The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) have teamed up to take forward a new proposal for the development of a local government institute in Rwanda, in partnership with the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA).

The Institute, formally launching this summer, will bring together key stakeholders from across Rwanda and the UK to provide practical training and capacity building support for officers and elected representatives. The training will run alongside a master’s level programme which RALGA is developing with the University of Rwanda, and will contribute to efforts in Rwanda to professionalise local government and help councils retain and develop their staff and councillors.

The RALGA team are visiting the UK this week (18-22 April) to finalise their plans for the Institute’s development and enable key practitioners who will be involved in progressing the work to come together. Their visit includes trips to Camden and Norwich Council as well as sessions with leading experts on service design and professional development.

CLGF and LGiU will be working together to support the development of the Institute. The LGiU runs an extensive briefing service for councils in the UK. As such they will work alongside RALGA to support the development of a similar service tailored for its members. The CLGF will be supporting the development of the Institute’s business plan.

For information about local government in Rwanda, check out Rwanda's country profile.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGiU, said: “We are pleased to be working alongside the CLGF to support the Rwandan team in their efforts to launch the country’s first Local Government Institute.  Our experience has shown us that local government works best when practitioners are given the right tools to succeed. We are very happy to share those tools with colleagues in Rwanda as they look to enhance local government and the delivery of services there.”

CLGF, Deputy Secretary-General, Lucy Slack, said: “The study visit this week is an important opportunity for RALGA, LGIU and CLGF to work together, and to pool ideas and expertise, as part of a project to support RALGA in the development of their new local government institute. Drawing on experiences from the UK and other Commonwealth countries, the Institute will ensure that local leaders and staff have better access to practical policy materials and training support to further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of local government.”

CLGF News story: Helping develop a new local government institute in Rwanda
Public Finance International coverage: Local government institute to drive PFM improvements in Rwanda