Decentralisation in Africa: A Pathway Out of Poverty and Conflict?Gordon Crawford, Christof Hartmann The current momentum for decentralization of government in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world is driven in many instances by the needs and desires of donor organizations. This volume questions whether this sort of decentralization offers a significant pathway out of poverty and conflict in Africa—addressing issues of poverty reduction in Uganda, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania and issues of conflict management in Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, and Rwanda. Conceptual weaknesses and problems of implementation are addressed, especially the limitations of donor-driven decentralization, in order to illustrate that decentralization is neither the ultimate answer nor a shortcut to the achievement of peace and development in Africa. |
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accountability activities administrative Africa areas Assembly authority capacity cent central government chapter chiefs civil Committee concerning conflict Constitution constraints contribute councillors councils created decentralisation decentralisation policy delivery Democracy democratic Development devolution district economic effects elections elite established ethnic evidence example executive framework functions funds Ghana given grants groups impact implementation important improved income increased indicated initiatives institutions interests issues Kibaale lack land limited local government major Malawi meetings ment ministries needs noted participation party plans political poor population positive potential poverty reduction President Programme projects question reforms regard regional remains Report representatives Research responsibilities result role ruling rural Rwanda Second sector settlers social sources South structures studies Tanzania tion traditional transfers Uganda units various village World Bank