After the project start on 1st March 2010 and the two initial workshops (inception workshop and presentation of project to participating Local Government Associations) the project partners presented during the one-day workshop in Vietnam their first research results. The aim of the basic research phase was to gather best practice examples from local governments/municipalities from the five participating countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Herewith, best practice examples should focus on the four thematic fields: 1) peoples participation in planning and decision making, (2) institutional governance, (3) urban environment as well as (4) fiscal management/investment promotion strategies. To become selected as best practice place the local governments/municipalities had to meet certain criteria, first and foremost the criteria of the respect on local governance principles (10 principles of the UN). Another key criteria was the high transferability potential of the best practice example itself, allowing the transfer to other local governments/municipalities within the five participating countries. Other criteria which had to be met were the innovative approach of the best practice example in one of the four thematic fields, their sustainable character and impact on the living situation of the people, cost efficiency as well as institutional and financial viability.
Overall, 27 best practice examples have been suggested by the five project partners (NLC/S – Cambodia, UCLG-ASPAC – Indonesia), LOGODEF – Philippines, TEI – Thailand, and ACVN – Vietnam). During the next workshop on 10th-12th June in Cambodia the project partners and Local Government Associations will finally decide on 16 best practices with which they will work in the future. At the same time, the June workshop will propose 20 pilot local governments/municipalities from the five countries who are interested in duplicating the best practice examples in their localities.
For further information on the project, kindly contact the project manager: Susanne Stephan (email: susanne.stephan@delgosea.eu).