East African County and Local Governments Association, EACLGA, in collaboration with Rwanda's Ministry of Local Government, MINALOC, successfully convened the latest meeting of the East Africa Local Government Forum (EALGF). This pivotal gathering took place in Rwanda's capital, Kigali from 22 to 24 July and brought together ministerial representatives, local government associations, and partners from across the region, including CLGF, to address matters of regional integration and cross-border cooperation.

Empowering local government

The forum was opened by the Outgoing Minister for Local Government in Rwanda, Hon. Patrice Mugenzi, who emphasised the crucial role of local governments in governance, poverty reduction & regional collaboration. He advocated for their empowerment through platforms like EALGF, fostering dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and consensus-building for greater impact. Representing the current EALGF Chair, the Permanent Secretary from the Uganda Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Ben Kumumanya, urged local government in the region to escalate innovation and peer learning to navigate the complexities of globalisation, including climate change and socio-economic disparities.

Sharing experience and expertise 

Across the three-day meeting, participants exchanged on issues of collaboration, policy alignment, capacity building, institution strengthening and joint action planning. Working to strengthen local government’s contribution to East African Community (EAC) integration and overcoming cross-border barriers to economic and social development were key themes.

Bottom-up approach underpinning progress

CLGF Head of Programmes Ms Claire Frost shared a set of key reflections to open the session, exploring concerns and recommendations to strengthen the role of county and local governments in the EAC integration. She focused on the role of local government in local economic development and how this bottom-up approach underpins economic development and integration in the EAC. Specific experience in cross border LED as well as the EAC policies supporting or undermining local government’s work in this area were also presented and discussed in this session.

The meeting concluded with Hon. Gen (rtd) James Kabarebe, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Cooperation for Rwanda, emphasising three key considerations for delegates, specifically:

• The need to acknowledge and build upon the achievements already made in EAC regional integration;
• The importance of coordinated planning in harnessing the region’s abundant resources;
• The critical role of good governance and decentralisation in improving service delivery and deepening citizen trust.

Outcomes

The final meeting outcomes focused on five key areas:

1. Strengthening legal and policy alignment
2. Empowering local governments through capacity building
3. Enhancing cross-border collaboration
4. Promoting digital governance and financial innovation
5. Fostering inclusivity and community engagement

CLGF and EACLGA will continue to work with their members in the region to demonstrate the added value of local government to the integration process and the importance of a strong decentralised system to deliver development to the citizens of the EAC.