Unlocking Resilience: Empowering Local Actors and Partnerships in Fragile Contexts

On the 4^th of October 2024, TED’s WG2 hosted a webinar on “Strengthening Local Democratic Resilience,” bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders ranging from the European Commission and EU Delegations to Member States (MS), local government platforms, international organisations and civil society actors. The event’s primary objective was to identify “entry points for supporting and engaging local communities and actors in fragile contexts.”

One of the key takeaways from the webinar was its integration of local perspectives. Rather than offering top-down solutions, the discussions focussed on how democratic support programming can be inspired to be more grounded, adaptive and responsive to local realities. This shift in approach acknowledges that local actors are not mere participants -they are the backbone of resilience in fragile contexts.

In times of political instability, governance vacuums or ongoing crises, local actors are often the ones who keep essential public services running, ensuring that communities continue to function and recover. Their role in resilience-building is indispensable, particularly in fragile settings where national structures are unable to respond effectively.

WG2 thematic leads, ALDA¹ and Platforma,² shared the experiences from their local partners, underscoring the importance of social inclusion - particularly women and youth – along with accountability and trust-building. UNDP further reinforced these themes, citing examples from Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Central Asia, where institutional capacity building and community-led governance have been effective. As for Somalia, UNDP shared that collaborative governance played a key role in promoting reconciliation, addressing jurisdictional challenges and ensuring the delivery of resources despite ongoing political instability and climate change pressures. 

From the EU and MS perspectives, DG INTPA G2 referenced flagship initiatives like the Territorial Approach to Local Development (TALD) and the EU System for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society (EU SEE), in promoting multi-stakeholder cooperation and civic dialogue with local authorities. Both help create a supportive environment for the development of democratic values and civic space. The EU Delegation in Zimbabwe offered a practical example of a dual engagement strategy, connecting citizens, civil society and local governments in a participatory manner. This strategy includes capacity-building efforts, awareness-raising initiatives, e-governance development and partnership-building – all aimed at maintaining accountability and democratic processes. A decentralised approach to development cooperation, centred on city-to-city partnerships, was highlighted through initiatives from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). These initiatives emphasise local autonomy, knowledge exchange, civil society engagement, transparency and direct dialogue – key elements for building trust, identifying local needs and tailoring actions accordingly. 

Throughout the webinar, a central theme emerged: small-scale, flexible initiatives that adopt a ‘light-touch’ approach are most effective in fragile contexts. These initiatives, deeply embedded in local realities and minimising external interference, can adapt more easily to evolving situations. Inclusivity and co-creation were highlighted as essential components for creating truly impactful initiatives, with a focus on trust-building, accountability and active participation at their core.

As the webinar concluded, it was clear: strengthening democratic resilience in fragile contexts is not just about policy frameworks or high-level diplomacy - it’s about building trust, local ownership and supporting community-driven governance. These are the foundational elements of resilient, sustainable democracies, especially in an era marked by political fragility and global uncertainty.

Looking ahead, the best practices and lessons learned from this webinar will inform the newly created ‘Labs’ under WG2. These Labs will focus on two identified entry points: (1) integrating democratic values into sectoral interventions that strengthen local governance and public service delivery, while also exploring democracy narratives and (2) enhancing and assessing civic space in fragile contexts, using indicators and best practices to guide actionable change. With the aim of promoting joint actions, the webinar laid the groundwork for ongoing efforts and potentially new partnerships to strengthen local democratic governance.

¹ European Association for Local Democracy

² Pan-European coalition of networks representing local and regional governments and their associations