The growing emphasis on decentralization in Africa is resulting in significant changes in the administrative and political geography of many countries. It is also determining and re-shaping the modalities of service delivery. In addition to Nigeria, the oldest Federation in the region, there are now at least 5 other countries with Federal constitutions: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Comoros, Somalia, and Sudan. South Africa has a unique semi-federal system insofar as its constitution mandates significant devolution of powers to the regions and to local governments. Countries such as Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo are exploring how best to decentralize in order to “bring development closer to the people” and to assuage political tensions. In the rest of Africa, where decentralization is not constitutionally mandated, sub-national jurisdictions such as regional, provincial, urban and district local governments have been created through legislation.
The growing emphasis on decentralization in Africa is resulting in significant changes in the administrative and political geography of many countries. It is also determining and re-shaping the modalities of service delivery. In addition to Nigeria, the oldest Federation in the region, there are now at least 5 other countries with Federal constitutions: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Comoros, Somalia, and Sudan. South Africa has a unique semi-federal system insofar as its constitution mandates significant devolution of powers to the regions and to local governments. Countries such as Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo are exploring how best to decentralize in order to “bring development closer to the people” and to assuage political tensions. In the rest of Africa, where decentralization is not constitutionally mandated, sub-national jurisdictions such as regional, provincial, urban and district local governments have been created through legislation.
The sum of these processes is that sub-national jurisdictions are becoming increasingly important actors in Africa’s efforts to promote growth and development and their role may be critically vital to progress towards the MDGs, the set of measurable and time-bound goals, agreed to by world leaders at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit, to be reached by 2015. These goals summarize the international consensus around advancing human development and securing a world with less poverty.
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