CLGF will bring its West and Central African members together from 25-27 July in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to discuss reinforcing resilience in the local government sector and share experience and good practice from across the region.

Strengthening local government's role in development

The meeting is being hosted by CLGF in partnership with the Cameroon Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development (MINDEVEL), headed by Hon Georges Elanga Obam, who is the Vice Chairperson of the CLGF, and the local government association United Cities and Communes of Cameroon (UCCC). It is funded through CLGF’s EU-funded programme - Strengthening local government’s role as a partner in development.

CLGF has been active in the region, working with its members to support the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing LED and strengthening diversity and inclusion in local government election processes with funding from the European Union (EU) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO formerly DFID). This meeting will bring together Ministries of local government, local government associations and local leaders and technical staff from Cameroon, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo.

Building back better socially and economically

The meeting will focus on Building Back Better and examining social and economic strategies to strengthen resilience in the local government sector. Specifically there will be a major focus in revenue raising and ensuring local government has the funds and capacity to deliver for citizens. This will allow participants to exchange on own-source revenue raising, local economic development, accessing investment as well as good public finance management. The meeting will also provide space to reflect on the ongoing and worsening climate crisis and provide participants to share experience on adaptation and mitigation, as well as key pressures and drivers they have been experiencing both at the local and country level.

CLGF successful regional exchange

The meeting will build on CLGF’s track record of successful regional exchange, most recently online (due to the restrictions of the Covid pandemic) in March 2021 as well as in 2016 where CLGF members came together in Accra (Ghana) on the role of local government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and 2014 in Abuja (Nigeria) where a regional meeting took place in conjunction with the CLGF Board meeting and a National Symposium on local government in Nigeria.

The upcoming regional meeting will also serve as a key input toward the upcoming Commonwealth Local Government Conference (CLGC23) which will take place in Kigali 13-17 November 2023. The theme of the conference is building local government resilience to future shocks and more information, including how to register, will available shortly.