Programme description

Title: Support for decentralisation and municipal development
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Benin
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Decentralisation, Local Governance, Administration and Planning; Ministry of Economy and Finances; Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water
Overall term: 2004 to 2015

Context

In 2003, following the country’s first municipal elections in December 2002, the democratically elected municipal councils and the mayors elected to lead them took up management of the 77 newly created municipalities. It rapidly became clear, however, that implementation of the decentralisation process was complex. Both the national institutions in charge of the reform and the bodies serving the new municipalities faced a number of difficulties in carrying out their functions and accomplishing their tasks fully and effectively. April 2008 saw further municipal elections as a further step towards a stable democracy. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ is working with the Ministry of Decentralisation and local authorities to continue implementation of the decentralisation reforms.

Objective

State bodies and the municipalities of Benin promote the involvement of the population in local development processes and provide high-quality public services. The establishment of efficient, self-governing local authorities provides greater effectiveness in the fight against poverty.

Approach

GIZ supports the decentralisation reform which was relaunched in 2009 with the adoption of a national decentralisation and municipal development strategy for Benin (PONADEC). It advises the major actors at the national level, including the Ministry of Decentralisation, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Energy and the national municipal association, on the development of their institutional capacities and on the elaboration and implementation of strategies.

At the regional level, support is provided to help the administrative offices of the prefectures to carry out the task of coordinating state intervention more competently and to fulfil their supervisory and advisory roles with regard to the municipalities. Around 25 partner municipalities throughout the country receive advice on setting up efficient, citizen-oriented local authorities. The key issues are the increase in municipal revenues and their use, the modernisation of administrations, training measures for planning and project leadership, development of human resources, promotion of inter-municipal cooperation and the strengthening of civil society within the context of decentralisation. The task of drawing up municipal plans for land-use development and planning as well as support for project management is subcontracted to GFA. The measures undertaken are complemented by the KfW Entwicklungsbank, which works jointly with GIZ and alongside the Government of Benin to support the establishment of a local development fund tied to the introduction of a national financial equalisation system, with the objective of distributing available funds to all municipalities nationwide.

Local development measures in health, education, water supply and economic development can only meet with success when there is a secure power supply. As this is not the case in the rural areas of Benin, the programme – with funding from the European Union as donor – promotes and supports the connection of rural settlements and municipalities to the national power grid.

Further information

• Ministry of Decentralisation, Local Governance, Administration and Planning
  http://www.decentralisation.bj