LOGO South: Developing the Capacity of the Local Government Sector

Timeframe: 2007 - 2010

Implementer:  VNG International (International Co-operation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities)

Funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Description

The overall objective of LOGO South programme is to develop the capacity of local government as a condition for poverty reduction.
The programme has three impact areas:
1. To develop the capacity of the local government sector as service providers, promoters of economic development and poverty reduction in an accountable manner (MIC).
2. To develop the internal capacity of local government associations as service providers to local governments and as lobbyists (ACB).
3. To advocate for the stronger role of local governments in poverty reduction in an international context (Policy Development).

Components of the programme:

I.    Municipal International Cooperation.

LOGO South is operational in the following countries and on the following subjects:  Benin (local taxes), Egypt (local water supply and sanitation), Ghana (financial management), Indonesia (local water management), Nicaragua (local government), The Palestine Authority (solid waste and waste water management), Sri Lanka (waste management) , Sudan (water supply and waste management), Surinam (capacity development of decentralised districts), Tanzania (financial management) and South Africa (social housing).
Besides the country programmes, there are four thematic programmes. These focus on local waste management, local water management, citizen participation in local governance and the municipal approach to HIV/Aids. The objective of the thematic programmes is to provide opportunities for exchange between various countries on one subject (south – south exchanges), knowledge sharing and product development.

II.    Association Capacity Building - VNG-ACB

The VNG-ACB component focuses more specifically on the umbrella organisations of local government, the so-called Local Government Associations. As such this component is a follow-up of the VNG-ACB Programme 2003-2006. LOGO South is funded by the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation.
 
The objective of the programme is improved local governance and effective decentralisation through enhanced capacities of Local Government Associations. These Local Government Associations, old and new, all perform or aspire to perform three roles:
1.    Represent and lobby for local governments at central government level
2.    Provide services to their member local governments
3.    Offer platforms for exchange, learning and networking.

The Local Government Associations are able to improve the conditions in which the local governments work through lobby at central government level, and to improve local government performance through service provision and offering a constant forum for mutual learning. Aspects of the work that Local Government Associations do are for example economy-of-scale, consistency in local government management, and furtherance of decentralisation and local democracy.
 
The LOGO South VNG-ACB programme aims to improve the capacities of 12 strategic partner Local Government Associations in four regions: South East Asia, Central America, West and East Africa.
 
III. Policy Development.

This component will be based on experiences and lessons learnt from the MIC and ACB components.

For further information on the LOGO South visit the website of the VNG International.