aiding development: the relevance of a local governance perspective
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Aiding Development: the Relevance of a Local governance Perspective
Isa Baud Department of Geography, Planning
and International Development Studies
Trends in development processes and governance
• Neo-liberal paradigm in the 1980s led to a re-thinking of the role of the national state
• Ideas: – development should not be state-led– Economic growth should be led by market forces – National state should step back
• Results: – State ceded powers to lower levels of government (local or
provincial)– State ceded powers to higher levels of government
(international institutions; regional trading blocs)– Government should work with private sector and civil
organisations – Local governments started promoting economic growth policies
Local governance perspectives
• Local governments have closest contact with their citizens, most responsive to local needs and demands
• lowest level of electoral representation for citizens towards government
• Classic responsibilities for QoL: public goods provision (water, sanitation, waste management, housing, basic education, health, safety)
• Major change that governments received more responsibility for economic growth – entrepreneurial local governments
Potential contributions of local governments to MDGs - 1
• MDG 7c: increasing drinking water access by 50%• 80% piped water in urban areas, 34% in rural areas;
coverage in rural areas increased; this target will be met by 2015
• MDG 7c: halving people with no access to sanitation• Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, 64-69% no access;
little progress in these two regions • 40% of urban population in Southern Asia no access:
open defecation widespread • In sub-Saharan Africa, rich have access, the poor very
little to sanitation
Potential contributions of local governments to MDGs - 2
• MDG 7d: improve lives of 100 million slum dwellers – housing (only 10% of actual slum population)
• 2000-2010: % slum dwellers down from 39 to 33%; absolute numbers slum dwellers in cities going up (787 million)
• But – sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of urban residents in slums
• Conflict increases % of residents in slums: – Iraq from 17% to 51% since 2000
Other contributions by ULGs
• Not included in the MDGs; the role of cities as drivers of the economy
• Role of cities in political processes – direct interaction with citizens
WRR –report conclusions
• Recognizes importance of national governments in ‘aiding development’
• Aid should be relevant to development path of receiving country, and fit national context
• diagnose country needs in terms of themes and sectors before providing aid
• right aid channel should be chosen• Aid should have catalysing effect (spill-over effects)• How much does aid through local government
programmes contribute?
Urban local governments
• Netherlands: …. Local governments• urban local governments association VNG • VNG International works with other ULGs in
strengthening local governments elsewhere • City-to-city cooperation • Internationally: – UCLG international association of ULGs– UN- Habitat UN agency dealing with urban issues
International role of ULGs
• UN conferences indicated importance of LGs in promoting local development (Earth Summit 1992 and Habitat Summit 1996)
• ULGs included in WB programmes in policy consultative groups – Cities Alliance
• UCLG become member of OECD/DAC group in making aid effective
• European Charter on Aid recognized ULGs role through MIC and ACB
Aid from local government perspective
• LOGO SOUTH programme 2007-2010 (DGIS aided)
• Three components– Municipal International
Cooperation (MIC)– Association Capacity
Building (ACB) – Policy Development and
Research (PD&R)
Municipal international cooperation
• MIC partnerships between municipalities • designed to improve capacity of local government by
peer-to-peer exchange • contribute to short- and longer term objectives– service provision, poverty alleviation, institutional
strengthening, and knowledge exchange– Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – improve democracy and enhance responsiveness
Dutch MIC
• currently programme in 12 countries – 8 countries in Africa, 2 in Asia, 2 in L. Am - 40 twinnings: focus on thematic issues in progr.
related to main responsibilities LGs- Waste management, water provision, housing,
citizen participation, Hiv/AIDS- Also water boards and housing corporations
involved (semi-public companies)
Association Capacity Building
• Association Capacity Building (ACB) programmes focus on developing LGAs’ capacities and skills – for their advocacy and lobby roles– provide services to their members and – to act as networking facilitators and knowledge
brokers vis-à-vis national governments, regional networks
Recent changes in programme
• MIC – one theme per country (40 twinnings)• ACB – stronger regional focus
– 3 LGAs in 4 regions– Focus on improving service delivery; management capacities; capacity for
lobby and advocacy; financial sustainability • Pd& R – recent addition
- LG in peace-building and fragile states; - LG and MDGs; – Aid architecture, policy dialogue, accountability; – Support to LG in conflict areas
Zuid Afrika: water en afval management
• Water management: water scarcity but also very unequal division of water
• Explicit request national government to Netherlands for developing Dutch water board model
• Water boards with stakeholder participation set up: cross-border negotiation with Mozambique also developed
C2C Buffalo City – Leiden (Waste)
Activities– Exchange NL-SA - SA – NL
• P2P, many forms of informal learning
– Exchange within SA of municipal staff and community leaders (BCM-Ekuhurleni and Port Elizabeth)
– Tailor made training (PR skills in NL
– Construction of Waste-drop off points
Results in Pilot Community Duncan Village
• Construction of 36 waste collection points in Duncan village. • Ca. 30 community members trained in basic principles and
functioning of waste-cooperatives (in exchange visits) and in all aspects of waste-management (during trainings).
• Basic materials bought to ensure that 100 community members can now act as managers of the waste collection points and clean litter.
• All relevant ward-councillors trained in principles of the project and the role of the community
• Public awareness campaigns on waste issues in Duncan Village
• The community members very proud of the project, and attract many visitors to their community
Results within BCM municipality• Numerous learning effects for the staff involved who reported
– Increased technical skills (better understanding of waste-management system, increased PR-skills)
– Increased project management skills, including project-formulation and fundraising
– Change in work-attitude (substantially more committed to their work, pride, no longer working for a salary only).
– In Leiden: increased creativity, commitment and possibilities for “out-of the box” thinking.
• Strengthening of Buffalo City Municipality– Improved cooperation between departments involved (road and
infrastructure (stormwater), waste-management, community services)– Improved management skills of staff involved (including capacity to raise
additional funding)
WRR: Development aid has to be relevant
• Relevance high because• Covers key sectoral
priorities of LGs and LGAs
• Follows national policy in relevant sectors
ULG programme
• Addresses key priorities of LG • Municipalities and sectoral organisations involved • Possible upscaling good practice to country level • Ownership and commitment high among staff • political commitment varies locally
WRR: A good diagnosis is necessary….
• Peer-to-peer exchange is basis for diagnosis• ULGs in South directly involved in preparing
project proposals: South Africa • Projects provide direct inputs to local policy
making• Learning exchanges between partners N-S, S-N, S-S
WRR: The right channel should carry it out…
• Unique in efficiency and sustainability – Builds on existing organisation and staff on both sides – in-
built capacity for long-term sustainability – Overhead costs of programme much lower than other
types of development coop programmes (PMUs, salaries)– Missions effective means of peer-to-peer exchanges;
learning from practice – Knowledge exchange through expert networks nationally
and regionally
Creativity in MIC projects
Adaptability in funding programme;
Partners bring in extra resources (human, technical, financial)
knowledge exchange, research added
Country coordinators important Missions to Netherlands useful
Can still be strengthened..
• Working together with LGAs and sectoral organisations (water boards, housing corporations) and with national government dpts.
• Comparing examples of ‘good practice’ nationally, for other ULGs to utilize
• Political representatives need to included more (ACB)
• Local public goods, but also global public goods should be included (CO2 reduction, energy saving, recycling, water management)
WRR: Effectiveness linked to knowledge exchange and learning
• Learning effects strong between peers N-S, S-N, S-S • Strengthened municipal organisations: policy
formulation, project management, technical skills • Potential leverage learning effects to sectoral and
national levels • Embedding programme in existing organisations
provides learning continuity beyond project period • Dissemination to other municipalities strong
Strengthening local government programmes; recommendations 1
• Maintain adaptability in funding programme • Make strategic choices for critical mass by country • Promote combinations of stakeholders at different
levels, • Promote learning between municipalities by sector• Promote scaling-up impact of municipal activities by
links with sectoral and national organisations
Recommendations 2
• Involve councillors and mayors to increase political support• Combine ACB with MIC components for synergy• Include MDGs in programme in accordance with municipal
priorities• Knowledge partnerships with universities, knowledge centres • Promote model of working with existing staff and
organisations as efficient and effective model for other aid programmes
Thank you!
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