Decentralised Cooperation at the centre of attention in Europe

On 2 December 2009 the Committee of the Regions (CoR) in partnership with the European Commission, organised the first Assises of Decentralised Cooperation for Development. The aim of the Assises was to ensure that local and regional authorities are fully  integrated into EU development cooperation policies and to promote exchange between different levels of government. Participants from various countries in Europe and developing countries gathered and exchanged experiences and ideas with each other and representatives from the European institutions. According to Mr. Luc Van den Brande,  president of the CoR, it was “one of the most exiting meetings the CoR has organised lately”. 

Decentralised cooperation is increasingly being recognised on the European stage for its crucial role in development cooperation. After the EC proposal "Local Authorities: Actors for Development” that was published on 8 October 2008 and the European Development Days in November 2008 in Strasbourg which also focussed on this field of expertise, this major event shows that decentralised development cooperation is still high on the EU’s agenda.

During the event, speakers from various institutions highlighted that local actors have a crucial role to play in development policy making because of their proximity to the people and a thorough understanding of their needs. The role of local authorities in aid effectiveness, in providing access to energy for sustainable development, and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially in the area of improving health care, were highlighted. Furthermore, the Atlas of decentralised cooperation was launched. The Atlas is an innovative new instrument for mapping the development initiatives of local and regional authorities, for providing developing countries with more insight in the expertise available, and for making future exchange, evaluation and collaboration easier. For more information about the Atlas and the Assises in general, please visit the website of the Committee of the Regions.