The meeting discussed the draft findings of a study on the status of local governments in Southern Africa, jointly commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and the United Nations Capital Development Fund. It will create a platform for discussion of common practices and frameworks around decentralisation, service delivery, local government funding and capacity building for Southern African local governments. Me Ekandio said he was aware that improving the live-ability and competitiveness of cities, towns and villages places high demands on local governance and management

Deputy Mayor of the City of Windhoek Agnes Kafula  who also spoke at the opening  said to that local governments need to establish mechanisms that will contribute to local development, and thus improve the quality of life of the residents, but this is not easy as local governments face enormous challenges.
CLGF Secretary-General Carl Wright said he was encouraged by the strong commitment which SADC countries to local democracy and decentralisation, and that he was especially pleased to note that Malawi will be holding its first local government elections in April 2011 and CLGF, working with UNDP and other partners, hopes to assist this important process.

The workshop stems from the meeting of Ministers of Local Government held in February 2010 in Botswana and was followed by the inaugural meeting of the SADC Ministers of Local Government’s one-day meeting on 3 November 2010 and was addressed by Prime Minister Nahas Angula.