The 2013 European Union (EU) Communication titled “Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes” acknowledges subnational governments and local authorities as drivers of development in their respective territory, rather than as mere implementers of policies dictated by the central state.
This vision is also echoed in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which advocates for the “localization” of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Localizing the SDGs entails empowering local actors, such as subnational governments and civil society, to implement and monitor the 2030 Agenda.
The EU Global Gateway strategy aligns with and supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing the pivotal role of local communities. Key connections include the active involvement of cities, municipalities, and all sorts of subnational governments in SDGs localization, recognizing their mandate for local development, their role as representatives of citizens, and the need for financing urban and rural agendas endorsed by the EU.
The Territorial Approach to Local Development (TALD) is a bottom-up, multi-actor and multi-sector approach that enables the definition and prioritization of development investments in a given territory.
Employing a territorial approach enhances the understanding of endogenous dynamics that can transform a territory, bolstering the institutional capacities of local authorities and fostering cooperation with local actors in collaboration with stakeholders at various levels.
Coordinated by the European Commission’s (EC) Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA, Unit G2 Local Authorities, Civil Society Organizations and Foundations), the TALD Facility offers various types of support to EU Delegations in partner countries:
- Organization of training seminars, which promote a better understanding of the territorial approach and its potential value in the Global Gateway strategy.
- Carrying out diagnostics on the viability of a territorial approach in a country, with practical advice, adapted to each context and suggestions for specific technical assistance.
- Supporting the formulation and implementation of programs to design actions fostering decentralization, governance and local development.
- Fostering a policy dialogue on Global Gateway strategy and/or decentralization processes with public authorities.
- Identifying specific interventions necessary to strengthen local authorities in a country.
- Enhancing decentralized cooperation practices (international city to city exchanges) in collaboration with other EC instruments like the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange instrument (TAIEX).
Cuba
Between July and October 2022, the Territorial Approach to Local Development was applied to the EU-Cuba program for the sustainable and ecological transition of Cuban municipalities in two main sectors: increased food sovereignty based on sustainable local agricultural systems and energy self-sufficiency based on local renewable energy sources. The TALD Facility worked with the EU Delegation in Havana to organize a workshop to formulate the program, prepare the Action Document and propose concrete initiatives for an EU intervention in 7 priority municipalities.
Ecuador
Between September and November 2022, a TALD mission served to operationalize EU support to the weaker local governments in the sierra and coastal regions of Ecuador. The action targeted the topics of water and sanitation, reduction of chronic child malnutrition, with particular emphasis on protecting ecosystems and water resources such as the 'paramo' in the highlands. The TALD mission provided recommendations on how to support local green development plans and provided inputs to draft the Guidelines for the Call for Proposals for a 4 million Euro intervention.
Congo-Brazzaville
In 2023 the TALD Facility worked with the EU Delegation to Congo Brazzaville in supporting decentralization, political dialogue and the introduction of a territorial perspective within the “Resilient Cities” program. Thanks to the support of the TALD Facility, an assessment of the national context took place, using the Integrated Territorial Development Diagnostic (ITDD). The Diagnostic facilitated the definition of priority areas of action, as well as the key actors to be involved, particularly for the EU “Resilient Cities” program. This support was also accompanied by a political dialogue with the Congolese central government on the topic of decentralization
Contact
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