Aiding Development: the Relevance of a Local governance Perspective

1. Aiding Development: the Relevance of a Local governance Perspective Isa Baud Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies

2. Trends in development processes and governance • Neo-liberal paradigm in the 1980s led to a re-thinking of the role of the national state • Ideas: • development should not be state-led • Economic growth should be led by market forces • National state should step back • Results: • State ceded powers to lower levels of government (local or provincial) • State ceded powers to higher levels of government (international institutions; regional trading blocs) • Government should work with private sector and civil organisations • Local governments started promoting economic growth policies

3. Local governance perspectives • Local governments have closest contact with their citizens, most responsive to local needs and demands • lowest level of electoral representation for citizens towards government • Classic responsibilities for QoL: public goods provision (water, sanitation, waste management, housing, basic education, health, safety) • Major change that governments received more responsibility for economic growth – entrepreneurial local governments

4. Potential contributions of local governments to MDGs - 1 • MDG 7c: increasing drinking water access by 50% • 80% piped water in urban areas, 34% in rural areas; coverage in rural areas increased; this target will be met by 2015 • MDG 7c: halving people with no access to sanitation • Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, 64-69% no access; little progress in these two regions • 40% of urban population in Southern Asia no access: open defecation widespread • In sub-Saharan Africa, rich have access, the poor very little to sanitation

5. Potential contributions of local governments to MDGs - 2 • MDG 7d: improve lives of 100 million slum dwellers – housing (only 10% of actual slum population) • 2000-2010: % slum dwellers down from 39 to 33%; absolute numbers slum dwellers in cities going up (787 million) • But – sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of urban residents in slums • Conflict increases % of residents in slums: • Iraq from 17% to 51% since 2000

6. Other contributions by ULGs • Not included in the MDGs; the role of cities as drivers of the economy • Role of cities in political processes – direct interaction with citizens

7. WRR –report conclusions • Recognizes importance of national governments in ‘aiding development’ • Aid should be relevant to development path of receiving country, and fit national context • diagnose country needs in terms of themes and sectors before providing aid • right aid channel should be chosen • Aid should have catalysing effect (spill-over effects) • How much does aid through local government programmes contribute?

8. Urban local governments • Netherlands: …. Local governments • urban local governments association VNG • VNG International works with other ULGs in strengthening local governments elsewhere • City-to-city cooperation • Internationally: • UCLG international association of ULGs • UN- Habitat UN agency dealing with urban issues

9. International role of ULGs • UN conferences indicated importance of LGs in promoting local development (Earth Summit 1992 and Habitat Summit 1996) • ULGs included in WB programmes in policy consultative groups – Cities Alliance • UCLG become member of OECD/DAC group in making aid effective • European Charter on Aid recognized ULGs role through MIC and ACB

10. Aid from local government perspective • LOGO SOUTH programme 2007-2010 (DGIS aided) • Three components • Municipal International Cooperation (MIC) • Association Capacity Building (ACB) • Policy Development and Research (PD&R)

11. Municipal international cooperation • MIC partnerships between municipalities • designed to improve capacity of local government by peer-to-peer exchange • contribute to short- and longer term objectives • service provision, poverty alleviation, institutional strengthening, and knowledge exchange • Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) • improve democracy and enhance responsiveness

12. Dutch MIC • currently programme in 12 countries • 8 countries in Africa, 2 in Asia, 2 in L. Am • 40 twinnings: focus on thematic issues in progr. related to main responsibilities LGs • Waste management, water provision, housing, citizen participation, Hiv/AIDS • Also water boards and housing corporations involved (semi-public companies)

13. Association Capacity Building • Association Capacity Building (ACB) programmes focus on developing LGAs’ capacities and skills • for their advocacy and lobby roles • provide services to their members and • to act as networking facilitators and knowledge brokers vis-à-vis national governments, regional networks

14. Recent changes in programme • MIC – one theme per country (40 twinnings) • ACB – stronger regional focus • 3 LGAs in 4 regions • Focus on improving service delivery; management capacities; capacity for lobby and advocacy; financial sustainability • Pd& R – recent addition • LG in peace-building and fragile states; • LG and MDGs; • Aid architecture, policy dialogue, accountability; • Support to LG in conflict areas

15. Zuid Afrika: water en afval management • Water management: water scarcity but also very unequal division of water • Explicit request national government to Netherlands for developing Dutch water board model • Water boards with stakeholder participation set up: cross-border negotiation with Mozambique also developed

17. C2C Buffalo City – Leiden (Waste) Activities • Exchange NL-SA - SA – NL • P2P, many forms of informal learning • Exchange within SA of municipal staff and community leaders (BCM-Ekuhurleni and Port Elizabeth) • Tailor made training (PR skills in NL • Construction of Waste-drop off points

18. Results in Pilot Community Duncan Village • Construction of 36 waste collection points in Duncan village. • Ca. 30 community members trained in basic principles and functioning of waste-cooperatives (in exchange visits) and in all aspects of waste-management (during trainings). • Basic materials bought to ensure that 100 community members can now act as managers of the waste collection points and clean litter. • All relevant ward-councillors trained in principles of the project and the role of the community • Public awareness campaigns on waste issues in Duncan Village • The community members very proud of the project, and attract many visitors to their community

19. Results within BCM municipality • Numerous learning effects for the staff involved who reported • Increased technical skills (better understanding of waste-management system, increased PR-skills) • Increased project management skills, including project-formulation and fundraising • Change in work-attitude (substantially more committed to their work, pride, no longer working for a salary only). • In Leiden: increased creativity, commitment and possibilities for “out-of the box” thinking. • Strengthening of Buffalo City Municipality • Improved cooperation between departments involved (road and infrastructure (stormwater), waste-management, community services) • Improved management skills of staff involved (including capacity to raise additional funding)

21. WRR: Development aid has to be relevant • Relevance high because • Covers key sectoral priorities of LGs and LGAs • Follows national policy in relevant sectors

22. ULG programme • Addresses key priorities of LG • Municipalities and sectoral organisations involved • Possible upscaling good practice to country level • Ownership and commitment high among staff • political commitment varies locally

23. WRR: A good diagnosis is necessary…. • Peer-to-peer exchange is basis for diagnosis • ULGs in South directly involved in preparing project proposals: South Africa • Projects provide direct inputs to local policy making • Learning exchanges between partners N-S, S-N, S-S

24. WRR: The right channel should carry it out… • Unique in efficiency and sustainability • Builds on existing organisation and staff on both sides – in-built capacity for long-term sustainability • Overhead costs of programme much lower than other types of development coop programmes (PMUs, salaries) • Missions effective means of peer-to-peer exchanges; learning from practice • Knowledge exchange through expert networks nationally and regionally

25. Creativity in MIC projects • Adaptability in funding programme; • Partners bring in extra resources (human, technical, financial) • knowledge exchange, research added • Country coordinators important • Missions to Netherlands useful

26. Can still be strengthened.. • Working together with LGAs and sectoral organisations (water boards, housing corporations) and with national government dpts. • Comparing examples of ‘good practice’ nationally, for other ULGs to utilize • Political representatives need to included more (ACB) • Local public goods, but also global public goods should be included (CO2 reduction, energy saving, recycling, water management)

27. WRR: Effectiveness linked to knowledge exchange and learning • Learning effects strong between peers N-S, S-N, S-S • Strengthened municipal organisations: policy formulation, project management, technical skills • Potential leverage learning effects to sectoral and national levels • Embedding programme in existing organisations provides learning continuity beyond project period • Dissemination to other municipalities strong

28. Strengthening local government programmes; recommendations 1 • Maintain adaptability in funding programme • Make strategic choices for critical mass by country • Promote combinations of stakeholders at different levels, • Promote learning between municipalities by sector • Promote scaling-up impact of municipal activities by links with sectoral and national organisations

29. Recommendations 2 • Involve councillors and mayors to increase political support • Combine ACB with MIC components for synergy • Include MDGs in programme in accordance with municipal priorities • Knowledge partnerships with universities, knowledge centres • Promote model of working with existing staff and organisations as efficient and effective model for other aid programmes

30. Thank you!