What we do to make local development work Rasto Vrbensky Assistant Director UNDP Regional Centre Bratislava

Objectives of presentation 1. Why we are involved – policy context – reasons for involvement in local development 2. What we are doing – overall framework – previous and on-going initiatives 3. What we are planning – future steps Structure: 1. Introduction and overall framework 2. Presentations on specific initiatives (Dafina, Dessi, Jaro)

POLICY CONTEXT 1. CONSISTENTLY DECLINING LEVELS OF HDI IN SOME COUNTRIES OF THE REGION 2. GROWING REGIONAL DISPARITIES: A THREAT TO DEMOCRATIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION: –Economic marginalization leads to political disatisfaction –Disparities are an increasingly important source of conflict in the region 3. FAILURE TO DECENTRALIZE POWER AND RESOURCES LEAVES LOCAL ECONOMIC POTENTIAL UNDERUTILIZED

THE GLOBAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2002 AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN THE REGION

WHAT CAN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES HELP TO ACHIEVE? –Contribute to improvement of living standard of rural population –Strengthen the grass-root democracy –Re-build or strengthen communities affected by the previous regime –Convince politicians that decentralization can bring real benefits –Contribute to improved and consistent levels of economic growth

HOW TO ACHIEVE THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT – CONDITIONS Local development can work if: 1.The right legal and policy frameworks are in place 2.Adequate social capital is available 3.Good local governance is in place 4.Partnerships between government, business community and civil society are created 4.Environmental sustainability is guaranteed 5.Economic and financial instruments are available

A holistic approach at local level L ocal development strategies should address all conditions, not just one or two: This needs: –A comprehensive situation analysis –Balancing the various elements of local development in a strategic plan –Thinking about implementation during the planning process A sound policy framework at central government level: This needs: –Progressive budget legislation –A strong degree of fiscal decentralization, with appropriate checks and balances –Recognition of partnerships and CBOs as non-commercial legal entities

UNDP RESPONSE –Capacity 21 Program – LA21 Related Programs –GEF Small Grants Program –LIFE Program –Country programs (e.g. sustainable development, local governance, decentralization, local economic development, etc.)

Significant practical experience Building social capital, community mobilization and public participation: Local Agenda 21 in Turkey (UNDP/Capacity 21), ‘Your Spis’ project in Slovakia (UNDP/MATRA), Community Development Project in Kyrgyzstan (UNDP), Community Mobilization in Lithuania (UNDP/MATRA and NED), Local Governance Project in Albania (UNDP/Capacity 21) Comprehensive approaches to creating good local governance: Umbrella initiative in Poland (UNDP/MATRA), Local Agenda 21 in Turkey (UNDP/Capacity 21), Local Governance Project in Albania (UNDP) Creating partnership based approaches: Baltic Rural Partnership Programme (DFID), Local Agenda 21 in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (UNDP/Capacity 21, CIDA, DFID, MATRA) Integrating environmental sustainability in development strategies: Estonia (UNDP), Local Agenda 21 in Bulgaria (UNDP/Capacity 21) Creating economic and financial instruments for development: Local Agenda 21 in Bulgaria (UNDP/Capacity 21), Micro-credit facilities in Uzbekistan (UNDP) … and many others. … and many others.

Lessons Learned and Best Practices n Policy papers  How to make local development work: Selected practises from Europe and CIS, UNDP Policy Papers, Bratislava  LA 21 Implementation in CEE, UNDP Journal on Development Policy, UNDP, New York  Re-building Effective Government: Local Level Initiatives in Transition  Approaches to sustainability (ATS) – Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia  Many other publications on the country level n WSSD Johannesburg - side event –Partnership for Local Action: Towards Sustainable Communities in CEE

Follow-up initiatives n Localizing sustainable development initiative (Marta) n Localizing MDGs (Dessi) n Capacity 2015 and WSSD Follow-up (Dafina) n GEF/National Capacity Self-assessment n Rural Development in Nature Protection Areas (Jaro) n SEE Vulnerable Groups Data Collection n Potentially some others regional activities n Initiatives on the country level

Coordination – moving towards community of practice n Knowledge capturing and codification –lessons learned –best practice –publications –manuals n Knowledge sharing and project implementation –expert teams –pilot projects in regions and municipalities –trainings –study tours n Networking and community of practice building –networks –regional and sub-regional workshops –forums