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!