EC advanced seminar DLG 2012_Session 2.3: Choice of aid modality when supporting decentralisation

This presentation by Alisa Herrero from the ECDPM explores whether the professed belief in programme based approaches (particularly general and sector budget support) is justified under all circumstances to support decentralisation. It argues that in a context where the conditions are not yet met for programme-based aid modalities, the project approach can in fact be the most appropriate modality.  The flaws generally attributed to projects are not inherent to the modality itself, but to project design and implementation.  The presentation argues that projects, if well designed, can be very strategic and generate multi-actors public discussion on state reform and decentralisation, to strengthen national and local systems and institutions even when these are weak, to feed policy dialogue, even when it is incipient, help develop policy frameworks based on experimentation (bottom-up approach), strengthen citizen demands for decentralisation by improving trust between local governments and citizens, and finally help prepare the ground for programme-based approaches.