SDLG: Sustainable Development through improved Local Governance
The Strategic Partnership between the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and VNG International is a 5-year programme, focusing on 4 thematic priorities: Security & Rule of Law, Migration & Displacement, Own Source Revenue & Local Economic Development and Water Management. This programme, called the Sustainable Development through improved Local Governance (SDLG) programme is currently being implemented in 14 countries, being Algeria; Benin; Burundi; Ethiopia; Iraq; Kenya; Lebanon; Mali; Mozambique; occupied Palestinian territory; Somalia; South Sudan; Uganda and Ukraine.
A short explainer video to show what SDLG is all about (with French subtitles).
About the programme
The Sustainable Development through Improved Local Governance (SDLG) programme based on a Strategic Partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and VNG International. A partnership that has been very successful and operational for over 2 decades.
This programme will run for 5 years and is focused on 4 thematic priorities: Security & Rule of Law, Migration, Local Revenue Mobilisation, and Integrated Water Management, and is currently being implemented in 12 countries (Burundi, Mali, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Iraq, Kenya, Benin, Oekraine, Lebanon and Mozambique). As the programme develops further, more countries will be added to this list, depending on the need on the ground.
Despite the diverging contexts and themes, the SDLG programme pursues one overall objective: “To empower local governments and their representative bodies to shape a more sustainable future for their communities.”
Over the course of 5 years, each thematic area aims to achieve a main objective:
Each target country works on one or more themes. At the moment, the division is as follows:
In addition to the thematic objective, each country programme also has its specific objective, which is as follows:
SDLG Algeria Programme (SRoL): Aims to support Algeria in its reforms toward integrated and sustainable territorial development, improved governance, and participatory democracy as part of the decentralization process. This will be achieved by promoting local governance and sustainable development within the Ministry of Interior (MICLAT) and by empowering local governments to take on new roles as key development actors. Activities include workshops to share expertise with MICLAT officers, study visits for Algerian civil servants, and 48 pilot micro-projects to engage civil society and municipalities. The programme will also facilitate the creation of new partnerships between local governments, civil society, and the private sector, and the adoption of innovative procurement methods.
SDLG Benin Programme (Water): Aims for local governments and their representative bodies to be able to deliver on their agreements and execute policies to manage community resilience in a safe and socially equal way for all on lands with climate and water-related risks in 5 municipalities of the Basse Vallée de l’Ouémé. To achieve this, capacity strengthening activities will be rolled out towards local government, Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) bodies and members of the community, to clarify roles and mandates, mobilize financial resources to meet IWRM needs, own and maintain IWRM infrastructure and support economically viable IWRM initiatives. In parallel, the Community Floods Early Warning System is being strengthened by densifying the network of warning beacons, the mobile app, revitalizing local risk reduction platforms and bringing relevant stakeholders closer together. IWRM resilience infrastructures are being built, and existing ones maintained, and IWRM consultation frameworks will be strengthened to ensure relevant multi-stakeholder exchanges, and lobbying for their needs via community IWRM plans.
SDLG Burundi Programme (SRoL): Strives to promote more accountable, responsive and inclusive local governance in the four provinces of Rutana, Bururi, Makamba and Cibitoke. To achieve this, the programme plans to enhance the overall mandate, legal and fiscal framework of local governments in partnership with the Association of Burundi Communes (ACO-Burundi), improve the social contract between communes and citizens through more accountable and transparent leadership and improve the local policies and procedures on Own Source Revenue. These advancements must contribute to communes that are able to finance their local development plans and budgets that are responsive to their citizens’ needs, positioning them to provide better basic services.
SDLG Ethiopia Programme (OSR): To develop (by-)laws, regulations, guidelines and tools that support a fit-for-purpose implementation approach at local level for the new federal property tax proclamation by the Ministry of Finance. It is a 15-month support trajectory for the Ministry of Finance, bringing together stakeholders at Federal, Regional and Local government levels. The output of these consultations will provide model by-laws, regulations and guidelines for the implementation of the new proclamation on property tax, as well as tools and best practices on IT tooling and administrative processes.
SDLG Iraq Programme (Migration): To support the Iraqi sub-national governments (Kurdistan and Ninevah governorates) in improving their mandate and local service provision towards host and displaced communities in the themes of (solid/medical) waste and composting, water, Local Economic Development (LED), local administration and citizen engagement.
SDLG Kenya Programme (Migration): Focuses on local governments in Kenya and the role they play in the refugee space, with a focus on Turkana and Garissa County. Kenya is moving towards a new and innovative integrated settlement approach, whereby refugees and host communities can more closely coexist and share common services. On the institutional level, SDLG aims to enhance a strengthened intergovernmental relationship and stakeholder engagement, through exploring the legal framework, roles and responsibilities, and improving feedback systems on national government-level policies and plans. Furthermore, at local government level, SDLG supports counties in taking ownership over service delivery within their devolved functions for both host and refugee communities, including local economic development (LED), by making use of tools of social accountability and creating conditions for County and Municipality policies and plans that best fit the needs of both citizens and refugees.
SDLG Lebanon Programme (Migration): Aims to empower local governments and other local actors to address migration-related issues, from a local governance angle by promoting integration and social cohesion between host communities and refugees. This is done amongst others through enhancing municipal services and revenue via digitalization, empowering civil society through Active Citizenship Labs to advocate for inclusive agendas, and training diverse groups in local governance for next-generation resilience.
SDLG Mali Programme (SRoL): Aims for local governments to be able to address drivers of conflict in a non-violent and inclusive manner. The programme partners with four intercommunal frameworks, which work together to address conflicts related to natural resource management in the regions of Sikasso, Bougouni and Koulikoro.
SDLG Mozambique Programme (OSR): To catalyze economic development by generating revenue for public investment. First in the city of Beira, later possibly also in other cities in Mozambique.
SDLG Mozambique Programme (Water): To enhance Beira’s drainage systems (through sustainable solutions), making the city more flood-resilient. This is done through institutional capacity development within SASB (Beira Autonomous Sanitation Unit) by setting up working groups to improve specific work processes. Moreover, the institutional assistance will facilitate improved tertiary drainage and urban planning by SASB in the city of Beira, in addition to improved donor coordination by SASB. Furthermore, 4 neighborhoods are selected as pilot zones where approaches for integrated tertiary drainage are implemented and local communities are involved in decision-making through focal group discussions. This all to help prevent flooding in the city of Beira.
SDLG Palestine Programme (SRoL): Aims to enhance the resilience of local governments in marginalized rural communities (Area C) by improving their responsiveness and inclusivity through participatory urban planning and strategic development. By focusing on integrated, climate-accountable plans and effective service delivery, the programme seeks to foster greater stability and community trust, contributing to long-term peace and equitable development.
SDLG Palestine Programme (OSR): Aims to support Palestinian municipalities in enhancing their property data management, utilizing this data to improve services, and increasing their own source revenue.
SDLG Somalia Programme (SRoL): Aims to foster inclusive local economic development (LED) by encouraging collaboration between local governments, youth and marginalized groups in Garowe and Qardho, ultimately strengthening the social contract between the government and communities. Local governments that are better able to fulfil their mandate in promoting Inclusive LED (ILED) will gain greater trust from people, thereby strengthening the social contract. In the long term, this will lead to increased legitimate stability. Within the programme, SDLG aims to achieve this by establishing LED Fora in the above-mentioned districts. These fora bring together various stakeholders, including local governments, female-led organisations, civil society organisations (CSOs), and private sector actors, to address local economic challenges, identify opportunities, and coordinate efforts for sustainable development.
SDLG South Sudan Programme (SRoL): To improve self-reliance of communities in Eastern Equatoria to effectively prevent and resolve water-related conflict in a non-violent and inclusive manner.
SDLG South Sudan Programme (Water): Aims to achieve a more sustainable future for the communities of Bor County and Bor Municipality through improved resilience to floods and other climate related hazards and natural disasters. SDLG envisions a strong and well-functioning local government for sustainable flood management in Bor with a focus on climate and water stressed areas. The programme aims to enhance disaster risk management and preparedness via the frameworks of early warning systems and evacuation plannings, and by strengthening the capacities of relevant stakeholders. The improved governance is supported by SDLG while focusing on increased compliance with existing (or new) laws & agreements, stronger transparency and accountability, participatory decision-making, equal, equitable and inclusive consultation, and reliable & responsive institutions, including roundtables with all relevant stakeholders.
SDLG Uganda Programme (SRoL, Migration & OSR): Improved governance in a fragile setting is at the heart of the SDLG Uganda Programme. Strong leadership and the necessary mindset change, in order to take up and utilize available discretionary space to ensure locally driven development can make the difference in ensuring inclusive decision making and responsive service delivery, whereby citizens feel heard and are confident about their leaders. The SDLG Uganda Programme aims to support 10 local governments and their associations to become more inclusive, accountable and to enhance locally driven development.
SDLG Ukraine Programme- Phase 1 (2022- 2024) (Flex response): The aim was to enhance the sustainability and resilience of local governance following the full- scale invasion of Ukraine through participatory processes, risk mitigation, and economic development of 14 selected communities. During Phase 1 support was provided to four local communities with regards to the design of their own local recovery and development plans, a grant was provided to each community for implementing one element of those plans, authorities were trained to further design project ideas for financing and implementation of their plans and increased their capacities through coaching, webinars and organizing exchange visit.
SDLG Ukraine Programme- Phase 2 (2024- 2025) (Flex response): To enhance the sustainability and resilience of local governance following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine through participatory processes, risk mitigation, and economic development of 14 selected communities. During the Phase 2 focus lies on enhancing sustainability and resilience of selected territorial communities while focusing on three thematic pathways: “Safety, Security, Resilience”, “Local Economic development and project management”, “Democratisation and decentralisation”. In all three pathways, support is being provided to communities in the design/ update respective policies, programmes and strategies, increase capacity and knowledge of local governments through trainings, consultations, exchange visits, enhance participatory processes and citizen engagement mechanisms (including war veterans, IDPs, women, youth).
In order to respond to the various requests for expertise, we work together with various partners, including local government associations in the target countries, international and national experts, CSOs, The Hague Academy for Local Governance (THA) and Dutch local governments.