Making decentralisation work for rural people in Mali

Decentralisation became a reality in rural Mali in 1999, with 703 municipalities democratically electing administrations to take over powers previously held by centrally-appointed administrators. Rural people now have local governments, but these need to build up technical and managerial resources to remedy lack of experience of working with local groups and the general population.

Mali’s new administrative set-up has three levels of local government: regional, district and municipal. Municipalities are composed of several villages or groupings of neighbourhoods that are managed by a council. Councils are supervised by a prefect who ensures that municipal proceedings follow government legislation and authorises release of central government funds for municipal development plans.

The Malian government has established a number of support agencies. The CCN (National Unit for the Co-ordination of Local Governments) provides technical assistance and the ANICT (National Agency for Investment in Local Government) provides councils with financial support. Because of limited human and financial resources, Municipal Advisory Centres (CCCs) – in which consultancy firms and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play key roles – help the mayors, their deputies and municipal staff liaise with the private sector and prepare investment proposals for submission to the ANICT.

A report published by the International Institute for Environment and Development in the UK looks at the evolution of decentralisation in two rural municipalities in southern Mali. As elections are not part of traditional rural life, and pre-election information about citizenship was not provided, neither municipality was prepared for such an event. In one municipality candidates were selected by village chiefs. In the other, two political parties put forward candidates but village authorities were hardly involved, perhaps explaining the low turnout rate of only nine percent.

Key research findings include:

• The introduction of rural municipalities has raised concerns for the influence of villages on local development decisions as they have no administrative status and are not considered legal entities.
• Rural municipalities are finding it hard to finance decentralisation: tax revenues are low and there is reluctance to pay as few have seen clear benefits from the new system.
• Many municipalities are unable to raise the 20 percent of development project costs required for the ANICT to fund the remainder.
• Women and recently-arrived immigrants complain of being excluded from the process and say they know little about the content of three-year municipal development plans.
• Overambitious development plans are often drawn up. Investment decisions, however, better reflect local priorities than in the past.
• In the municipality where candidates were selected following local consulation, the council is more legitimate and receives more local support. The mayor is also involved in conflict resolution.

The authors believe that:

• Rural councils could work better if they sought support from, and delegated tasks to social and professional associations (eg herder, parent/teacher, land management and cotton producer associations).
• All groups concerned (civil society, central and local government, political parties, NGOs and donors) must understand that decentralised democracies require an informed and involved population having rights as well as obligations, and a diversity of political opinion.
• Transparency, accountability mechanisms and communication are essential for maintaining local support and promoting local resource mobilisation.
• Municipalities should receive more financial support from central government, such as the share of sector investment programmes to be implemented at municipality level.

Training and support should be provided to local governments as well as civil society organisations over many years to strengthen the decentralisation process. This will contribute to sustainable and equitable development led by institutions with local legitimacy.

Source(s):
‘Implementing decentralisation in Mali: the experiences of two rural municipalities in southern Mali’ by Amadi Coulibaly and Thea Hilhorst, Issue Paper No 127, International Institute for Environment and Development, March 2004

id21 Research Highlight: 2 August 2005

Further Information:
Drylands Programme
International Institute for Environment and Development
3 Endsleigh Street
London WC1H ODD
UK

Tel: 44 (0) 20 7388 2117
Fax: 44 (0) 29 7388 2826
Contact the contributor: drylands@iied.org

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), UK

Amadi Coulibaly
Chargé Thématique Gouvernance Locale et GRN
Yekasi
BP 215
Sikasso
Mali

Tel: 223 6260364
Fax: 223 620247
Contact the contributor: ctjekasy@icsahel.org

Thea Hilhorst
Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
BP 95001
109 HA Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Tel: 31 20 5688501
Contact the contributor: t.hilhorst@kit.nl

Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), Holland

Other related links:
'Decentralisation: do poor people benefit from local government expenditure decisions?'

'Is decentralisation measurable?'

'Can local governments generate enough revenue to deliver services?'

Eldis governance resource guide