UCLG Position Paper v_2 (eng)
22/12/09
18:13
Página 19
Support Paper on Aid Effectiveness and Local Government
Clearly, the conditions required for local governance to flourish do not exist in all countries. The absence of an effective local government structure that is capable of planning, managing and delivering essential services, developing long-term plans, coordinating intergovernmental relations, establishing policies and implementing local programs creates an enormous barrier to addressing poverty and achieving development priorities. The failure to create an enabling environment for strong local governance also fuels mistrust by citizens, civil society and the private sector.
which take into account their own cultural identity and traditional values. The Nimlaha´kok and Nimlasa´chal micro-regions requested support from and collaboration with Herent (Belgium) in order to strengthen their governance, local capacity and autonomy. They elaborated a set of criteria as pre-conditions for a good working partnership, which included support for the indigenous group of Maya-Q´eqchi´s who seek recognition as a social entity and strive for selfgovernance. The most important claim is to return a percentage of the municipal tax revenue to the microregions so that they can decide where to allocate resources associated with their self-defined development priorities.
Box 2 – Local Government support in conflict areas Local governments can, and often do, contribute to peacebuilding and conflict management through their dual role in promoting the democratic process at the local level and in delivering basic social services, which lie at the heart of building and maintaining social stability.
While the governance structure is quite complex and relatively new in its set-up, the local communities are now clearly represented in the micro-regions, which enables them to have a voice in the municipality. The partnership is an excellent example of how the strengthening of democratic local government can lead to real progress in achieving a locally owned, people-centred approach to development.
In September 1998, the mayors of the cities of Barcelona, Tel Aviv-Yafo and Gaza signed a friendship and cooperation agreement which sought to establish a bridge of union and joint work between their inhabitants. A year later, in Barcelona, APLA (Association of Palestinian Local Authorities) and ULAI (Union of Local Authorities of Israel) signed their first collaboration agreement as well.
Source: case study 9
These conditions – good governance, democratic institutions, accountability and transparency, inclusive decision making processes, equitable service delivery – are largely determined by the social, economic and political context and the actions of local policy makers.
Due to the context of the conflict, direct relations between Gaza and Tel-Aviv have been extremely difficult. The difficulties in visiting and leaving the Gaza Strip, the military blockade that prevents the entry of numerous basic materials, and the internal political instability of the area have been substantial but fortunately not decisive obstacles. Despite these challenges, the partner local authorities have been able to overcome the dynamic of the conflict and focus their maximum interest on improving the living conditions of the district's inhabitants. The political determination of both city councils and the support and confidence shown by the Catalan Development Cooperation Agency, APLA and ULAI, have been indispensable elements for successful cooperation.
Building sustainable communities requires a strong foundation, an enabling environment, which allows local governments to operate as agents of development, as catalysts for economic growth, and as advocates for social justice and equity. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to have an efficient decentralization framework with clear core competences and required transfer of resources to local governments to carry out their responsibilities effectively and efficiently; strong local leadership that can build consensus on a vision for moving forward; and a strong management and administrative capacity within an unambiguous policy environment that provides key stakeholder groups with a degree of predictability, transparency and accountability.
Source: case study 13
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