Local Level in Paraguay, Expenditure and
Responsibilities of Sub-National Governments for the Improvement of Public Services in Paraguay. The World Bank, Comision de Decentralizacion del Ministerio de Hacienda , July, 1997
*Strengthening Local Governments in Guatemala, ARD, May, 1997
*Sustainable Cities, paper for the Inter-Agency Task Force, Summit Meeting of the
Americas ,Santiago, 1998. The World Bank, OAS, Oct. 97-Feb. 98
*Fiscal Decentralization for Improving Service Delivery in the MERCOSUR
countries (plus Bolivia and Chile). Consejo Latinoamericano de Administracion, CLAD-Government of The Netherlands, June-November, 1997
*Restructuring the FIS in EL Salvador, The World Bank, September
December, 1996.
*New sources of benefit taxation for increasing local revenues in Latin
America, ECLAC-GTZ. August-October, 1996
*Best practice cases of local management in Colombia and Bolivia,
The World Bank, 1996-97
*Proposal for the Consolidation of State Decentralization in Colombia
and Venezuela, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 1995-1996.
OTHER CONSULTANCY EXPERIENCE
*Concept Paper for a Program on Land Regularization in
Colombia, IDB 06-08. 1996
*Rapporteur and Editor, International Seminar on Regional Negotiations
for Peace in Latin America, The Woodrow Wilson Center, FESCOL,
CEI Andes University, Bogota, Colombia,06.96
*International Decentralization and Public-private Interaction in the
City of Cali, Consultant for the Municipality of Cali, 03-08.96
*Design of a European Union –supported Program on Local Financing
and Strengthening Local Governments, Government of Colombia
04-08.96
*Coordinator of the program of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation of
Colombia for Strengthening Local Capacity in the City of Fusagasuga
and Small Towns along the Pacific Coast, 01-07.96
*Professionalization and mobilization of private resources in the
City of Cali and the Department of Valle, Colombia.
*Consultant, The World Bank Program on Best Practices in Local
Management, 1996
*Stakeholder analysis of social, political and economic actors involved
in decentralization processes . Consultant, IDB-Presidency of Colombia
01-05-96
*Adviser to the Mayor of Bogota for Tax Reform and Betterment Levies,
09-10.95
*Adviser for Deconcentration and Decentralization of the City of Cali,
06-12.95
*Member of the Committee of Experts for the Efficiency of the Public
Sector, U.N. General Secretary, New York, Stockholm,07,10,1995
*Fiscal, Decentralization and Inter-Governmental Transfers in Guatemala
Consultant the World Bank, 07.95
*Evaluation of Social Investment Funds in Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala
and Venezuela. Consultant, ECLAC-GTZ, 1995
*Consultant, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung-Government of Venezuela for
incorporating the Social Investment Fund (FONVIS) into the Process of
Decentralization, 05-07.1995
*Consultant UNDP-Ministry of Economic Development of Colombia for
Land Taxes and Urban Policy Reform, 01-09.1995
*Consultant GTZ for the reorientation of the GTZ program for the support
Decentralization in Bolivia, GTZ, 03 1995
*Coordinator of Mayors for Children in Latin America, a UNICEF program
for Latin America 01-09 1995
*Concept paper on the Potential of Municipal Associations in Latin
America, The World Bank, 10-11.1994
*Evaluation of the Bolivian Policies on Participation and Decentralization
GTZ, 09-12.1994
*Keynote speech at the Latin America Seminar on Decentralization and
Participatory Social Policies, GTZ, Bogota, o6-08.1994
*Consultant, the UN (New York) for the production of a Comparative
Analysis of Fiscal Decentralization in Latin America, 03-09.1994
*Consultant on Decentralization and Consensus Building at the local level
UNICEF, 05.1994
*Consultant ILDIS-GTZ for the Design and Implementation of the
Decentralization Fund (FIDES) in Venezuela, 06-07.1994
*Consultant, UNDP-Ministry of Economic Development, for the Study
of Local Competitive Advantage in Colombia Cites 04-12.1994
*Design and implementation of impact and performances indicates
for the Colombian and Venezulean Country –Offices. Consultant
UNICEF ,12.93-12.94
*Proposal of an Agenda for State Decentralization in Colombia for
1994-1998. Consultant, Presidency of Colombia, Bogota, 04-06-1994.
*Design of a study on local management capacity in Colombia. Cconsultant, the
World Bank 04-05.1994
*Central Policy Paper and Summary of Recommendations, UNDP-CLAD
jointly organized Seminar on Financing Decentralization in Latin
America, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 11.1993
*Consultant, UNDP, for the reform of the Ministry of Economic Development
of Colombia with a view to supporting local public utilities and financing
state decentralization , 08-12.1993
*Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia for negotiations on
economic integration, 10 1992-07.1994
*Adviser, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, for State Decentralization in Latin
America, 1992-1995
*The Colombian experience with Municipal Bonds. Consultant, Research
Triangle Institute –USAID Indonesia Ministry of Finance, 07-1993.
*Institutional development of the intermediate level of government for the
support of poverty alleviation programs in Colombia. Consultant, The
World Bank, 06-07.1993
*Municipal Financing , Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and Institutional
Development. Consultant, The World Bank , Belize, 05-07.1993
*Proposal for law reform to increase citizens’ participation in local services
consultant, Ministry of the Interior of Colombia, 02-04, 1993.
*Adviser , Colombian Congress, on proposals for law reform on fiscal
decentralization , 02.1993-02.1994.
*Consultant Development Associates –USAID on the program for justice
administration reform in Latin America, 02. 1993.
*Fiscal Decentralization in Peru. Consultant, the World Bank, 11. 1992-03 1993.
Strategies for financing decentralization of education in Colombia.
*Consultant, The World Bank and the Colombian Ministry of Education.
06.1992-01.1993.
*Consultant Congress of Colombia , for the preparation of a bill on local
Public utilities, 10 1992-04. 1993
*Consultant The World Bank, on Intergovernmental Transfers and Municipal
Financing in Peru,11.1992-02 .1993.
*Consultant, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Government of Venezuela on
Financing Decentralization and Organizational Reform in Venezuela,
01-12 1992.
*Human Rights and reform of the administration of justice in Honduras,
Consultant, DANCHURCHAID, 08.1992
*Tax Reform and Fiscal Decentralization in Argentina. Consultant the World Bank,
05-06, 1962.
*Consultant. Regional Cooperation and Economic Integration between Mexico,
Colombia and Venezuela. Adviser to the Mexican Presidency, 1991-1994.
*Consultant, Ministry of Economic Development of Colombia, for Institutional
development and organizational design in the areas of Water, Sanitation, Low Income Housing and Urban Development, 11. 1992-06. 1993.
*Consultant, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Government of Venezuela
on Financing Decentralization and Organizational Reform in Venezuela
01-12 .1992.
*Consultant, GTZ, on fiscal decentralization and citizens’ participation in El
Salvador, 06-07. 1992.
*Consultant, UNDP-Presidency of Colombia, on State Modernization through
client participation in the Management of Public Utilities, 01-04. 1992.
*Consultant on local participation, revenue sharing and functional Specialization among states, municipalities and the Ministry for the
Family , Venezuela, 02-05 . 1991.
*Adviser, Colombian Presidential Commission on Fiscal Decentralization
10.1990-6. 1991.
*Adviser to the Federation Colombiana de Municipios, 1990-91.
*Consultant revenue sharing and VAT administration , Ministry of
Finance , Venezuela, 08-10. 1990.
*Consultant , General Strategy for Decentralization, Venezuelan Presidential Commission for State Reform (COPRE) , first semester 1990.
*Consultant , The World Bank, on Intergovernmental Transfer and
Public Finances in Mexico, 1989.
*Director, Support Program for Decentralization and Coordination of
Public Investment in Colombia, UNDP, Bogota, 1988-1990.
*Alternatives to the Payroll Tax for Financing Occupational Training
Institutions in Latin America . Consultant ,CINTERFOR
*International Labor Office, Montevideo, 08. 1988-01. 1989.
*Financing Public Interest NGOs and NGOs institutional development.
*Consultant, CORFAS – Ford Foundation, Bogota, 03.1988-11. 1988.
*Consultant, National Department of Planning (Bogota, Colombia)
for drafting a new comprehensive law for planning, budgeting,
and control under decentralization. Bogota, 08. 1988-09. 1988.
*Evaluation of Peasant Movements and Agrarian Reform Policies in Ecuador.
Consultant, NOVIB (Dutch Development Agency), 09-10, 1987.
*Senior Researcher, Instituto de Estudios Colombianos, IEC, Bogota, 01.1987-
06.1990 (Government Consultancy in the areas of Fiscal Policy, Mining Policy, Electricity and Gas, Industrial Development and Export Promotion, Institutional Development within the Public Sector).
*President, Inter American Legal Services Association, ILSA, 1985-
1995. Monitoring and Evaluation of Human Rights as well as legal, electoral and constitutional reforms for democratic development in Latin America.
*Consultant, Ministry of Economic Development, for drafting a new Law on Free
Trade Zones. Bogota, 04.1987-06.1987.
*Chairperson, Government appointed commission to prepare an Indicative Plan for
the introduction of high technologies in Colombia. Ministry of Economic Development, Bogota, 11. 1986-03. 1987.
*Director of Research , Center for Research and Popular Education , CINEP,
Bogota, 1976-80, 1981-85, 1986-88 (on leave 1980-81 and 1985-86).
*Member of the Government appointed Commission for recommending
Policies to foster Software Industry in Colombia, 1984-85.
*Member of the Research team on taxation and foreign exchange policies for the
development of the Colombian Mining Sector, 1983-85. Responsible for the sections on taxation & royalties, public spending, foreign exchange and foreign investment policies.
*Consultant for NOVIB (Dutch development agency) for evaluation of a
National confederation of labor (Colombia) and a national peasant
Association (Ecuador), 1983, 1984.
*Tax Reform in Colombia. Consultant for the National Association of
Financial Institutions, ANIF, Bogota, 1983-84.