The 5th Edition of the Pan-African Local Government Days, “AFRICITIES”, will be held in Marrakesh, Kingdom of Morocco, from 16 to 20 December 2009. The Central theme of the Marrakesh Africities Summit is: “African Regional and Local Governments : response to the global crisis: promoting sustainable local development and employment.”

The AGI will propose a thematic session on the theme “Rebuilding Trust with the People”. This one will take place on the 16 december, 2.30 PM.

‘Rebuilding Trust with the People’

Thematic Session 1PM06 , AGI, Marrakesh, 16 December 2009, 2.30 PM Room karam 2 Palais des congrès, Marrakesh

The question of restoring trust [1] is at the heart of current thinking on governance in Africa. Stabilising weakened political order and settling the multi-sectoral crises that have shaken many countries on the continent (increasing poverty, food insecurity, climate change, political instability, conflicts often fuelled by non-transparent elections or anti-constitutional changes, violence directed towards citizens exercising their constitutional rights, etc.) are in fact, not obvious. They suppose not only political goodwill but also a shift of paradigm in the practices of those involved in governance in Africa, based on fundamental principles such as human rights, participation, transparency, accountability, equality and diversity. It is not simply about setting out new charters at a summit meeting or producing new action plans (top down approach), but about defining, through a process of inclusive dialogue and negotiation (bottom up perspective), a set of institutional rules and systems founded on values, principles and practices known, recognised and accepted by all. Such ‘contracts’ between the state and society are key to restoring trust; reducing corruption and nepotism; agreeing on the ground rules for democratic governance; redefining roles and responsibilities of different institutions and stakeholders; giving back legitimacy to the state; making civil society and the citizen responsible; identifying fair taxation systems, etc.

Thus, restoring trust here is not simply good management of government affairs (the technocratic notion of governance) but applies to creating capacity of African states and societies to have a set of norms, shared values, institutions, systems of regulation and representation enabling them to manage and reclaim their development (a broader notion of governance, centred on the notion of restoring a ‘contract’ between the state and society) in circumstances which are critical on two counts: internally and worldwide.

During the thematic session ‘Restoring trust with the people’, the African Governance Institute intends to examine this line of work in greater depth, starting with the basic hypothesis: the importance of the local dimension. In fact, in building upon effective decentralisation, the local space emerges as the strategic level for restructuring governance and restoring trust among people. Experience suggests that the local level can act as a ‘laboratory’ to invent new modes of managing state affairs, delivering public services; local development (economic) with MDGs in mind, or in preventing and resolving conflicts.

The thematic session will be followed by the launchin of the book “Rebuilding Africa Toward a new governance based on local dynamics” published by Chairman Ousmane SY to Charles Léopold Mayer and Jamana Editions in partnership with IRG.

See the programme and a biography of participants:

Agenda and biography

AGI Contacts :
 Mrs Maty NDIAYE CISSE
 Mr Thierry SANZHIE BOKALLY

Africities 2009 : [http://www.africites.org/en/]