UNDP/Basque Government (2011): Contribution paper on Aid effectiveness, multilevel governance and decentralized cooperation: basis for a new, post-Busan development cooperation architecture and the role of regions and cities

In view of the HLF-4, UNDP promoted a broad consultative process on aid effectiveness at the local level, in close collaboration with the Andalusian Municipalities Fund for International Solidarity (FAMSI) - vice-presidency of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Forum of Global Associations of Regions (FOGAR), the Institute of Development Studies and International Cooperation (HEGOA), Local Authorities’ Fund for Decentralized Cooperation and Sustainable Human Development (FELCOS Umbria), the Observatory for Decentralised Cooperation European Union – Latin America, the Basque Government and countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Italy, Senegal or Spain and with the active participation of a broad variety of actors.

The process aimed to gather evidence on the challenges and opportunities offered by the territorial approach to development cooperation as well as to provide a space for reflection and knowledge sharing, giving voice to hundreds of partners from all continents to enrich the global debate on aid effectiveness with the sub-national perspective. The process also permitted to identify lessons and good practices to scale up development results at the territorial level, particularly on how best can the diverse actors contribute to better development results at local level by maximizing their joint efforts.

These efforts culminated in the celebration of a HLF-4 Side Event on Aid Effectiveness at Sub- National Level, jointly organized by FOGAR, UCLG, the Informal Development Partners Group on Decentralization and Local Governance (DeLoG) and UNDP.All representatives and organizing partners agreed on common principles put forward in a conclusion document which, inter alia, stresses:

i.    The added value of the work of local and regional government networks and their articulation within multilateral frameworks in promoting territorial development processes that respond to challenges directly affecting the lives of citizens.

ii.    The need to include local and regional governments in the aid effectiveness agenda both in the donor and recipient countries and agencies.

iii.    The need to avoid fragmentation and duplication of efforts through the development of multi stakeholder dialogues both at donor and recipient level while preserving diversity and promoting decentralization and local development.

iv.    The need to strengthen linkages between local, regional and national levels of governance to further a policy dialogue and the improved implementation of national development strategies and result-orientation.

v.    The need to recognize local and regional authorities as fully fledged partners in the international governance and aid architecture, and in the decision-making structures of relevance for the definition and implementation of the development agendas.