Local Government and Decentralization

Completed 2/97
Senior Staff involved: David Jickling, Project Supervisor

UNDP sought to encourage the transference of greater administrative responsibility to local governments Equatorial Guinea. PAS provided an assessment for UNDP which evaluated local public administrative efficacy and offered strategies for future development.

Municipal finances, personnel, and managerial functions were examined with a focus on evaluating local-central government relations and determining the availability of human resources and training needs . Malabo, the republic's capital, and four other smaller municipal units were visited in order to investigate how the needs of local government could better be met. PAS recommended methods of increasing local revenue, constructing local credit systems, establishing workshops and seminars to better train municipal employees, and expanding contacts with international municipal associations. The report concludes with a proposed structure for a future UN local development program that would entail collaboration between selected NGOs and local authorities.