The Municipal Development Partnership for Eastern and Southern Africa (MDP-ESA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is implementing a project on Strengthening Local Government Capacity in Southern Africa. The project will run from July to November 2010.

The project focuses on four specific thematic areas namely;

1. Decentralization;
2. Local government finance;
3. Inclusive service delivery, and
4. Local government capacity.

The specific objectives are:

1. To highlight good practices, identify gaps and capacity challenges with regards to decentralized governance, inclusive service delivery and local government financing.
2. To identify key elements, frameworks, policies and tools that can be recommended for further discussion and subsequent adoption by policy makers in the region.
3. To identify, based on the findings of the research, draft principles for decentralization which would have regional relevance for adoption at regional policy-maker level.
4. To establish the baseline for the development of a subsequent local government capacity development programme.
5. The output of the assignment will facilitate high level policy discussions on principles around decentralization, inclusive service delivery models and policy options for local government financing. The study report will also form the basis for the development of a follow up capacity development programme for Southern Africa.

The design of the project is such that it will respond to regional realities and emerging priorities, as articulated in various fora and communiqué by groupings of African Ministers for Local Government and Decentralization (AMCOD), SADC Ministers of Local Government Forum and respective local government associations.

The project covers Southern Africa with specific focus on, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The methodology to be followed involves consultations with key stakeholders responsible for implementing decentralization, local government financing and inclusive service delivery in the four case study countries. These stakeholders include among others; Ministries responsible for Local Government and National Associations of Local Governments.

Upon completion of work, a validation workshop will be held in Windhoek, Namibia with a wider constituency of stakeholders to consider the research findings. Participants will include representatives from the respective Governments, Sector Ministries, Agencies and Local Government officials, Associations of Local Governments, Development Partners, UN field officers, Relevant Civil Society Groups, Selected Community leaders and NGOs.

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