05 October 2009

The added value of decentralised cooperation - assessing our effectiveness

Lyon, France

The seminar took place at the invitation of the city of Lyon in October 2009.  It brought together 140 participants, including numerous African local elected representatives, mayors of Bamako (Mali), Porto Novo and Abomey (Benin), Bunjumbura (Burundi), Antsirabé (Madagascar) and Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) most notably, who equally participated in the debates of the European Commission and CONCORD.

 

The participants called for a better recognition of local and regional governments by the European institutions so that they can be involved in the early stages of the formulation of development strategies. They also called for simplification of the procedures of development programmes and the implementation of training on these procedures for local and regional authorities of EU partner countries. PLATFORMA is working with the European Commission on the latter.