I attended the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) national conference in eThekwini (Durban) in late August, a highlight of which was the warning by its Executive Mayor James Nxumalo about the need for local government to deal with climate change. The conference also saw the retirement of SALGA Chairperson and former CLGF Vice Chairperson Amos Masondo.

I have just returned  from a CLGF seminar in Karachi, 6-7 July, held in association with the Commonwealth Secretariat and our Pakistan partners including the City District Government Karachi and the Government of Sindh. 

CLGF has submitted its comments and response on the draft report by the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG), which was set up by Heads of Government to undertake a review the workings of the Commonwealth and make proposals to their next meeting in Perth, Australia, October 2011. In its submission, CLGF shares the view that the core comparative advantage of the Commonwealth lies in its shared political and democratic values and emphasises in this context the importance of local democracy as reflected in the Commonwealth Aberdeen Principles. 

CLGF, UNDP and UNCDF have kicked off a new partnership to support decentralisation in Southern and Eastern Africa. Senior practitioners from across the Southern African region met in Windhoek on 1-3 November, hosted by the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Jerry Ekandjo, to debate the findings of a draft study on the State of Local Government in Southern Africa.