LPSA’s Regional Working Group on Sub Saharan African Open Meeting took place on 18 April 2024 [12:00 PM WAT/1:00 PM SAST/2:00 PM EAT]. The meeting was opened and moderated by Kah Walla, co-chair of the LPSA Sub Saharan Africa.
Kah welcomed participants to the meeting and provided an overview of the themes and topics from the previously held quarterly meetings and different priority areas of the working group. The meeting included an open forum for attendees to share their insights and updates on the progress and the current state of decentralization across different sub-Saharan African countries. This was followed by a brainstorming session to identify priority themes and topics for LPSA Sub Saharan Africa Working group in 2024-2025.
Various stakeholders shared pressing issues related to decentralization and local governance, particularly focusing on the concept of federalism and its implications for democratic development and resource allocation. The session also tackled the management of forest municipalities, highlighting the severe corruption that prevents local populations from benefiting from their natural resources. Participants suggested that inviting local elected officials to share case studies could enhance understanding and engagement. Other topics discussed included the need for public financial management reforms at the local level, the review of revenue laws, and the promotion of fiscal decentralization, which remains a critical issue for many regions. A key proposal was advocating for broader adoption of the AU Charter on Decentralization.
Kah Walla announced LPSA’s hybrid workshop “Elevating the debate of decentralization and multi-level governance in Africa” scheduled for May in Nairobi. Additionally, the upcoming African School on Decentralization, a collaborative effort between the University of Addis Ababa and the University of Western Cape, was highlighted as an important educational event scheduled for October, offering a certificate course aimed at deepening knowledge on decentralization processes.
In closing, Kah Walla reiterated the importance of the discussions and the actionable insights gained, promising further refinement of these ideas into a cohesive action plan for 2024-2025
| No. | Agenda Item | Contributor |
| 1. | Welcome Remarks | Co-Chairs |
| 2. | Country/Regional Updates on the State of Decentralization in Africa | Co-Chairs |
| 3. | Way Forward for the SSA Working Group | Co-Chairs |
| 4. | Closing Remarks | Co-Chairs |
