Webinar: Decentralization and inclusive local governance in MENA: reforms and progress

MENA countries have made some decentralization gains since the Arab Spring. However, these gains have been partial, incomplete, and limited because of other concerns. Morocco, Tunisia and Iraq are among the most decentralized countries in the region. Their democratic transition yielded a strong commitment to decentralization. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the future of decentralization reforms in these countries also. This session will focus on the following questions: what has been the progress so far? Has the degree of decentralization been stagnant; or are countries backsliding? What political economy forces have been shaping the progress on decentralization and localization (or the lack thereof)? And what can development practitioners, scholars and civil society organizations do to encourage evidence-based decentralization and localization reforms to promote inclusive and sustainable development? (This session is co-hosted by the World Bank).