The key components of what makes successful local economic development (LED) is the focus of a regional conference run by CLGF, UNDP and other partners in southern Africa which opens today. The conference will run from 17-18 March 2014 in Lilongwe, Malawi hosted by the Malawi Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; it will run alongside the 2014 meeting of the SADC Local Government Ministers Forum. Read More

Following the successful local government elections in Balochistan in December 2013, CLGF is looking at ways to further strengthen local government capacity in Pakistan by providing technical support and facilitate exchange of good practice. Read More

The 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) formally recognised the role which developmental local government can play in enhancing the exercise of democratic governance and in the defining and delivery of essential services as well as in promoting economic development. They also backed 2014 as the Year of Developmental Local Government. Read More

The new development goals and targets should be flexible enough to be localised says the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) in a statement in which it is calling on Commonwealth Heads of Government to endorse at their meeting in Sri Lanka this week. Read More

Better use of technology, energy reduction, and boosting economic growth are the key ways that local government in Europe is transforming local government response to austerity measures as a result of national financial constraints, according to the participants at the recent CLGF European Members meeting in Dublin, Ireland, chaired by Cyprus Board member Mayor Lazoros Savvides. Read More

CLGFs upcoming pilot projects in Southern Africa will focus on the role of extractive industries in helping promote LED. Various capacity assessment projects are underway in Botswana and Swaziland as CLGF prepares for the forthcoming pilot projects in the region. The activities include accessing capacity within the region to help identify regional priorities, establishing baseline information and setting milestones to measure progress. Read More