Regions & Countries Archives – Decentralization Net

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[ July 21, 2026 ] Sustainable development becomes real when it becomes local Europe & Central Asia
[ July 11, 2026 ] Is there an economic payoff from creating new local governments? Evidence from Brazil Brazil
[ July 8, 2026 ] Property tax in Europe: a changing landscape Decentralization
[ July 6, 2026 ] Realizing the Jobs Potential of MENA’s Cities Cities and urban development
[ July 2, 2026 ] A new frontier for development cooperation: From localizing development to leveraging multilevel governance Community

Sustainable development becomes real when it becomes local

July 21, 2026 Marina Jandrevska

Sustainable development is no longer only about defining ambitious global goals—it is about ensuring that these goals translate into measurable improvements in people’s everyday lives. As countries face increasingly complex social, economic, and environmental challenges, […]

Is there an economic payoff from creating new local governments? Evidence from Brazil

July 11, 2026 Limabenla Jamir

Changing local political boundaries by splitting local governments to create more localized governance is a common, yet contested reform pursued worldwide. Proponents argue smaller local government units can improve services, boost local economic activity, tailor […]

Property tax in Europe: a changing landscape

July 8, 2026 LPS Alliance

Property taxation has long been one of the cornerstones of local public finance. Across Europe, however, property tax systems are undergoing profound change as governments seek to improve revenue performance, modernize valuation systems, strengthen local […]

Realizing the Jobs Potential of MENA’s Cities

July 6, 2026 LPS Alliance

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces one of the world’s most pressing employment challenges. While national economic reforms remain essential, a new World Bank report argues that the region’s cities—not just national […]

Vietnam’s ambitious subnational governance restructuring

June 11, 2026 LPS Alliance

Vietnam is in the middle of one of the most ambitious subnational governance restructurings in Asia. To streamline public administration, reduce duplication and improve service delivery, the government has embarked on a sweeping program of […]

Local Governance for Children: Beyond Administrative Reform

May 20, 2026 Marina Jandrevska

Discussions about decentralization and local governance often focus on institutional architecture: which level of government is responsible for which function, how intergovernmental transfers are designed, or whether local governments possess sufficient administrative autonomy. Yet, from […]

Local governments, local taxes, and incentivizing economic growth

May 15, 2026 LPS Alliance

For decades, debates on economic growth have largely focused on national policies: monetary policy, trade policy, industrial policy, labor markets, or macroeconomic stability. Yet, economic activity does not occur in an institutional vacuum: businesses operate […]

The real financing issue in ECD and childcare isn’t finance

May 7, 2026 Jacqueline Muthura

From May 5-8, 2026, early childhood champions from around the world met in Kigali for Investing in the Early Years: A Global Technical Financing Forum, convened by ECDAN with AFECN, UNESCO, UNICEF and WHO. The Local […]

India’s fiscal equalization system: balancing equity and efficiency

April 24, 2026 LPS Alliance

Few countries embody the promise—and complexity—of multilevel governance as vividly as India. With a federal structure spanning more than 1.5 billion people, India’s intergovernmental fiscal system sits at the heart of its development trajectory. A […]

Decentralized responsibilities without decentralized resources?

April 10, 2026 Marina Jandrevska

The role of local governments in European public service delivery has expanded significantly over the past two decades. Across the European Union, municipalities have become central actors in the provision of education, healthcare, social protection, […]