Planning the future

The final half-day was dedicated to the future agenda of the DDLGN. What topics should the network take up for learning from experts, sharing experience, and develop guidance? How should that be done? Who should be responsible for what, taking into account the limited resources available at the level of the focal point, the core group and the DDLGN members?

The focal point team and the DDLGN core group suggested a range of topics to focus on in the months and years to come. Participants discussed in groups on these themes and made a range of suggestions to amend and specify the topics to address and the approaches to adopt. In a kind of gallery walk the suggestions from the groups were further discussed and amended by participants.

The debate confirmed that the work on thematic clusters that were already on the agenda of the DDLGN should continue – sometimes with a focus on new aspects and priorities, including:

Accountability horizontally and vertically, in a variety of forms involving different actors (including media, informal leaders), focusing on specific sectors or topics (such as corruption),
Citizen engagement and participation at local and national level
Strengthening Parliaments (at national and local levels, including electoral assistance and working with political parties, supporting women’s representation)
fiscal decentralization (intergovernmental transfer systems, local taxes and revenues, and budget support to local governments)

Three new topics were brought forward and found the interest and support by many participants:

Land governance
Decentralisation in fragile contexts
Local economic development, particularly the role of local authorities in promoting economic development

Many specific suggestions were made also on how these topics should be addressed in the DDLGN, e.g. in-depth analysis of topics, cases, or the role of SDC; the development of frameworks, guidance and tools; organizing trainings and experience-sharing, or e-discussions.

Corinne concluded that the focal point team together with the DDLGN core group will take this wealth of ideas and suggestions back to office and plan on this basis the DDLGN activities for the years to come in more detail. Thereby certain choices will need to be made according to available resources and commitments by the DDLGN members. Also, sequencing will be necessary. The core group will meet end of June and again in August to further specify the working agenda. The DDLGN members will be informed accordingly.

Last but not least, the DDLGN focal point will continue to have the responsibility to work on issues of mainstreaming governance in SDC’s work in general. This task will be completed in the follow-up-process of the external evaluation on mainstreaming governance in SDC that was accomplished in 2014. A series of suggestions were made by participants on how this could be done.

The group discussions have been recorded on pin boards. You can download them here:

Accountability	Fragile context	Fiscal decentralisation
Transversal governance	Land governance	LED
Parliamentary assistance

The face-to-face meeting ended with a positive feed-back to the organizers: Many participants said that the meeting’s topics and methodology were relevant and useful, and they will be able to take back to office a series of learnings from experts and peers. The meeting showed the wealth of experience available and commitment within SDC, and a huge potential for fruitful exchange among peers. The DDLGN will continue to be useful to its members – and serve as a catalyst for expertise and experience sharing and learning among specialists inside and outside SDC.