LPSA’s Expert Working Group (EWG) on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) aims to bring together government officials, policy practitioners, scholars, civil society organizations, and citizens who share an interest and expertise on decentralization, multilevel governance, intergovernmental relations, local governance and local development in Sub- Saharan Africa, The open meeting meeting was held on September 19, 2024.
The meeting was moderated by Paddy Siyanga and Judy Oduma and focused on the outcomes of the workshop in Nairobi in May 2024 on Elevating the Debate on Decentralization and Multi-Level Governance in Africa. The workshop in Nairobi highlighted the need for a pan-African forum or platform to steer the adaptation of contextually appropriate decentralization reforms and the importance of an inclusive and effective approach to inspire continental action and meaningful change.
The session also highlighted the importance of sharing data, best practices, and evidence from both state and non-state actors to inform policy decisions and reforms, such as providing more data on subnational finances and state of local governance institutions. To facilitate these ambitions, the meeting explored the idea of a Pan-African platform such as a Pan-African Network of Decentralization Advocates transitioning from the Sub-Saharan Africa Working Group. The working group identified several steps including; engaging with existing assessments on decentralization in Africa and identify gaps, explore collaborating with OECD, UCLG and others to complement existing data on subnational finances in Africa, consider collecting granular data on localization results at local government level. Members of the working group will review the Nairobi workshop report, which will be shared on the LPSA website at www.decentralization.net.
Jamie Boex announced to members that LPSA intends to expand its membership portal to allow members to create profiles and connect directly. Members were encouraged to promote LPSA membership to relevant institutions and experts in decentralization.
Juliet discussed the African Charter on Decentralization and Implementation Challenges, highlighting the need for more African countries to ratify the African Charter on decentralization. She acknowledged the lack of political will and resources for implementing the charter
Advocacy, Outreach, and Decentralization in Africa
Judy initiated a discussion on the importance of advocacy and outreach, particularly with the African Union and regional bodies like the African Union and the Isaver community. She emphasized the need to understand the principles around local governance and how to work with institutions in charge of governance. Juliet, a new hire, shared her insights on the progress of decentralization implementation, advising against using the term “sub-Saharan Africa” when referring to the African Union. She highlighted the role of the ministry in charge of decentralization and local governance as the entry point for assessment and the need for advocacy to ensure adherence to laws already adopted. Judy suggested potential collaboration on ongoing programs within their institutions, particularly in advocacy.
Addressing Audio Issues and Decentralization Challenges
The meeting discussed the challenges of audio and technology issues faced by participants. Gertrude emphasized the need for stronger advocacy at the African Union level, suggesting a dedicated coordination point to focus on decentralization. She proposed a two-pronged approach, involving engagement with national and local government associations to deepen decentralization efforts. Gertrude stressed the importance of collaboration, cooperation, and supporting the decentralized frameworks established by governments themselves.
Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Program Embedding
He emphasized the need for inclusivity beyond sub-Saharan Africa and highlighted the importance of engaging with sub-regional groups. Judy agreed on the need for contextualizing assessments of the situation across Africa. Uchi expressed appreciation for the organization’s work on decentralization and resource distribution and called for more collaboration. Judy proposed embedding themselves into existing programs to avoid duplication and improve assessments. Limabenla confirmed that all participants would have access to email for follow-up and shared the registration link for the next meeting. Jamie hinted at having thoughts to share on the topic of membership.
Exploring Middle East Decentralization and Collaboration
Jamie discussed the potential for a working group for the Middle East and North Africa, considering the unique regional issues in that area. He expressed concerns about the UN’s influence on decentralization and suggested focusing on country-level and regional conversations instead. Jamie also emphasized the need for more data on subnational finances and local governance institutions, suggesting collaboration with partners like OECD and UCLG to gather evidence and elevate the debate on decentralization and localization. He stressed the importance of clear definitions and objective assessments of local governance institutions.
Expanding LPSA Membership Portal and Expertise Discussion
Jamie proposed expanding the LPSA membership portal to allow members to create profiles, enabling them to connect with others sharing similar interests. This would benefit LPSA members and serve as a useful basis for a potential PANDA. Judy agreed, emphasizing the importance of identifying where expertise lies and not just relying on organization names. She also suggested the need for additional expertise in the room. Limabenla confirmed the next meeting’s registration link was shared in the chat box and the meeting would be on the 12th of December. Judy encouraged everyone to visit the website, decentralization.net, for the draft report of the last workshop.
A video of the meeting is available on YouTube. The links below provide access to the video segments of the different agenda items.
| No. | Agenda Item | Contributor |
| 1. | Welcoming Remarks | Judy Oduma SSA Working Group Co-Chair |
| 2. | Elevating the debate on decentralization & localization in Africa : Key Highlights | Paddy Siyanga Knudsen SSA Working Group |
| 3. | Evidence-based policy-making and knowledge development | Judy Oduma |
| 4. | Advocacy and Outreach | Judy Oduma |
| 5. | Membership & Institutional Development | Judy Oduma |
| 6. | Closing and AOB. | Judy Oduma |
