Decentralization in the Global Contest

Arguments for Decentralization

• Decentralization can lead to increase in efficiency

• Decentralization can lead to improved governance

Decentralization in the Global Context

• Decentralization has been a world wide approach to governance problems

• Over 75 countries in the past two decades have made some efforts to implement decentralization policies and programmes

Decentralization in the Global Context

• Motivation for Decentralization has varied across regions

• Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union– Political and Economic Transformation

• Latin America– Reinforce the Transition to Democracy

Decentralization in the Global Context

• South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia– Response to ethnic and regional conflict

• Chile, Uganda, and Cote d’Ivoire– Improve Service Delivery

Decentralization in the Global Context

• Service Delivery is implicit motivation even if not fully acknowledged

• Reason:– The centralized state failed to deliver basic

services of health, education, water and sanitation,

– These services are consumed locally and the best method for determining the level of services is at the local level

Decentralization in the Global Context

• Exercise: Identify the historic, political, economic and social similarities and differences among the regions to implementing decentralization