Local government leaders in southern Africa are asking the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers of local government to recognise and support local government’s key role in development in the region and its relevance to SADC’s strategic plan and priorities. They are also calling for international organisations in the region to facilitate the development of a regional programme to support local government reform and policy development to consolidate decentralisation and support inclusive service delivery and sustainable development.
Ministers, permanent secretaries, directors of local government, chairpersons and secretary-generals of local government associations from 13 countries in southern Africa met in Luanda, Angola at the beginning of April to discuss the role of local government in promoting development in the region and the importance of their engagement with SADC. The meeting, chaired by the Mozambique Minister of Local Government, was hosted by the Angolan Minister of Territorial Administration and run by a partnership of CLGF, UNDP and UNCDF.
Participants also highlighted priorities for addressing poverty and promoting sustainable development through local government, including decentralisation, local government financing and strengthening local government capacity to deliver inclusive services and local economic development. They also highlighted the value of action-based research on these issues and called for more funding for research on local government in the region to enhance policy-making and a regional programme to support local government based on the findings of the studies.
In follow up to the meeting, the three partners – CLGF, UNDP and UNCDF – have agreed to develop a project document within three months and start resource mobilisation to encourage the involvement of other development partners to support and take the programme forward.