Day 1. Constructing an Integrated Framework for Local Development

Opening Session

Speakers: David Warren, Sr. Social Protection Specialist, HDNSP, World Bank; Daniel Owen, Sr. Social Development Specialist, SDV, World Bank; Kurt Hildebrand, Division Chief, Sector and Policy Division Governance and Decentralisation, KfW; Jean-Louis Sarbib, Sr. Vice President and Head of Human Development Network, World Bank; James D. Wolfensohn, President, World Bank

As participants filled the opening plenary session, conference co-chair and Senior Social Protection Specialist David Warren welcomed participants from 89 countries. He expressed hope that this Local Development Conference would provide participants with the opportunity to exchange experiences across geographic and sectoral boundaries, allowing them to better serve their constituents. Conference co-chair and Senior Social Development Specialist Daniel Owen continued these introductory remarks. He emphasized that Community-Driven Development does not imply an exclusive focus on community-level action, but is best considered as a framework for linking community management of resources and empowerment with broader policy and institutional reform.

Representing KfW, Kurt Hildebrand (Division Chief of Sector and Policy Division Governance and Decentralization) made an introductory presentation on "The Political Dimensions of Local Development" (Opening Statement (29Kb PDF) and  Presentation (214Kb PDF)). He explained that the German Development Cooperation is moving increasingly towards a political focus and multi-sectoral programs, concentrating on Local Government and Direct Community Support. He compared this focus with Germany’s own inception of a Federalist system after 1945. This federalist system provided critical checks and balances and an opportunity to develop political elite at the local level that could later participate in national government. Later, citizen’s initiatives became integrated into the formal democratic systems, as vital parts of existing political parties. Similarly, Hildebrand underscored that Local Development programs must integrate their members into the local government system, harmonize with national decentralization policy and proactively advise national government on local policies.

Senior Vice President and Head of the Human Development Network Jean Louis Sarbib introduced World Bank President James Wolfensohn. Referring to the Voices of the Poor, Wolfensohn emphasized that poor people have similar aspirations as rich people, and want to live in peace and have opportunities. Building upon the successes of CDD/SF type programs, he referred to the need for a scaling up model and for a framework that integrates several approaches. For this, he commended the organizers of the conference and reinforced the need to integrate CDD approaches with public sector decentralization and governance. He also addressed the World Bank’s internal structure and emphasized the need to break down the organizational barriers that impede more integrated interventions at the local level.

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An Integrated Framework for Local Development

Chair: Sandor Sipos, Sector Manager, HDNSP (WB)
Speakers: David Warren, Sr. Social Protection Specialist, HDNSP (WB); Rodrigo Serrano, Local Development Specialist, HDNSP (WB); Louis Helling, Consultant, HDNSP (WB); Keith McLean, Social Development Economist, CDD Anchor (WB)

Discussants: Ronald MacLean, Lead Public Sector Specialist, WBIPR (WB); Dele Olowu, Principal Governance Expert, African Development Bank; Rene Rodriguez, International Consultant (KfW)

Sector Manager of HDNSP, Sandor Sipos, introduced the speakers and framed the key issues of the session. David Warren continued by explaining that this framework was a starting point for the conference and that it would be developed through the contribution of participants’ on the ground experiences. Local Development Specialist Rodrigo Serrano, HDNSP Consultant Louis Helling and Social Development Economist Keith McLean presented the background and discussion paper on Local Development. (Presentation of the Local Development Framework available in English (796Kb PDF), French (641Kb PDF), Russian (609Kb PDF) and Spanish (533Kb PDF).)

Image courtesy of the FISDL,

EL Salvador

The Local Development Discussion Paper aims to: (i) clarify the core principles that guide decentralized, participatory development programs; (ii) identify bodies of knowledge and practice that contribute to more effective strengthening of local institutions; and (iii) outline the conceptual framework for a more integrated approach to local development. An effective and integrated local development strategy can be derived by carefully selecting and combining methods drawn from sectoral, local government, and community support approaches for improving empowerment, governance, and service provision. Such an integrated approach involves organizing interventions around local territorial units such as districts, municipalities, or communes. It builds on and strengthens existing organizations and capacities within the local space (which generally corresponds to the scale of a local government jurisdiction) to develop more synchronized institutional arrangements and processes linking community-based organizations, local governments, and deconcentrated sectoral agencies as well as private organizations such as NGOs and firms.

The paper emphasizes the importance of tailoring local institutional arrangements and capacities to the specific local context. Applied research, piloting and documentation of new methods based on the proposed framework will enable more countries to employ context-appropriate strategies for improving empowerment, governance and service provision through a participatory, decentralized, multi-sectoral approach to local development.

Discussants. Following the presentation of the framework paper, three participants—each with varied experiences enabling them to cumulatively represent national, local government, community, donor, and academic perspectives—offered their observations on the framework and personal reflections on local development.

Lead Public Sector Specialist Ronald MacLean related this framework to his experience as the mayor of La Paz, Bolivia, where traditional local government had followed a top down control system. MacLean described how an erosion of public trust in the political system had developed as a consequence of the lack of transparent use and the unpredictability in flows of funds, widespread corruption, and inability to meet communities’ needs. As a mayor, MacLean’s role evolved into facilitating negotiations among citizens, who had been empowered by the new process which relied on community participation, transparency and participatory planning. It was ushered in by the Law on Popular Participation (1994). In arguing about the importance of sustainable interventions, he explained that CDD must include local government in its planning process and that even channeling resources to organized communities may not be sustainable, as privileged groups are more likely to organize and access resources, while the poor remain marginalized. Finally, he pointed to the need for leadership and accumulating political capital in local development.

African Development Bank Principal Governance Expert Dele Olowu discussed the lack of communication between those in the CDD/Social Funds sector on the one hand, and the Decentralization sector on the other, commenting on the opportunity for unexploited synergies. He suggested that decentralization may not be the desired outcome in all countries, and that the process itself entails risks. Decentralization is not only about shifting resources to the local level; it also requires assigning new rules and capacities to local governments as well. He reinforced that a strong local government should be the core of development, and its responsibilities should also encompass own resource mobilization (to reduce dependence on central transfers), and economic development.

Rene Rodriguez focused on the struggle against poverty and the occasional resistance to decentralization. Despite victories in channeling funds to local communities, Rodriguez commented that technical capacity building must accompany funds to communities. Simultaneously, these development efforts must strengthen local governments rather than undermine them. He pointed to Guatemala as an example of how an excessive number of organizations within a community divides its base. As such, Rodriguez recognized local government as a critical pillar for organizing, increasing participation, and solidifying the democratic process within the community.

Achieving Development Goals at the Local Level. During the first afternoon, participants discussed the Local Development framework in pre-assigned country clusters. The clusters combined countries by the following regions: South/East Africa, Central/West Africa, Central America/Caribbean, South America, Central Asia/Eastern Europe and Asia. There were also non-English speaking groups for French, Spanish, and Russian speakers, respectively.

Within these groups, participants reflected on the local development framework, remarking that integration and incorporation of all actors was its strength. There was distinct interest in using space as an organizational concept in development. However, some participants questioned whether it would be effective to delegate most local development responsibility to communities, suggesting communities may not want the pressure of accountability, or the burden of direct responsibility for service delivery. 

Next, participants assessed this framework in light of their countries’ experiences. They engaged in an exercise of graphically representing the degree of integration between the sectoral approach, direct community support approach and local governance approach, in their countries. They contemplated their current situation, as well as the degree of integration they hope for in five years. The illustrations below depict the relationships observed and desired in Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria.

Nigera Image

Sri Lanka Image

Tanzania Image

Among different countries, each approach had a different degree of importance (represented by the size of the circle), and there were varying relationships between these sectors (with closer linkages indicated by more lines between the circles). 

Participants frequently noted that planning for local development, capacity building and political influence on strategies were current points of integration between the three sectors. When determining the desired level of integration in five years, participants generally commented they would like communities and local governments to take the lead on local development planning and implementation, with the central government playing a lesser role. Participants wanted to see a more effective system of resource and transfer capacity implemented, including increased transparency. There were also hopes for a change of traditional thinking and attitudes among stakeholders, to move away from a top-down accountability approach. 

To achieve their desired degree of integration, participants recognized that they would encounter challenges such as the lack of political will for decentralization, as this process strips power from the central government. They also acknowledged the need for a coordinating body in local development actions, to facilitate communications and avoid conflicts. Many participants noted that governments must both harmonize with donors and take the leadership to slow down “donor-driven development” and ensure the sustainability of donor resources. Among the lingering questions about the framework:

• How will it address the increasing gap between rich and poor?
• What relationship should exist between local governments and the private sector?
• How to develop indicators for the local development process?

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