LPSA’s Expert Working Group on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) brings 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 the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
Working group leadership and coordination
The LPSA Expert Working Group on Africa is jointly co-chaired by Judy Oduma (former CEO, Kenya County Assemblies Forum); Jaap de Visser (University of Western Cape); and Kah Walla (decentralization expert and CEO, STRATEGIES!, Cameroon). The Africa EWG Co-Chairs can be reached by email at africa@decentralization.net.
Working group purpose and activities
The LPSA Expert Working Group on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) seeks to assess, share the state of knowledge, and advance state of practice, with respect to decentralization, multilevel governance, intergovernmental relations, local governance and local development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The working group’s activities include:
- Quarterly working group meetings, in order for working group members to update each other on decentralization reforms and relevant public sectors reform projects across the region; and to identify topics of mutual interest to the Working Group’s members;
- Advance the general state of knowledge on decentralization and localization in Sub-Saharan Africa, including through the application of the LoGICA Framework, the Intergovernmental Fiscal and Expenditure Review (InFER) Framework, and the preparation of reports on the State of Local Governance Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa;
- Explore topics of mutual interest and advance the state of knowledge further through research and other knowledge development efforts, by mobilizing the Working Group’s collective resources and/or by linking to other LPSA resources and Working Groups as relevant. Topics of mutual interest may include areas such as inclusive governance and local democracy; community-led development; localizing SDGs; community-led development; fiscal decentralization and subnational revenue mobilization; cities and urbanization; and subnational climate action.
- Knowledge sharing. The Expert Working Group aims to keep its members as well as the larger (global) Community of Practice informed on relevant reforms, trends, and policy research in Sub-Saharan Africa, by sharing relevant news and information through Decentralization.Net and by organizing webinars and other knowledge sharing events where relevant and possible.
SSA Region Expert Working Group Meetings
The LPSA Expert Working Group on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) aims to meet at least on a quarterly basis. Working group meetings are announced on LPSA’s Events Calendar.
Working group membership
The LPSA Expert Working Group on Sub-Saharan Africa and its meetings are open to LPSA’s membership and to the general public. You can join the Expert Working Group and receive reminders and updated from the SSA region Working Group by opting-in to the working group as part of your free LPSA Membership registration.
Other LPSA Expert Working Groups
LPSA’s Regional and Thematic Expert Working Groups are an integral part of the Local Public Sector Alliance and operate under Terms of References issued by the Alliance. LPSA Expert Working Groups are coordinated by the LPSA Advisory Board.