Brussels Global seminar in Brussels April 2015
Decentralisation Reforms - Local Governance
Local and Territorial Development
Over the last two decades a shift in the understanding of decentralization has occurred, opening the way to a greater, more proactive, developmental role for Local Authorities. This has opened the way to a new understanding of Local Authorities as political actors (i.e. self-government mechanisms of a local political constituency) which are mandated to both help implement national policies in the localities and develop and implement their own local policies, programs and projects and not just “managerial” entities for delivery of a specific set of services. As a consequence Local Authorities are increasingly seen as critically important partners of central governments, who could both implement and supplement national development efforts.
In the EU Communication of May 2013 on ‘Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes’, the EU embraces this larger view on the role of local authorities (as key representatives of the local polities in a given territory) and the instrumental value of decentralisation (as a ‘vehicle’ to create space for local authorities to deliver better governance and development outcomes). In addition, the EU Communication commits the EU to promoting territorial development. This is now being reflected in the EU Thematic Programme “Civil Society Organizations and Local Authorities” (CSO&LA) that has made “Testing pilot actions promoting local development (LD) through a territorial approach” one of its three overarching goals. Against this framework, the seminar has two major goals:
- Sharpen the understanding of the participants of the political economy of decentralization reforms (DR) and of the conditions under which the reforms may lead to improved local governance (LG) and genuine local development (LD);
- Recognize the opportunities and constraints that EU delegations may face in supporting DR, LG and LD, because of the context in which they operate, the demands of the EU aid management cycle and the aid modalities available to them.
AGENDA
Monday 13 April |
|
Part I: Setting the scene:
|
|
|
09.00-09.30 |
Registration and coffee/tea |
|
09.30-09.45 |
Welcome by DEVCO B2 (Ms Rosario Bento Pais, Head of Unit “Civil Society and Local Authorities”). |
|
09.45-10.00 |
Introduction of participants and facilitators and presentation of seminar objectives, agenda and methodology |
|
10.00–10.45 |
Session 1.1. Overview of 20 years of EU support to Local Authorities, local development dynamics and decentralisation reforms around the world |
|
10.45–11.00 |
Coffee / tea |
|
11.00–12.30 |
Session 2.1. Overview of EU engagement in decentralization, local governance and Local development in the next programming cycle First interactive PANEL with three EU Delegations that have planned to provide support to DR-LG-LD in the next programming cycle |
|
12.30–13.45 |
Lunch Break |
Part II: Decentralisation Reforms, and Local Development:
|
|
|
13.45–15.15 |
Decentralization and development: Basic Concepts by Leonardo Romeo (30 min) followed by Q&A Plenary Session around 2-3 key questions |
|
15.15–15.30 |
Coffee / tea |
|
15.30–17.00 |
Session 2.2. Territorial Approach to Local Development (TALD): The missing link between decentralisation reforms and development outcomes |
|
18.30–20.30 |
Social event (details on location will follow) |
(1.7 MB)
Tuesday 14 April |
|
Part III: Supporting local development through territorial approach
|
|
|
9.30-09.45 |
Key notes of day one |
|
9.45-10.00 |
Session 3.1. Introduction and general framing |
|
10.00-11.00 |
Session 3.2. Testing pilot actions promoting local development (LD) through a territorial approach using the Thematic Program CSO-LA |
|
11.00-11.15 |
Coffee / tea |
|
11.15-11.45 |
Session 3.3. Promoting Local Development through the Thematic Programme CSO-LA, the "rules of the game" |
|
11.45-13.00 |
Session 3.4. Interactive PANEL with three EU Delegation that have planned to launch pilot experiences to promote Local development through the Thematic programme |
|
13.00–14.15 |
Lunch Break |
|
14.15–15.30 |
Parallel Tutorials (sessions for smaller groups geared at going deeper into key issues raised during formal sessions and informal discussions during the workshop):
|
|
15.30–15.45 |
Coffee / tea |
|
15.45–17.00 |
Second round of parallel Tutorials
|
Wednesday 15 April |
|
Part IV: Supporting DR-LG-LD through existing aid modalities
|
|
|
09.30–09.45 |
Key notes of day two (ECDPM) (15 min) |
|
09.45–10.00 |
Session 4.1. How to decide the scope (entry points, foreseen outcomes) of a EU support program to DR-LG-LD-Introduction |
|
10.00–10.35 |
Session 4.2. Why should we do a PEA analysis when supporting DR-LG-LD? Consequences of not doing it by Paul Smoke (20 min), followed by Q&A |
|
10.35–11.00 |
Session 4.3. How to do a PEA analysis? by Jean Bossuyt (15 min), followed by Q&A |
|
11.00–11.15 |
Coffee / tea |
|
11.15–12.30 |
Session 4.4. Providing BS to DR-LG-LD. Main opportunities & dilemmas. Introduction: Khyber Pakhtunkwa... Case Study n°1 Pakistan |
|
12.30–13.45 |
Lunch Break |
|
13.45–15.15 |
Session 4.5. Project approach to support DR-LG-LD Practical Case: Support to Local Development in Jordan, with a focus on building institutional capacity of decentralised structures Q&A |
|
15.15–15.30 |
Coffee / tea |
|
15.30-16.30 |
Parallel Tutorials
|
|
16.30-17.30 |
Parallel tutorials (second round):
|
Thursday 16 April |
|
Part V: Exploring the scope for LA involvement in delivery of sector outputs
|
|
|
9.30-09.45 |
Key notes of day three (ECDPM) (15 min) |
|
9.45-10.00 |
Overview of sectors identified in the MIP 2014-2020 |
|
10.00-11.00 |
Session 5.1: Local authorities and democracy |
|
11.00-11.15 |
Coffee / tea |
|
|
Session 5.1.1. Energy and Local Development |
|
11.15-12.00 |
Session 5.2. LAs and sustainable agriculture and food security |
|
12.00-12.45 |
Session 5.3. LAs and promotion of Local Economic Development |
|
12.45–14.00 |
Lunch Break |
|
14.00–15.00 |
Session 5.4. LAs and Natural Resources and Environment |
|
15.00–15.15 |
Coffee / tea |
|
15.45–17.00 |
Parallel tutorials
|
|
15.45–17.00 |
Parallel tutorials
|
Friday 17 April |
|
Part VI: Relationship with associations of LAs, both management-wise and through ‘strategic partnerships’
|
|
|
9.00-09.15 |
Key notes of day four (ECDPM) (15 min) |
|
9.15-11.15 |
Session 6. 1 Strategic partnership EU- key LA structures at European and regional levels Introduction: Overview of LAs sector activities (Policy, Quality Support, and Management of Thematic programme by Michel Laloge (15 min) followed by Q&A Partnership agreements with Associations of Local Authorities from the EC perspective (20 min), followed by Q&A |
|
11.15-11.30 |
Coffee / tea |
|
11.30-12.30 |
Overall conclusions of the seminar and validation Closure of the seminar: summary of main messages (271.76 KB) (by Ms. Rosario Bento Pais, Head of Unit “Civil Society and Local Authorities”).
|
