Training decentralisation actors in Mali

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Published on 09/03/2020
Democratic, economic and financial governance
STATE REFORM, RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY

Mali

At the end of January 2020, the first module of a series of 12 training sessions for Malian decentralisation actors was held for ten days in Bamako. This 4-month training cycle is part of the project to support the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (AMAPAR), implemented by Expertise France with Mali’s Directorate General of Local Authorities (DGCT) to support the decentralisation process.

The AMAPAR pilot project aims to support the regionalisation reform called for by the Inter-Malian Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, in particular by building the capacities of regional authorities. It is financed by Agence Française de Développement with EUR 800,000 and will run for 20 months. It is based on two components:

• Advice and support to the Directorate General of Local Authorities (DGCT), through an international technical expert (ITE) based at the DGCT;

• Capacity building for decentralisation actors: officials and elected officials from local authorities, but also State officials (prefects, sub-prefects and governors) who are preparing, overseeing and supporting the decentralisation process. The organisation of thematic training modules is part of this component.

The series of training sessions which the AMAPAR project will implement in Bamako and nationwide has been developed by Éric Idelman, an international technical expert, and the Directorate General of Local Authorities (DGCT). Depending on the themes and relevance, the training sessions will be given by either French or Malian experts, or in pairs, in order to focus on a comparative France-Mali view of the themes of decentralisation.

Start of a long series

The first training session, which was held in Bamako last January, was entitled “Decentralisation, devolution and the transfer of competencies and resources to local authorities”. This module benefited from the participation of an experienced trainer, Vincent Potier, former Director General of the National Centre for Territorial Public Administration (CNFPT), who was mobilised by Expertise France.

The training module took place in two sessions. The first week trained about forty DGCT officials (photo) and the second benefited elected officials and officials from local authorities, as well as certain officials from ministries responsible for the transfer of competencies and resources.

These two sessions improved understanding of the basic concepts of decentralisation, in particular of free administration and the transfer of competencies. The module also focused on the definition of roles and responsibilities of actors of devolution and decentralisation, and on the relations local authorities and State administrations need to have in order to implement a balanced and sustainable decentralisation.

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