In March 2020, the Program on Governance and Local Development at the University of Gothenburg brought together decentralization scholars from around the MENA region. The discussions focused around the design of decentralization reforms, obstacles, progress […]
A recent desk study prepared for USAID analyzes the extent to which governance is decentralized in law and practice in nine Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries—Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, […]
Several MENA countries have made decentralization gains, particularly since the Arab Spring. However, these gains have been partial, incomplete, and limited by regime security and patronage concerns. A recent study analyzes the extent to which […]
Effective decentralization and localization—including subnational governance systems that empower and encourage local leaders to promote inclusion and equity—form an important precondition for resilient, inclusive, sustainable, equitable and efficient development. The Local Public Sector Alliance is […]
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 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is defined by its urbanizing, and highly concentrated populations. Yet, rising inequality and exclusion within cities can derail development progress, and MENA is no exception. Fast growing […]
Local governance can address drivers of insecurity and conflict by enhancing government responsiveness and accountability to local people, including for the diverse needs of heterogeneous populations. The role of political decentralization, in signaling agreed vertical […]
Over the last year Iraq’s economy has been in free fall, leading to a recent decision to devalue its currency, the dinar, by 23 percent. As the country deals with intersecting economic, political and security […]
Policymakers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have long tried to integrate their people spatially and economically. Wishing to bring communities together and narrow economic gaps, governments have made large capital investments in […]
The weakness of current governance arrangements and the inefficiency of decentralization reforms were exposed with the wave of contestations that have rocked the Arab world since 2011. Effective governance remains in decline across the region, […]
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