The DLGN f2f Sarajevo 2011

SDC’s decentralization and local governance network has come into existence in 2009: Around 80 members with a special interest in decentralization and local governance are part of it. The members include SDC staff at headquarters, in the Coofs, partners from implementing organisations and competence centers, and individual consultants. A first face-to-face meeting took place in Delhi in November 2009 and gave a first boost to the network. It identified a series of topics where DLGN members would be interested to learn. Under the lead of the DLGN focal point (institutionally placed in the Western Balkans Division) and a core group DLGN engaged in a learning process, with four main learning projects ongoing, focusing on four priority areas identified at first f2f (“social inclusion”, “sustainable municipal finances”, “local governance assessment”, “power relations and political economy”), steered by sub-groups of DLGN members (“owners”) and supported by external consultants, and also developed activities in two more areas identified by the Delhi face-to-face meeting (“study tours” and “election support”). It was also decided that the DLGN focal point would organize a next face-to-face meeting.

The face-to-face meeting will be a key event after two years of existence of the DLGN: It will provide an opportunity to DLGN members to meet in reality, to get familiar with the first results of learning projects, and provide orientation for the DLGN in the future. The face-to-face meeting will take place in Sarajevo, in parallel and interlinked with the Annual Conference of the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe NALAS. The conference and the planned International Municipal Fair NEXPO organised by NALAS will provide opportunities for participants to learn about the experience made and challenges faced by the local authorities on the Western Balkans’ local authorities. Moreover, the DLGN learning project on “social inclusion” will be involved in an “SDC Conference on Social Inclusion” which will take place in the framework of the NALAS Conference, on Friday, March 11.​