Effective decentralization and localization—including subnational governance systems that empower and encourage local leaders to promote inclusion and equity—form an important precondition for resilient, inclusive, sustainable, equitable and efficient development.
The Local Public Sector Alliance is an alliance of advocates for more inclusive and effective decentralization and local development. One of the Alliance’s objectives is to bring together the global Community of Practice around Decentralization and Local Development in order to share knowledge and ideas in an evolving global context.
As part of its 2021/22 global webinar series on Decentralization and Local Development around the World, the Local Public Sector Alliance—in collaboration with the World Bank (Subnational Governance and Decentralization Global Solutions Group), UNDP, UNCDF, DeLoG, and a number of other global partners—hosted a series of knowledge sharing events on Decentralization and Local Development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) during the week of March 7-11, 2022.
While countries tend towards greater decentralization and localization in the long run, the pendulum does not always swing in the same direction. Since the Arab Spring in 2011, what has been going on in terms of decentralization and localization in countries in the MENA region? Has progress been made towards more inclusive and effective decentralization or localization in different countries; has the degree of decentralization been stagnant; or are countries backsliding? What political economy forces have been shaping the progress on decentralization and localization (or the lack thereof) in the region? And what can development practitioners, scholars and civil society organizations do to encourage evidence-based decentralization and localization reforms that promote more inclusive, effective and sustainable development in MENA?
Program sessions include:
- A comparative analysis of decentralization of subnational governance in MENA (Monday, March 7, 2022)
- Decentralization and inclusive local governance in MENA: reforms and progress (Tuesday, March 8, 2022)
- Local Governance, Conflict, and Peacebuilding in the MENA region (Wednesday, March 9, 2022)
- Urban Governance, Social Inclusion and Fragility in the MENA region (Thursday, March 10, 2022)
Follow the links for session details for each individual webinar session. Links to videos of each webinar are available on these pages.
