Promoting local governance through Municipal International Cooperation
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As the spread of decentralisation and democratisation gathers speed, so local governments in developing countries are taking more and more responsibility for improving their performance, managing the interface between the state and citizens, and providing services, despite having access only to limited resources. Thanks to decentralisation and the holding of local elections, a variety of organisations, interest groups and professional associations – some of which were previously dormant whilst others are new – are now able to participate in the development process and to claim a political role in social and economic development. The impact is being felt most keenly at the municipal level, where local governments and non-state actors are best placed to express and defend local interests.
This trend, which makes development cooperation more complex, political and demanding than it used to be, has been closely monitored by organisations involved in ‘municipal international cooperation’ (MIC) . (continued ...)
This issue of Capacity.org has been produced in cooperation with ACE Europe, a research and consulting firm for European and international cooperation and local development based in Belgium.
This publication is based on material produced for a workshop on promoting local governance through MIC, organised by the ECDPM and ACE Europe in February 2004. Both the workshop and this newsletter were co-funded by the Belgian Government.
Next issue: July 2004
Capacity.org features a new issue every quarter. Each issue focuses on a particular theme, with a Welcome Letter, a Selected Bibliography and Guest Contributions. Other sections are updated regularly. Connectivity to Internet is limited in many countries in the South. A parallel printed Newsletter, highlighting the major features of Capacity.org is published. The printed version is available for those who do not have Internet access. It can be ordered via info@ecdpm.org or: ECDPM, O.L.Vrouweplein 21, NL-6211 HE Maastricht, The Netherlands. Fax: +31-(0)43-3502 902. |