For decades, global development partners have supported decentralization efforts in the global South. The Development Partners Network on Decentralization and Local Governance (DeLoG) is a network of 45 bilateral and multilateral development partners and specialized development institutions working in the field of decentralization and local governance.
Established in 2006, DeLoG operates as a hub and network for knowledge exchange among different development partners (DPs) as well as a platform for joint learning. Funded by the German Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ) and the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (GAC), the network’s activities are facilitated by the DeLoG Secretariat, hosted by GIZ in Bonn. By promoting more harmonized and aligned interventions among DPs, the DeLoG network aims to improve development effectiveness in the field of decentralization and local governance.
LPSA and DeLoG are strengthening their cooperation to foster knowledge exchange as well as to deepen the understanding of how decentralization reforms impact people’s life.
Although the Local Public Sector Alliance (LPSA) and DeLoG both operate in the field of decentralization and local governance, each organization has its own—complementary—focus: while DeLoG focuses largely on coordination among development partners at headquarters level, LPSA aims to connect the community of practice at the grassroots level. LPSA is a global professional network of advocates for decentralization and localization that seeks to promote the global debate on decentralization by engaging in knowledge development, knowledge sharing, and convening, outreach and field building at global, regional and country levels.
Given the alignment and complementarity of their organizational missions, DeLoG and LPSA have regularly collaborated on various activities, such as working together to advance the state of knowledge through research, or by co-hosting webinars.
In order to formalize and expand their collaboration, DeLoG and LPSA signed a cooperation agreement to create a better understanding of how decentralization reforms impact people’s life. The agreement was signed on October 10, 2022, by Jamie Boex, the Executive Director of LPSA, and by Christian Luy, the Coordinator of DeLoG.
The cooperation agreement aims to strengthen the development and exchange of knowledge on decentralization and local governance reforms, enabling synergies among the partner’s institutions and networks. The event was also attended by Serdar Yilmaz, Chairman of LPSA’s Board of Advisors, as well as Benjamin Oloyede of the DeLoG Secretariat. To strengthen the collaboration, four areas of cooperation were highlighted in the agreement, regarding information, knowledge exchange, and communication as well as knowledge resources.
