Regional Conference on

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3 Regional Conference on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance in ASEAN Countries through a Multi-Stakeholder Approach Intercontinental Hotel 296 Boulevard Mao Tse Toung Phnom Penh Kingdom of Cambodia 3rd-4th May 2012 R E P O R T

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5 Foreword Under the umbrella of UCLG ASPAC, UCLG as well as Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Regional Conference on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance in ASEAN Countries through a Multi-Stakeholder Approach was successfully held in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia, May 3-4, The conference was a joint initiative of two European funded projects: Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries ( and Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia ( The objective of the conference was to open a permanent dialogue among local government associations (LGAs), high-level government and ASEAN representatives, and civil society, to support decentralization and good local governance development agendas. We hope that the discussed topics and related thematic discourse of this conference can serve as sparks to ignite further dialogue, exchange of information and ideas, and cooperation between participants. UCLG ASPAC, in conjunction with other prominent regional actors, including ASEAN, would be willing to promote this endeavour in the future. The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance was an important outcome of the conference, and reflects the agreed common views and initiatives among participants to support decentralization and good local governance. It is hoped that these Principles will be accepted during the UCLG ASPAC Congress in Jakarta, 4 October 2012 as a major reference for the future work and engagement of UCLG ASPAC. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Cambodian Government for their hospitality, representatives of ASEAN and European Union for continuously supporting both projects, and all speakers for their insightful presentations. Furthermore, we acknowledge the valuable role of Mr. Methodius Kusumahadi for moderating the conference and Mr. Peter Woods for his overall support. Dr. Rudolf Hauter Secretary General United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)

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7 Table of Contents A. INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFERENCE Conference Outline Introduction to the Projects Presentation of Regional Agenda Strengthening Decentralization and Local Development in Southeast Asia...5 Discussion 1 - First Reactions from Policy-Makers and Government Executives...5 B. CONFERENCE SESSION I. Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Framework of Climate Change Key Speech: The Role of Local Authorities in Disaster Mitigation Capacity Building for Local Authorities on Disaster Risk Management People's Participation in Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation Community Based Flood Control...10 Discussion 2 - Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Framework of Climate Change...12 II. Financing Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs The Importance of Funding Local Government Investment for Economic Development The Importance of Public Private Partnership for Local Development. An Example by Toul Sangke, Cambodia Municipal Partner Approach for Local Economic Development...16

8 Discussion 3 - Financing Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs...17 III. Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Local Governance between Stakeholders Sharing Experiences from Replicating Best Practices on Local Governance from the DELGOSEA Project Presentation of Paper on Sustainability of and Advocacy for Local Governance Policy Options The Importance of a Regional Framework for Local Governance (Or Why Local Governance Needs To Be Regional) A Regional Framework Needs a Regional Network (Or Why A Network Multi-Stakeholder Approach Matters)...25 Discussion 4 - Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Local Governance between Stakeholders Roundtable - Strengthening Cooperation between Local Governments and Civil Society within a Multi-Stakeholder Network on Good Local Governance Introduction to UNISDR 'Handbook for Local Government Leaders on Making Cities Resilient and other Tools in Support of Local Governments in Disaster Risk Reduction'...27 Discussion 5 - The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future, the Phnom Penh Record of Principles and an Agenda for Sustainable Local Governance through a Multi- Stakeholder Approach for the ASEAN Region...28 Concluding Remarks...28 C. CONFERENCE CONCLUSIONS...29

9 LIST OF ANNEXES... i Annex 1 - The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future...i Annex 2 - The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance...ii Annex 3 - List of Participants...vi Annex 4 - Background Information about the EU-funded Project Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries...xiv Annex 5 - Background Information about the EU-funded Network Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA)...xviii

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11 A. Introduction To The Conference This 1.5 days conference was a joint venture of the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) the regional section of UCLG - project Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries Southeast Asia and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)/UCLG ASPAC (partnership) project Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA), both co-funded by the European Union. The conference was attended by representatives from seven countries: Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos. The conference was opened with Official Welcome Notes from four key persons: H.E. Mr. Sak Setha, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior and Chairperson of the Secretariat of the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development Secretariat (NCDDS) H.E. Mr. DSG Bagas Hapsoro, the Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs Mr. Andreas Röttger, Head of Economic & Regional Cooperation/Good Governance, European Delegation to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN Dr. Rudolf Hauter, Secretary General of UCLG ASPAC, presented by Mr. Edgardo Bilsky, Director of Programmes and Research of UCLG In general, the conference aimed at initiating a permanent dialogue among local government associations (LGAs), high-level government representatives and ASEAN representatives as well as civil society. More specifically, the conference aimed at generating a consensus among these stakeholders to solicit the national governments, the ASEAN and international institutions for adopting particular propositions on decentralization and good local governance development agendas through a multi-stakeholder approach. The framework of this dialogue should be the support of the role of local governments and the harmonization of regional priorities within local governance throughout Southeast Asia. At the end of the conference, it was hoped that a declaration which reflects common views and initiatives among participants to support decentralization and good local governance would be agreed upon by the conference participants. More importantly, this conference was expected to create a permanent regional Page 1 of 29

12 forum on strengthening good local governance and decentralization by involving all stakeholders. 1. Conference Outline The discussions during the conference basically revolved around the two main topics: 1. Setting the foundation for a joint declaration based on the presented policy recommendations 2. Strengthening regional cooperation on good local governance between stakeholders The first day of the conference was focused on the presentation of the findings of the policy recommendations identified by the two EU projects. The basis for these recommendations is: 1. The regional study on decentralization of the Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries Project, implemented by UCLG ASPAC 2. Concrete experiences from best practice transfer on local governance projects of the DELGOSEA network in Southeast Asia, implemented by Konrad- Adenauer Foundation Out of the pool of policy recommendations, the conference then focused on two thematic areas, which have been of key concern to local governance in Southeast Asia: 1. Disaster management and risk mitigation in the framework of climate change 2. Public Private Partnership for local economic development The second day was focusing on determining how regional cooperation and a sustainable dialogue can be best organized. The aim of this session was to strengthen local authorities, networking with international and regional organizations and to develop closer links between local authorities, civil society and academic institutions. Page 2 of 29

13 The conference ended with The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future and The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance including an agenda for sustainable local governance through a multi-stakeholder approach for the ASEAN region approved by all conference participants: 1. ASEAN representatives and ASEAN Secretariat 2. EU representative 3. Representatives from national governments, such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior 4. Representatives from other Regional Organizations, such as ADB, FCM, UNISDR, GIZ 5. Representatives from civil society organizations, academia, media and respective umbrella organizations 6. Representatives from the Local Government Associations (LGAs) 7. UCLG and UCLG ASPAC Team 8. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung/DELGOSEA Team 2. Introduction to the Projects 2.1 Introduction into Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries, a project co-funded by the European Union in cooperation with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) by Ms. Claire Frost Chief Assistant of Director of Programmes and Research United Cities and Local Governments Overall objectives of this project are to support the process of decentralization and local democracy in developing countries, and notably in the Less Advanced Countries, to strengthen local development and 'Good Governance'. Its specific objective is to strengthen the LAs in their capacity to analyze, to define agendas of priorities and to dialogue with States and regional institutions in support of the decentralization process and the role of local authorities in development cooperation in three regions of the world (Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia). Page 3 of 29

14 There are three instruments produced by this project: 1. Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Local Governance between Stakeholders 2. System Indicators for Decentralization 3. Roadmap of Decentralization 2.2 Introduction into the Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA), a project co-funded by the European Union and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung by Ms. Susanne Stephan DELGOSEA Project Manager In this project, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, UCLG ASPAC, 3 national Local Government Associations (ADKASI - Indonesia, ACVN - Vietnam and NLC/S - Cambodia) and 2 local NGOs (TEI - Thailand and LOGODEF - Philippines) were deeply involved in research, consulting, capacity building and exchange activities on local governance in the region, with the aim to jointly spread experiences from innovative models of peoples participation, inclusive service delivery and institutional governance among municipalities in several countries of Southeast Asia. The activities aim at setting up partnerships and networking between Non State Actors (NSAs) including Academic Institutions and Local Governments with focus on the partner countries (South-South). They include the promotion of adapted replications of best practice examples and success stories in democratic local governance throughout the region, facilitate interaction and exchanges between State- and Non-State Actors and reinforce the role of NSAs and Local Governments in decentralization processes. At the core of the action are capacitybuilding activities for the LGAs of the countries and for different stakeholders and target groups in the municipalities involved. Further background information on the two projects can be found in Annex 4 and Annex 5. Page 4 of 29

15 3. Presentation of Regional Agenda Strengthening Decentralization and Local Development in Southeast Asia by Dr. Peter Köppinger DELGOSEA Project Director and Country Representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for the Philippines and Dr. Gero von Harder Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries Project Coordinator for Southeast Asia The ASEAN integration is progressing, even if slowly with ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, Joint Human Rights Mechanism and more than 100 joint working groups. ASEAN is not only technical cooperation, but also a confirmation of joint values. The community is approaching a joint understanding of universal values which we can summarize under the core value of human dignity. The region also shares general challenges: poverty and growing inequality, lack of good governance and overwhelming corruption and ineffective governing due to lack of active participation of people. Progress in addressing these challenges depends on decentralized structures. Decentralization also needs to be done in regional forums. Lagging behind of one ASEAN country will disturb and interrupt the whole region. Being on a regional forum also provide continuous learning opportunities and experience exchange that provide benefits for all members. Discussion 1 - First Reactions from Policy-Makers and Government Executives The first discussion session revolved mainly on continuance of replication processes, cross border cooperation and corruption. Most participants were questioning the continuance of replication processes after the DELGOSEA project ends in August At the time, no definite answers could be provided. The continuance of replication processes would require cross border cooperation, a self initiated framework and institutionalized mutual dialogue. Page 5 of 29

16 There was a concern that decentralization might increase corruption: corruption in decentralized governance might increase in quantity, but reduced in quality. Corruption in decentralized governance is also more visible since more stakeholders are involved. Therefore, it is easier to address. People's Participation and Transparency are viable tools, which can be used as an incentive for local own-source revenue generation from local taxes as well as to reduce corruption. Page 6 of 29

17 B. Conference Session I. Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Framework of Climate Change 01. Key Speech: The Role of Local Authorities in Disaster Mitigation by Ms. Pham Thanh Hang Program Officer for ASEAN United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR) At the "Building a Local Government Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction" conference on August 2009 in Incheon City, South Korea, opened by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nation, UCLG ASPAC, UN-HABITAT, CITYNET together with many other partners produced the Making Cities Resilient Campaign. The subject of discussion was how to create a global alliance of local governments to invest in risk reduction. The outcome of this conference was to create the space for stakeholders to meet cross-borders and within local community as well as building safer societies. Making cities resilient and investing in disaster risk reduction is a local governance issue of great magnitude and impact. Local government risk reduction is a decentralize approach. Even if disasters have national and international impacts, they always affect the locals. Whether it is from weather events, geological, biological or technological hazards, in the end, the disaster itself is human made to a certain extent. We put ourselves in harm's way. We can do something about it. That is what Making Cities Resilient is. The 10 points checklist of essential activities that had been developed could be taken into account by local governments in order to make this happen. Tools such as The Handbook for Local Governments' Leaders and the Local Government Self-assessment, tools to set the baseline, priority setting and to create multi-stakeholders participation are also available through this campaign. Local governments are always in the forefront, the first responders, and they are responsible for community development, implementation, adoption and enforcement of local policies. The confirmative authority of the local government to have that appropriate human capacity and allocation of proper resources need to be assured. Risk reduction in the end is about good local governance, political decision making and formulation of policies. And by creating the space for stakeholders to meet, this can be taken one step forward, particularly when it Page 7 of 29

18 comes to the accountability of local and regional authorities which is always comes into questioning after a disaster hits. UNISDR invited all participants to join the Making Cities Resilient Campaign. More importantly, participants are invited to utilize the available tools and to use the opportunity provided by this conference to ensure that at political level, both national and local governments make safety, prosperity and disaster risk reduction as part of the agenda in their local governance and decentralization. 02. Capacity Building for Local Authorities on Disaster Risk Management by Dr. Gaudioso C. Sosmeòa Same as other ASEAN countries, the Philippines are vulnerable to Natural Disasters with an average of 25 typhoons a year, earthquake prone due to being located within the Ring of Fire from California-Alaska down to Japan- Philippines-Indonesia, with constant weather changes that trigger floods, landslides etc. The geographical profile of the Philippines consists of 7,107 islands with 300,000 sq. km land area where 85% are coastal areas managed by local authorities requires a Capacitation Program to formulate a predictive agenda to cope with climate change and to mitigate disasters risks. The Philippine government realized the situation and already prepared three Legal Frameworks for Disaster Mitigation: Disaster Mitigation Act of 2010 (RA10121), Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA9729), Local Government Code (RA7160). The Capacitation Strategy is to provide three types of capacitation courses for local governments officials: 1. Pre-disaster Predictive Action: Advocacy on behavior modification of both individuals and institutions From a reactive state to anticipatory in character Review and evaluate institutional-legal mechanisms Guidelines on Local Disaster Mitigation Master Plan 2. During Disaster Respond: Respond mechanism should be at highest level Resource agencies active, facilitates effective assistance to disaster victims Emergencies effectively managed minimizing deaths, destructions and human dislocations Page 8 of 29

19 Use of available technologies optimal based on affordability and other logical consideration 3. Post-disaster Rebuilding including: Resettlement areas earlier identified; established predictively Medical/psychological services available to normalize peoples' lives Return of victims to their communities planned/discussed with appropriate government agencies and other non-governmental organizations Rehabilitation program for disaster victims focused on housing needs and initiation of economic activities. Participants in various capacitation courses are Local Executives, Disaster Mitigation Officers, Local Government Technical Personnel, Non-Government- Organizations and Village Officials. Length of a capacitation course is two to five days where training needs assessment and post training evaluation are usually undertaken. Resource persons for this training are core of multi-agency specialists. 03. People's Participation in Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation by Mr. Basilio Araujo Head of Division for International Financial Institutions and International Organization Cooperation Ministry of Home Affairs, Republic of Indonesia The livelihoods and wellbeing of the poor in rural Asia are already vulnerable to climate change variability because of a high dependency on natural resources and high exposure to climate change impacts and hazards such as floods, droughts, landslides, famines and epidemics. In the absence of significant mitigation and adaptation measures, human-induced climate change is expected to multiply these risks and undermine development goals. Currently, the efforts of Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation are mostly done by international organizations such as International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO), UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and UN Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (UNDP). Page 9 of 29

20 The speaker suggested to: Optimize The Role Of Civil Defense Through Voluntary Principles Although Civil Defense role in Indonesia is far from ideal, there are other parties such as group of nature aficionados who are willing to participate in Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation. Twinning For Disaster Risk Reduction Threatened by increasing and lethal seasonal floods, the Malaysian port city Malaka has already started the cooperation with the Malaka State Government to make considerable efforts to reduce the disaster risks from such climate related catastrophic events. Build A Common Framework on People's Participation All concerned stakeholders (ICDO members, UCLG members, EU, ASEAN, UNDP/UNISDR and ICRC) march together to build a common framework on people's participation in early warning and mobilization to reduce the escalation of disaster impacts in a south - south cooperation for disaster risk reduction. 04. Community Based Flood Control by Dr. Thongchai Roachanakanan Director Center of Earthquake Disaster Watch and Studies Department of Public Works, and Town and Country Planning Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Thailand The great flood in 2011 was an expensive and painful lesson for Thai society. Flood management and control were immediately initiated and undertaken by local community as focal point. There are distinctions between new (modern) and old (traditional) communities in Thailand, both in typical forms and social structure. The old communities have been living in harmony with nature for centuries that can prepare and adjust well to flood. For modern communities, the consequences were more serious and economic damages were huge. People are making long and high walls of sand bags around their community to protect themselves from flood. Page 10 of 29

21 Urban climate resilience has become a crucial strategy. Disaster prevention steps are required. A popular prevention alternative in urban areas is to lift up houses two to three meters above the ground. However, this prevention is costly and inefficient. After flood management needs improvement as well, including neighborhoods cleaning, houses repairs, community restoration, etc. Until today, mountains of debris remain an unsolved problem for many municipalities in and around Bangkok. The next flood may be more critical. Better preparation will be required. Flood management also experienced information management problems. Various sources of information, lack of available data, poor understanding regarding the flood and overlapping of authorities had caused confusion. Community flood management also needs to include how to cope with unexpected side effects such as poisonous snakes and crocodiles. To create a Community Based Flood Control in Thailand, local stakeholders should have: Better flood information management, the best reliable information and flood warning system Better understanding about scientific information and knowledge related flood issues; impacts of climate change and global warming Better human adjustment to flood, adaptation and mitigation measures Stronger support from outsiders (technical & financial assistances) Closer cooperation between and among nearby communities (working together to prepare for the next floods as part of local plan) More concentration on non-structural measures and more sustainable community development Conclusion There is no flood management blueprint!!! 1. A different flood geomorphology requires different approach and protection systems. 2. A different form of community needs different flood management and control. 3. A different degree of flood risk requires different demand of resources; money, technology etc. 4. There is a need for further development of community based flood management and control. 5. More research works should be undertaken providing more alternatives of flood prevention. Page 11 of 29

22 Discussion 2 - Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Framework of Climate Change The second discussion mainly revolved on disaster prevention and post disaster management. Every Disaster is Unique. The best strategy to deal with disasters must be based on the principles of humanity (inclusiveness), neutrality, impartiality and involving all stakeholders. Each occurrence requires different handling and each region requires different disaster warning and prevention system. For example, mountain areas require radio communication for disaster warning system while riverside areas require rubber boats to deal with floods. Other than physical impacts, disaster also caused psychological impacts that are often overlooked. While infrastructure rebuilding is required for physical impacts, psychological impacts also need to be dealt with therapies. In disaster prone areas such as Southeast Asia, community resilience for disaster is much needed. There are certain local wisdoms and cultures that can be used to build community resilience for disaster. In Indonesia for example, the already existing Civil Defense needs to be reactivated to its original function, to protect the community from any harm. Disaster prevention training for local officials is also required. In the Philippines, this training is already mandatory. However, with each new local official elected, the training must be repeated again. A certain standard of disaster readiness is also needed. UNISDR provided a 10 points checklist to create this readiness. Page 12 of 29

23 II. Financing Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs 05. The Importance of Funding Local Government Investment for Economic Development by Dr. Bharat Dahiya Adjunct Faculty Urban Environmental Management School of Environment Resources & Development, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand presented by Mr. Peter Woods Emeritus Mayor and Ambassador of United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) Asian cities produce over 80% of the region's GDP. This simple fact ought to put local governments at the centre of any discussion on investments for economic development. Central to economic development is the optimal utilization of human, socio-cultural, natural, economic and financial resources a process in which local government investments are essential. This, in turn, helps to bring about much-needed improvements in the lives and livelihoods of the local population to whom local governments are politically answerable. Local governments as key stakeholders in economic development have four specific advantages: 1. Local governments are legally responsible to make and implement (a majority of) decisions, including investments for economic development. 2. Local governments mostly have a (very) good understanding of the local conditions and problems of economic development, available resources (as outlined above) and their development potential. 3. Local governments are the closest party to the people and other stakeholders and are in a unique position to hold consultations and seek opinions on their needs, aspirations and options for economic development. 4. In both developing and developed countries, inter-jurisdictional cooperation requires several local governments to make collective decisions on development investments. Page 13 of 29

24 There are three relevant problems and their potential solutions in regarding the funding of local governments investment for economic development: 1. Lack Of Adequate Experience To Formulate Local Development Strategies That Can Help Identify Much-Needed Bankable Projects For Economic Development Cities Alliance, a multi-donor trust fund based at the World Bank, provides grant assistance to local governments to prepare 'City Development Strategies'. Many such projects have been implemented in Asian countries. Moreover, to help local governments, Cities Alliance has produced a 'Guide to City Development Strategies: Improving Urban Performance' it can be accessed from the Cities Alliance website: 2. Inadequate Capacity To Prepare Bankable Projects To Fund Local Governments Investment Asian Development Bank and several bilateral partners established the 'City Development Initiative for Asia' (or CDIA) trust fund in order 'to bridge the gap between strategic city development planning on the one hand and urban policies, services and infrastructure project preparation on the other'. CDIA has funded many such grant projects in South-East Asian countries, information on which can be accessed on their website: 3. Lack Of Adequate Financial Resources In these cases, local governments often seek to find alternative funding sources from: International Financial Institutions (IFIs) e.g. Asian Development Bank or World Bank. Urban Infrastructure Funds Private Sector Participation (PSP) Funding Local Government Investment for Economic Development is crucial to improve lives and livelihoods of local citizens. This will be very helpful in achieving the goals of the global agenda on decentralization and local government finance. Page 14 of 29

25 06. The Importance of Public Private Partnership for Local Development An Example by Toul Sangke, Cambodia by Mr. Pok Sokundara Secretary General, NLC/S, Kingdom of Cambodia Toul Sangke Sangkat is one of Phnom Penh's 96 Sangkat, the fourth and lowest tier of government in Cambodia. It has 50,737 registered population (or about 100,000 daytime population). Total size of the area is about 6,353 square km and divided into three villages. After the 2002 and 2007 Commune/Sangkat Council elections, the Commune/Sangkat Council was given some general mandate with only a small amount of Commune/Sangkat funds to deal with own local development through local planning and budgeting process. Toul Sangke Council realized the shortage of funds and used local planning processes to mobilize contributions from private firms and households for improvements of physical infrastructure. Toul Sangke Council established a Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC) and various committees to deal with the collection of people's contributions, procurement/bidding of the work, project management and regular monitoring, and technical supervision. The contributions made are displayed on the Sangkat's information board and other public places. Toul Sangke Council also involved the people and local NGOs in planning, implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of progress, local conflict resolutions and maintenance of the project's achievement. Through the Public Private Partnership, during the period , approximately USD 5 million (80% from private and people's contribution) had been raised for Sangkat infrastructure development projects such as road, drainage pipe, build concrete sewage system and water cannel, and permanent maintenance of these projects. About 70% of the roads are paved with concrete to avoid damage by floods during rainy season. The construction of sewage system was also done in May Page 15 of 29

26 07. Municipal Partner Approach for Local Economic Development by Mr. Leang Rathmana FCM Project Manager at NLC/S FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) Cambodia Municipal Partner for Economic Development (MPED) is a project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), designed to support local governments and local government associations (LGAs) around the world to provide a more effective Local Economic Development (LED) services in communities. NLC/S and FCM (two associations of local governments) are the lead partners for the program in Cambodia. The program is implemented mainly through carefully designed Demonstration Projects (DPs), with active involvement and support from the members of NLC/S and FCM. This collaboration aims to address decentralization policies and processes, as well as local government capacity building to achieve the efficient and effective realization of MPED's objectives in Cambodia. MPED is implemented through: 1. Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance 2. Support from Local Resource Providers 3. Work/Study Visits to Canada and Other Countries 4. Provision of Small Capital Funds to directly support implementation of initiatives. MPED-Cambodia addressed: 1. Low agricultural productivity 2. Sustainable tourism: tourism needs to effectively and efficiently managed and/or balanced between protection and development. 3. Business development: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) were constrained by weak entrepreneurial skills and limited access to market information and technology. MPED-Cambodia has four demonstration projects, one municipality and one district each from two provinces: Kandal and Kompong Cham. Page 16 of 29

27 Lesson Learned about LED Strategic Planning: 1. Alignment by Design 2. Participatory Planning 3. Grounded in Local Potential 4. Planning Should be Action-Oriented Discussion 3 - Financing Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs The third discussion session mainly revolved on local resources. There was a question from a Vietnamese participant, who asked how to mobilize their resources. To mobilize their resources, local governments need to create a strategic plan for local development. Local governments mainly encountered resources issues in financing their development programs, both economic and infrastructure. These issues arose mostly not because of the shortage of resources, but because of the shortage of awareness regarding the resources itself. Until now, the solution to resolve this issue is to acquire additional funding from International Financial Institutions (in form of grant from National Government or Urban Infrastructure Fund) or from Private Sector Participation. Although they are proven useful, there are shortcomings in mobilizing these resources. National grants are mainly controlled by National Governments where local governments have little to none authority. Private Sector Participation still requires oversight and evaluation from local government. This has been proven difficult since most local government officials come from political and administrational background instead of business. A solution was offered by Mr. Bagas Hapsoro, the Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs: Before looking for outside resources, local governments need to be aware of the local resources they already have. These resources are not only limited to financial capital. The community itself is a resource. This is what we call social capital. Skills of the local people (craftsmanship, construction skills, etc.), existing infrastructures and knowledge, local culture, etc. are valuable resources that can provide more than sufficient funding for local development programs. One good example of social capital was provided by Mr. Leang Rathmana, FCM Project Manager at NLC/S FCM Cambodia, in his presentation: sustainable tourism, which can generate significant funding with minimum amount of outside investment. To create this awareness, assessment of local resources is required. Page 17 of 29

28 III. Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Local Governance between Stakeholders 08. Sharing Experiences from Replicating Best Practices on Local Governance from the DELGOSEA Project by Ms. Susanne Stephan Learning from a city in another country that has a different political and cultural background is possible. This learning process however requires several preconditions: 1. Functional network of: Local governments who want to exchange knowledge Local Government Associations as the multipliers of knowledge and integrator of network activities into the regular service delivery to members Non-State-Actors as the provider of knowledge and management capacities 2. Strategic partners from academia, the private sector, civil society and media 3. Strong involvement from local government associations as exchange platform 4. Strong methodology and transfer mechanisms 09. Presentation of Paper on Sustainability of and Advocacy for Local Governance Policy Options by Dr. Peter Köppinger The first phase of the DELGOSEA Project is approaching its end. The already formed exchange platform of good practices and the knowledge to replicate them in other cultural, political and social frameworks need to be sustained. Sustainability on the Transnational Level: 1. The DELGOSEA website will further function as the exchange platform and continue to report the ongoing activities in the pilot cities. However, a platform can only live when content is provided. 2. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and UCLG ASPAC will further encourage the exchange with ASEAN on good local governance. A permanent platform on local governance within ASEAN is currently being discussed. Page 18 of 29

29 Sustainability on the National Level can be done by working on the improvement of Legal and Political Frameworks by finalizing, promoting and lobbying for policy recommendations and keep promoting the best practices through the strong role of LGAs. Sustainability on the local level can be done by continuing implementation of best practice projects, further sharing and reporting experiences with the LGAs and contact person from the DELGOSEA network, reporting Stories from the Field, staying in touch with counterparts from the other countries and further strengthening local support networks (universities, business, etc.) 10. The Importance of a Regional Framework for Local Governance (Or Why Local Governance Needs To Be Regional) by Mr. Peter Woods Emeritus Mayor and Ambassador of United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) There is an old saying that there is nothing new in the zoo. So it is with Local Government as changes and modifications and reforms are never really unique but rather a reflection of what has been done elsewhere at some point in time. The reform process continues along a continuum, changing and re-prioratizing, drawing from the experiences of others good and bad. I never use the term best Practice for this implies that this is a practice that cannot be improved upon. Nothing could be further from the truth in the continuum of reform. I prefer to use the term good or better practice which is qualitative of what has gone before but leaves open the way for improvement and refinement or even dramatic change in the future. The use of the term democracy as an all-embracing concept is also a cause for concern. What sort of democracy are we talking about. Do certain countries or geographical regions have a monopoly on this term and expect the concept to be implemented in their own image or ideally should we see the basic principles of this political concept being developed according to the needs, social mores and aspirations of people in their own social and cultural context. Democracy displays many manifestations and there is not one model that is true and not one that is free from inner contradictions. There is not one model that should be imposed on every society. Even within the established Western democracies there are many ways in which the principles are implemented and so too should nonwestern cultures be encouraged to develop their structures and processes without external cultural imposition. Page 19 of 29

30 The fragility of democracy may also be considered in contemporary examples from those countries that would seek to be the guiding lights to the developing world. Reflect on the manner by which George W. Bush was elected to office and the role played by the politically appointed judiciary. Consider how the illegal invasion of Iraq was manipulated by the US, UK and others, including Australia, despite apparent over-whelming opposition amongst the people of those countries and the rest of the World. The current Leveson Inquiry in the United Kingdom confirms the inordinant power of multi-national media interests who are capable of making and destroying governments (and have willing accomplices amongst the supposed democratic politicians). Consider the revelations of the wiki leaks exposing government duplicity and lack of integrity across the world, and their threatening response to Julian Assange and others who expose the truth. So called democracy is not a simple concept but rather a principle that must be continually fought for by the people. There are many self-interests who talk about democracy as if they embrace it but by their actions continue to subvert it at every opportunity. A simplistic starting point should be to reflect on the genesis of democracy, coming as it did from the ancient Greeks and meaning government by the people. (There are even earlier examples from Mesopotamia and India.) This was a true involvement of all the people in the city-state in a most participatory and inclusive manner. Modern democracy is a far cry from this most effective and egalitarian practice of long ago. Sophisticated societies today have adopted practices of representative government that often is not inclusive nor egalitarian yet professes it to be democracy. Indeed democracy comes in many colours and hues! Some are in stark contrast to the original principles. I have spent a little time on this threshold issue because when we are considering a culturally diverse region such as South-East Asia we need to take account of the differences as well as the similarities. We need to take account of the particular stages of respective country development, political systems and the particular longstanding histories and the economic impact of colonial rule and the residue impact of cultural imperialism. South-east Asian countries have steadily been developing the organization and effectiveness of ASEAN as the Regional framework for interaction across countries and United Cities and Local Governments, through its Regional Section UCLG ASPAC, include the National Associations of Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines and will be able to embrace Myanmar, Laos and Page 20 of 29

31 Malaysia when they further proceed with their ongoing activities towards decentralization and democratic reforms. When one looks around the world at the most successful societies in terms of development, the process of decentralization is central to that success. Effective decentralization is where the players in the various spheres of government and governance are mutually recognized and share in the national aspirations. Effective decentralization also puts the people first. The least successful are in those societies that are closed to participation and centrally bureaucratic and noninclusive. Effective Governments see Local Governments and other sub-national governments as partners in providing a localized dimension to shared national objectives. However in order to share the National objectives there must be an opportunity to participate, to contribute ideas and ideally have the competence to a degree of fiscal independence and work in a complementary capacity. Wise central governments will look at Local Governments as a resource and a potentially complementary partner, and unwise administrations will ignore them and attempt to go it alone and will often fail (Likewise with Local Governments themselves. The most successful are those that practice participatory democracy and include the people in the decision-making processes and are seen to be people-centred). Even in terms of economics some projects are far more efficiently administered locally than centrally and with others of a different dimension the reverse will apply but when egos get involved rather than common sense and good management many inappropriate and hierarchical decisions are made. The central principle to genuine and effective decentralization is PARTNERSHIP. By changing the mind-set to embrace this will have a dramatic effect when it translates into sustained collaborative action. It can happen, it does happen, it must happen. The European Union has been most supportive of the DELGOSEA and UCLG projects for strengthening decentralization in Southeast Asia. It is to this region and its structures that I now wish to turn. ASEAN was established as a vehicle to encourage the collaboration and mutual support amongst member countries in their progress towards economic development and social reform. It was founded on mutual respect with a secretariat to research and provide a clearing house for ideas and strategies. UCLG ASPAC has a similar function for Local Governments across the wider Asia Pacific area which includes the ASEAN member countries. While each country is able to develop according to their respective value base ASEAN ensures that this Page 21 of 29

32 is not done in isolation for countries as UCLG does likewise for Local Governments. National Local Government Associations have varying relationships with their National Governments and the better the relationship the better the outcomes for both. But just as ASEAN countries should not function in isolation to re-invent the wheel, so the plethora of ideas and good practices apparent across the region should be considered and exchanged in a regional context and in a very close working relationship with the structure of ASEAN. In an evaluation of the first phase of the DELGOSEA project there was seen to be a need on capacity development to institutionalize a mechanism of sharing and even collaboration amongst Local Governments on a Regional basis. Lack of authority and resources to replicate and implement better practices more generally was a common thread as was a recognition that the less authority a Local Government has the less chance it has in making improvements. Despite many differences between the countries and the local governments where the DELGOSEA pilot programmes were conducted the common threads of concern and limitations became apparent. To deal with these as a network issue is one thing, however the commonality of many of the issues would point to a need for interaction on an ASEAN basis to evaluate and endeavour to see a regional approach to overcome obstacles to progress. The need for supporting a strong regional framework for local governance alongside and interacting with the ASEAN country regional framework can be put into an appropriate context when we consider thoughts expressed in the context of the Council of Europe. At a recent conference the following recommendations were made; 1. The COE (Council of Europe) should make a comparative inventory of measures taken to enhance turnout at the subnational level, in order to establish a catalogue of good practices. 2. In order to monitor developments in the quality of local and regional democracy, and to stimulate cross national learning, explore the possibilities of developing a common framework for the collection of data for the purpose of monitoring and benchmarking participatory arrangements and their democratic effects. 3. Subnational governments should clearly define the scope of citizen involvement, from informative to decisive. Page 22 of 29

33 4. Local governments should assess the quality of the democratic practices and improve the local political opportunity structure for broad and equal participation of all citizens. This is in the context of renewing democratic participation and for effective involvement of the people, and such renewing should be ongoing. The Council of Europe was further called upon to : 1. Ensure there is a coherence between levels of governance, functions and territories. 2. Clarify the responsibilities between the different levels of governance. 3. Respect the principle of subsidiarity (bringing decision making as close to the citizen as possible). 4. Give priority to direct elections of decision-makers wherever appropriate and improving democratic legitimacy, accountability, openness and transparency at ALL levels of governance. 5. Support networks of regions and Local Governments, city twinning and support joint initiatives to establish and implement reforms and economic projects enabling transfer of good practices between subnational governments. 6. Promote structured multi-disciplinary dialogues between practitioners and academics to enrich policy making and academic research. 7. Promote that its member states have vertical and horizontal dialogue between local and regional governments. 8. Respect the subsidiarity principle in allocating resources to different spheres of government. 9. Encouraging as much as possible resources based on local taxes and with a provision for fiscal equalization to provide for greater equity and ensure that both equalization and grant allocation systems are objective, clear transparent, foreseeable, verifiable, non-discriminatory and laid down by law. 10. There should be a strengthening of cross-border co-operation. 11. There should be an aim to diminish obstacles to cross-border cooperation. Page 23 of 29

34 12. As intercultural understanding is a key factor to successful cross border cooperation such dialogue should be strengthened. The principles so enunciated for the Council of Europe could equally apply for the ASEAN Region and in so doing the structural, economic and political reforms would be greatly enhanced by a genuine intergovernmental programme of dialogue and co-operation. It is useless to carry laws on decentralization and then to bureaucratically and fiscally prevent them from being realized. Southeast Asia is at a turning point. Leadership can be displayed that will see this Region advance in World terms but that requires the encouragement of a strong regional interaction for Local Government to grow off the collective ideas of the Region, redefine the interactional relationship between it and the respective National Governments and forge a genuine compact with ASEAN to progress with and alongside the voice and embodiment of Southeast Asia. Over the years I have witnessed lost opportunities and the sqandering of limited resources within Asia Pacific and beyond. There have been programmes purporting to show-case good practices and then use them as models to be emulated in other Local Governments. The problem is the projects have been limited with generally well-resourced entities being used. Frightlingly the same examples have often been used over and over again with an assortment of UN agencies putting duplicating resources into a Local Government and repeatedly profiling the same achievements. This is the antithesis of using an assortment of Local Governments of differing sizes and levels of development to which others can genuinely identify with and use as a genuine mentor. This points to the desirability of putting good practice models in a regional framework that is mindful of differing size, financial capacity, personnel capacity, level of political awareness and the extent of citizen involvement in the decisionmaking processes along the democratic continuum. It is so easy to be selective in dealing with well-resourced and predictable Local Governments. It is quite another challenge to deal with all Local Governments and utilize National Government Agencies, Local Government Associations and an ASEAN structure to put initiatives in a regional context. Genuine reform and capacity building of people-orientated communities and their democratic governance vehicles requires more than superficial grandstanding. The stakeholders involved in this event have a choice between the past and the future. They can resolve to perpetuate the hierarchical, bureaucratic, centrist and inefficient structure which is so alienated from the people and their needs or they can resolve to form a new relationship and compact of partnership between the various spheres of government that puts the people and their aspirations at the centre of this compact. They can do this in a manner that is respectful of the Page 24 of 29

35 cultural diversity that exists in the region and that acknowledges the political diversity and the varying pace and direction of reform. It is also vital that the processes of opportunity must have an egalitarian principle from village and baranguay to municipalities, cities and metropolises, provinces and states, urban and rural. All are equally important and all must be acknowledged as part and parcel of the Local governance agenda. The regional framework action programme must account for all citizens and their institutions within this framework. Then we can truly say we have made a choice for the future. In doing this the ASEAN Region could be seen as leading other regions who so cynically assert that they know it all. 11. A Regional Framework Needs a Regional Network (Or Why A Network Multi-Stakeholder Approach Matters) by Mr. Min Muny DELGOSEA National Coordinator, the Kingdom of Cambodia In local governance, there are several key actors: 1. State and local governments: prevention measures, guidelines issuance, monitoring and evaluation. 2. LGAs: to collect, consolidate and advocate member's issues and challenges 3. Private sector 4. Civil Society (including media): capacity building, follow-up actions and monitoring 5. Academia 6. Development partners By applying a network multi-stakeholder approach, Kampot Province, which promotes transparency/reduce corrupt practices had gained several good results: Reduction of corruption practices, clerk's and treasury's behavior change, regular reach-out accounting training program conducted by treasury for commune councils. Discussion 4 - Strengthening Regional Cooperation on Local Governance between Stakeholders This discussion session mostly revolved on how to reduce corruption and the sustainability of regional cooperation. To reduce corruption, local governments need to empower themselves and be self-sufficient. Page 25 of 29

36 The already existing regional cooperation can be easily sustained through the framework of ASEAN by continuing the capacity building of stakeholders, further developing the body of knowledge. 12. Roundtable - Strengthening Cooperation between Local Governments and Civil Society within a Multi-Stakeholder Network on Good Local Governance Roundtable Participants: Prak Sokhany (Cambodian Civil Society Partnership) Wicaksono Sarosa (Kemitraan) Thanongsak Thaweethong (MLT Municipal League of Thailand) Hon. Hernani Braganza (LCP League of Cities of the Philippines) Dendy Borman (ADKASI - Association of Indonesian Regency Governments) This roundtable discussion was the last discussion session of the conference. The session mainly revolved on the aspects of cooperation. Before cooperation started, there must be trustworthiness between parties involved. No cooperation could succeed without the foundation of trust. Civil Society could provide control towards Local Governments or act as an independent observant. Cooperation between Local Governments and Civil Society has both positive and negatives value. On the positive side, cooperation would bring mutual respect, mutual understanding, transparency and neutral political views. All development actors need to be respected, as each actor will bring its special contribution if it is perceived from positive angles. For maintaining sustainability and institutionalization of cross-border cooperation among regional governments, there was the idea proposed to strengthen our belief on one's own capacity besides developing bilateral/multilateral cooperation. On the negative side, cooperation could cause limitations (in form of regulations, etc.) and reduce critical ideas and critics from Civil Society. In order to work, all cooperation must fulfill certain requirements. It must have clear objectives, objective determination process, apparent duration and clear division of labor. Page 26 of 29

37 13. Introduction to UNISDR 'Handbook for Local Government Leaders on Making Cities Resilient and other Tools in Support of Local Governments in Disaster Risk Reduction' by Ms. Pham Thanh Hang Program Officer for ASEAN United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR) Campaign Wildfire was created to Support of Local Governments in Disaster Risk Reduction. The idea of the campaign is self-motivated and self-measured, lead by Mayors and Governors and in cooperation with role model cities that are willing to share their knowledge with others. To support the objectives of the campaign, three tools were developed with campaign cities and partners: 1. Handbook for Local Government Leaders: How to Make Cities More Resilient 2. Local Government Self Assessment Tool for Resilience (a local Hyogo Framework for Action-monitor): the 10 essentials; strategies and key actions, critical and interdependent for building resilience 3. Campaign Website: Page 27 of 29

38 Discussion 5 - The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future, the Phnom Penh Record of Principles and an Agenda for Sustainable Local Governance through a Multi-Stakeholder Approach for the ASEAN Region by Mr. Peter Woods Emeritus Mayor and Ambassador of United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) Moderated by the Ambassador of UCLG ASPAC, H.E. Mr. Peter Woods, the previously drafted Record of Principles was discussed by all participants. Through a lively discussion, this session resulted two important documents agreed by all participants: The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future and The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance. The content of these two documents were fully supported by ASEAN Secretariat and EU. Concluding Remarks by Dr. Peter Koeppinger and Mr. Edgardo Bilsky Representatives from UCLG ASPAC and KAS thanked all parties involved in the conference. Mr. Bilsky especially stressed that UCLG ASPAC welcomed all decentralization efforts from countries who are interested to participate in a partnership dialogue in the future. Page 28 of 29

39 C. Conference Conclusions All stakeholders who attended this conference agreed on the necessity of a regional network in Southeast Asia consisting national governments, local governments, LGAs, CSOs, NGOs, private sectors, academia and media. Related to the idea of institutionalizing regional cooperation, it was anonymously agreed to seek further support(s) from ASEAN Secretariat as the unifying factor for further sustainability of a formal regional cooperation. Looking at all experiences which have been collected and well documented by these two projects for over two years, it showed that these two projects have been able to contribute to the enrichment of the body of knowledge of (a) cross border regional cooperations of (democratic) local governments. In a disaster prone region such as Southeast Asia, this network would be much helpful to improve the capacity of local authorities in disaster mitigation and disaster management. Training courses for disaster management, disaster warning system or disaster management taskforce would be much more useful and valuable when established on a regional scale. Assessment of local resources would be required, not only to determine resources for Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs but also for Disaster Mitigation and Disaster Management. There are existing resources other than financial resources that can be utilized for these purposes such as traditional infrastructures, local culture, local wisdom, skills of local people, etc. (social capital). This regional network and cooperation needs to be strengthened through continuous dialogue between stakeholders to encourage transparency, capacity and local developments. Regional and International Organizations are prepared to support and to collaborate with such network and its activities. The results of this conference were imprinted into The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future (Annex 1) and The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance (Annex 2). Page 29 of 29

40 List of Annexes Annex 1 - The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future The Phnom Penh Communiqué For The Future Following the constructive discussions involving UCLG ASPAC, DELGOSEA, KAS and other representatives in the Region, it is proposed that the parties will continue their dialogue, including the ASEAN Secretariat, to work towards common objectives in improving local governance and peopleorientated activities and regional integration. This communiqué was approved at the Phnom Penh Regional Conference on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance in ASEAN Countries. May 4th 2012 Page i of xx

41 Annex 2 - The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance The Phnom Penh Record of Principles on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance 3-4 May 2012 The regional conference on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance in ASEAN Countries Through a Multi-Stakeholder Approach jointly organized by local governments and civil society, with the support of two European Union funded projects Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries (led by United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific, (UCLG ASPAC)) and the Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA) (led by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)) recognizes that: 1. National and Sub-national Governments, including Local Governments' need to work in partnership to achieve the overriding needs and aspirations of their shared citizens and electors; 2. Compacts, dialogue, constant exchange of ideas and cooperation, between local, national, and regional actors (ASEAN, UCLG ASPAC, DELGOSEA) will promote a sustainable way to local development and to implement reforms and action programmes, as well as developing the capacity of all spheres of Government; 3. Increased citizen participation in the democratic processes and their component at the Regional, National and Local Level is essential as is increased transparency and accountability in all spheres of government; Page ii of xx

42 4. Decentralization provides a road to local development and should be understood as a process and not as a goal in itself; it is a fundamental tool for achieving a reduction in poverty, democratic governance and human development; 5. There should be a direct exchange between cities and other local governments and local government associations across and within countries; inter-municipal co-operation should be institutionalized and promoted sub-nationally, nationally and regionally throughout ASEAN and internationally; 6. Experiences with models and innovation on people's participatory practices; environmental preservation and enhancement; disaster mitigation and risk management; cooperation and coordination in the utilization of sea resources should be exchanged and promoted; 7. Challenges in each local government must be responded to through empowering local government to, create transparency, achieve social cohesion and promote innovation; 8. Appropriate and sustainable arrangements need to be made for financing local government to ensure social, economic and infrastructure development as well as their other mandated responsibilities; 9. Legal frameworks with observatories and mutual learning on decentralization and local finance, periodic monitoring and evaluation of country decentralization programmes, and the development of performance measurements for local governments should be encouraged; Page iii of xx

43 10. Continuing capacity building and knowledge sharing for local government elected members and administrators should be strengthened, in particular through closer links between local governments, the academic institutions and civil society; 11. The Local Government Associations, civil societies and international alliances and networks should be strengthened. We call for a greater collaboration within the ASEAN framework that embraces National and Local Governments and broader civil society and establishes an ongoing Forum that addresses: 1. Poverty and growing inequality, and risks including disasters and climate change; 2. Weak governance, lack of transparency resulting in inefficient use of resources, the weakening of government legitimacy and social inequalities; 3. A compact between central and local governments in pursuing national objectives through complementary local development in a stable and devolved decentralized structure; 4. The sharing of experiences through genuine cross border initiatives within the ASEAN community; 5. Horizontal and vertical cooperation mechanisms between national, regional and local governments, civil society, academia and research, the media and the private sector. Page iv of xx

44 Such a Forum needs to consider the best and culturally relevant opportunities for people empowerment and involvement in a model of decentralization that is relevant to the cultural needs of Southeast Asia, and builds on the Asian values and political structures. The Forum must consolidate the principle of PARTNERSHIP between National, Regional and Local Institutions that provides for opportunities, not threats, to their respective integrity with devolved and funded mandates in a decentralized framework based on which area of governance is best placed to deliver most effectively and cost efficiently to their shared constituents the people. Decentralization and democratic ideals for the ASEAN region should be built on people empowerment and participation, and the promotion of a legislative framework to support the reform process, including fiscal mechanisms to improve capacity and motivation of local governments in playing their role in local development. We acknowledge support of the European Union funded projects in the work undertaken to date and call for their ongoing support to continue this process. In addition we call on other international organizations, such as the UN agencies, the Asian Development Bank and other actors, to join in supporting this process and to share their ideas and strategies to realize these objectives. This Record of Principles reflected discussions in Phnom Penh and adopted on 4th May Page v of xx

45 Annex 3 - List of Participants Regional Conference on Strengthening Decentralization and Local Governance in ASEAN Countries through a Multi-Stakeholder Approach May 3 4, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 1 Araujo Basilio Indonesia Government Ministry of Home Affairs Head of Division for International Financial Institutions and International Organization Cooperation araujobasilio@yahoo.com 2 Bilsky Edgardo Spain Partner United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Director of Programmes and Research e.bilsky@uclg.org 3 Borman Dendy Aprianto Indonesia LGA Association of Indonesian Regency Legislative Council (ADKASI) Executive Director dendy@adkasi.org 4 Bounchanh Niyavong Laos Government Ministry of Home Affairs Director of Civil Service Information Division, Civil Service Management Department, Prime Minister s Office, Public Administration and Civil Service Authority pacsa_iru@yahoo.com 5 Braganza Hernani, Hon. Philippines LGA League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) Secretary General nanibraganza@yahoo.com marie.yvette@gmail.com Chanthaphouvong 6 Kheuavanh Laos Government Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) Deputy Director of Civil Society Organisation Division Public Administration Development cssprogramme@yahoo.com 7 Chhim Sopheark Cambodia LGA National League of Communes/ Sangkats (NLC/S) Communications Officer sophreak.chhim@yahoo.com Page vi of xx

46 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 8 Chomsakorn Weerachai Thailand Government Office of the Decentralization to Local Government Organization Committee Director of Fiscal Decentralization Division Weerachai_1@hotmail.com 9 Chou Kim Leng, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministry of Economy and Finance Under Secretary of State kimlengchou@yahoo.com 10 Christodoulou Eva Malaysia CSO Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) Research Executive eva@cpps.org.my 11 Dahiya Bharat Thailand International Intergovernmental Organization Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Adjunct Faculty, Urban Environmental Management, School of Environment, Resources & Development bharaturban@gmail.com 12 Fisher Marion - Partner DELGOSEA Evaluator marionhome@aol.com 13 Frost Claire Spain Partner United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Chief Assistant of Director of Programmes and Research c.frost@cities-localgovernments.org 14 Pham Thanh Hang Vietnam International Organisation United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNIDSR) Program Officer for ASEAN phamh@un.org 15 Hapsoro Bagas Indonesia International Organisation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Deputy Secretary General for Community and Corporate Affairs bagas.hapsoro@asean.org 16 Herpig Sven Philippines Partner DELGOSEA Communication Officer sven.herpig@delgosea.eu Page vii of xx

47 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 17 Huebner Katharina Cambodia International Organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Jawad Pamela Cambodia International Organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) - pamelajawad@giz.de 19 Kamuang Tharee Thailand LGA Municipal League of Thailand (MLT) Project Manager tharee2511@yahoo.com 20 Khammouane Siphonesay Laos CSO Learning House for Development Network Coordinator khammouane.siphonesay@gmail.com 21 Kim Siphat, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministry of Women Affairs Director - 22 Koeppinger Peter, Dr. Philippines Partner Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Philippines Country Representative peter.koeppinger@kas.de pkoeppinger@yahoo.com 23 Kosal Say Cambodia LGA National League of Communes/Sangkats (NLC/S) NLC/S Chief - 24 Kusaeni Akhmad Indonesia Press Antara News Agency Deputy Editor in Chief akusaeni@antara.net.id akusaeni@yahoo.com 25 Kusumahadi Methodius Indonesia NGO Satu Nama Executive Director m.kusumahadi@yahoo.co.id m.kusumahadi@gmail.com Page viii of xx

48 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 26 Kusumaningtias Wahyu Mukti Indonesia Partner United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) Manager Strategic Services Association of 27 Lan Nguyen, Prof. Dr. Vietnam LGA Cities of Vietnam Secretary General (ACVN) 28 Ly Bun Hay, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministry of Economy and Finance Deputy Director General - 29 Maaten Eva Philippines Partner DELGOSEA International Expert evamaaten@yahoo.com 30 Maniago Dennis Philippines Government City of Alaminos Chief of Staff, Office of the Mayor in Alaminos denhur_maniago@yahoo.com United Cities and Local 31 Martin Daniel Indonesia Partner Governments Asia Pacific Public Relation Liaison blue.joker150683@gmail.com (UCLG ASPAC) 32 Munny Prak Cambodia Partner DELGOSEA Coach prakmunny@ncdd.gov.kh 33 Muny Hin Cambodia Partner DELGOSEA Administrative Assistant muny.hin@delgosea.eu 34 Muny Min Cambodia Partner DELGOSEA National Coordinator muny.min@delgosea.eu Page ix of xx

49 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 35 Nam Le Tuan Vietnam Government Ministry of Construction Government Officer 36 Ngo Thi Tam Vietnam Government Ministry of Home Affairs Director of Local Government Department 37 Nguyen Ninh Thuc Vietnam Government Association of Cities of Vietnam (ACVN) Deputy Secretary General ACVN - 38 Nguyen Thu Thuy Vietnam LGA ACVN/DELGOSEA Administrative Assistant nguyen.thuthuy@delgosea.eu tthuybs@yahoo.com 39 Pagna Reth Poung Cambodia International Organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) - poung.reth@giz.de 40 Panadero Austere, Usec. Philippines Government Department of Interior and Local Governments Undersecretary for Local Government aapanadero@dilg.gov.ph aapanadero@yahoo.com 41 Pidou Paul, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministers Councils Pilapitiya Thusita Thailand International Organisation United Nations Development Programme, Bangkok Prak Sokhany Cambodia CSO Cambodian Civil Society Partnership (CCSP) Director ed@ccspcambodia.org sokhanyprak@yahoo.com Page x of xx

50 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 44 Rath Mana Cambodia International Organisation Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) FCM Project Manager, at NLC/S FCM Cambodia 45 Roachanakanan Thongchai, Dr. Thailand Government Ministry of Interior Director Center of Earthquake Disaster Watch and Studies, Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning 46 Roettger Andreas Indonesia International Organisation European Delegation to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN Head of Economic and Regional Cooperation/ Good Governance 47 Rudianto Eko Indonesia Government Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sarosa Wicaksono Indonesia CSO Kemitraan Partnership Executive Director wicaksono.sarosa@kemitraan.or.id 49 Schrey Denis Cambodia Partner Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Cambodia Country Representative denis.schrey@kas.de 50 Setha Sak, H.E. Cambodia Government Secretary of State, and Chairperson of the Ministry of Interior Secretariat of the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development - (NCDDS) 51 Sokundara Pok Cambodia LGA National League of Communes/ Sangkats (NLC/S) Secretary General - 52 Somethy Pen Cambodia Press Club of Cambodian Journalists President - Page xi of xx

51 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 53 Soontararak Satapong Thailand Government Bureau of System and Organizational Structure Development Senior Plan and Policy Analyst 54 Sophanith Min Cambodia Partner DELGOSEA Coach 55 Sopheap CEN Sornmun Worawut Thailand LGA Municipal League of Thailand (MLT) Senior Foreign Relationship Officer worawut.office@gmail.com worawut.s@nmt.or.th 57 Sosmeòa Gaudioso C., Dr. Philippines Partner DELGOSEA Consulting Key Expert gcsosmenajr@logodef.org logodef_phil@yahoo.com 58 Stephan Susanne Philippines Partner DELGOSEA Project Manager susanne.stephan@delgosea.eu 59 Sustanto Joko Indonesia LGA Association of Indonesian Municipal Council (ADEKSI) Executive Director jokopeace@gmail.com 60 Tang Eng Hou, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministry of Planning Secretary of State - 61 Thaweethong Thanongsak Thailand LGA Municipal League of Thailand (MLT) Secretary-General t.thaweethong@hotmail.com Page xii of xx

52 No. Last Name First Name Country Category Organisation Position 62 Truong Luong Thi Vietnam CSO Center for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas (CSDM) Director 63 Villano Alex Raoul Philippines LGA League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) Assistant Secretary General 64 Harder Gero von, Dr. Indonesia Partner United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) Project Manager Strengthening Decentralisation in Developing Countries 65 Vy Leng, H.E. Cambodia Government Ministry of Interior Director General 66 Wibinastiti Indah Indonesia LGA Association of Indonesian Municipalities (APEKSI) Program Director 67 Woods Peter Australia Partner United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) Ambassador of UCLG ASPAC 68 Yin Malina Cambodia Government Ministry of Interior Director of Local Administration Page xiii of xx

53 Annex 4 - Background Information about the EU-funded Project Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries Background: Decentralization, democracy and local development, which constitute the foundations of good governance, are at the heart of the work of local authorities. It is generally accepted that an effective decentralization contributes to creating a base for a more balanced local development which in turn creates a favourable environment to strengthen national and regional integration in Southeast Asia. The European Commission (EC) funded project on Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries in cooperation with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is designated to support the decentralization and local democracy process in developing countries in order to strengthen local development and good governance. This project proposes reinforcing the capacities of Local Administrations in two domains: (1) the observation and analysis of the evolution of decentralization in their countries for better defining priorities and for advancing this process at the national and regional level; (2) dialogue and lobbying of states and regional institutions with the objective of supporting the decentralization process and of their role in processes of development cooperation and regional integration. As part of the EC/UCLG Project in cooperation with UCLG ASPAC (Asia Pacific Section based in Jakarta/Indonesia) a Regional Study on Decentralization in Southeast Asia has been recently completed drawing up on the experience of two UCLG Global Reports (Political and Fiscal Decentralization, GOLD I and II). This Study was undertaken on seven (7) countries in Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The study came out with some policy recommendations, among them are: (1) Periodic monitoring and evaluation of country decentralization programs (2) Develop performance measurements for local authorities (3) Training of local government administrators (4) Strengthening of Local Government Associations (5) Develop local authority in capacities in disaster mitigation and risk management (6) Develop closer links between local authorities and academic institutions (7) Strengthen international alliances and networking. Furthermore, recommendations on fiscal decentralization have been formulated during the UNITAR UCLG UCLG.ASPAC on Local Government Finances Regional Workshop on Batam/Indonesia, 25 26, These recommendations were presented and discussed with the partners in the 7 countries for revision, adoption and validation. The process of validation and Page xiv of xx

54 adoption was intended to give the regional agenda the political credibility necessary for its use as a lobbying tool towards governments and partners. The following topics were tentatively discussed and will be further reviewed during the conference: 1. Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Framework of Climate Due to their proximity to the so-called ring of fire, some countries in Southeast Asia have encountered numerous natural disasters (Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcano eruptions). However, this does not mean that other countries in the region are immune from natural calamities like flooding and landslides. Rising sea levels endanger the livelihood of millions of people. All countries are facing serious consequences of the accelerating climate change. With long coastlines, population and economic activity concentrated in coastal areas Southeast Asian is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Various international and bi-lateral programs have been launched. However, their design is more sector oriented and vertical dominated with priorities of international and western institutions with less emphasis on local capacity building and own initiatives. Natural disasters have had an increasingly negative impact on local government performance over the last decades. Local authorities in the region need to upgrade their capacities in disaster mitigation and risk management. Although some local governments have launched their own disaster mitigation programmes, both local and national governments are usually not well prepared for these eventualities, often taking only a reactive stance to international programs. Promoting a regionally coordinated natural disaster management program (including a fully self-financed ASEAN emergency fund) would ensure the rebuilding process of affected areas (e.g. reconstruction of public infrastructure and housing, timely compensation for disaster victims, etc.) and to bring them back on track to national development level. These efforts require support not only from national and local governments, but from every element of the society as well. The session on capacity building on disaster/climate change mitigation and risk management aims to share experience and knowledge on mitigation and risk management program, people?s participation and the role of local authorities in emergency fund management, recovery and reconstruction efforts. Page xv of xx

55 2. Local Authorities' Networking With International And Regional Organizations And Partnership With Academic Institutions And ASEAN Research Centers Local authorities are no longer purely local. In the context of our global village they have growing international relations. In this regard, internationalism should be adopted and practiced by local authorities not only in exchanging experiences and information on good governance but also in establishing international alliances and in voicing the concerns of local authorities in global forums such as United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the United Nations and ASEAN. The Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA) aims to create a regional network of cities and municipalities to implement transnational local governance best practices replication across partner countries. Academic institutions have often assisted local authorities to resolve some of the issues in local public administration through training, operations research and providing consultancy services to local authorities. At the regional level, an independent and internationally recognized Research and Development Centre on Local Government should be promoted. Such centre could help to collect, update and analyse local government data, list on-going research activities, and undertake research upon request from clients such as local governments, local government associations, national governments and the international community. It is strongly proposed to build up a close relationship with the ASEAN University Network (AUN) with its 26 member universities in all ASEAN member countries. The aim of the session is to strengthen local authorities, networking with international and regional organizations and to develop closer links between local authorities, civil society and academic institutions. 3. Financing Urban Economic and Infrastructure Development Programs Economic development is seen as a main policy tool for improving overall people?s welfare in Southeast Asia. Infrastructure (and education) facilities development financed through public budgets is a prerequisite in achieving growth. At the same time Local Governments are facing often serious budget constraints in financing such programs. Loan (national or international) financed projects are often way above repayment and administrative capacities of local governments. More efficient use of financial resources (CDIA approach) helps to reduce these constraints but additional resources are needed. The private sector could contribute considerably (Corporate Social Responsibility CSR). Public Private Page xvi of xx

56 Partnerships could make use among others of climate change financial schemes. Local Governments of different countries could cooperate in the frame of project investment/finance scheme. Resources in the ASEAN and neighbouring regions should be tapped in addition to the international finance schemes already implemented. Upon the completion of the conference and the commitment to a Regional Declaration, a permanent conference or regional forum on the strengthening of decentralization, with the participation of LAs, State representatives and civil society will be reinforced or created. Project contact Gero von Harder Project Coordinator Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries gero-vh@web.de UCLG ASPAC secretariat@uclg-aspac.org ASPAC General Secretariat Mitra Praja Building 2nd Floor Jakarta 14350, Republic of Indonesia Phone If you would like to register for the UCLG e-news, kindly send an to secretariat@uclg-aspac.org with subject Subscribe. Or join us on: Page xvii of xx

57 Annex 5 - Background Information about the EU-funded Network Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA) - DELGOSEA - What is it about? DELGOSEA is a network of 32 cities from five countries Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam with the aim to share knowledge and replicate best practices on good local governance. This network is supported by 11 Local Government Associations, five partners and various other stakeholders from Government, civil society, academia and media. They all play a crucial role to make best practice replication a success. The network is management by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and co-financed by the European Union and the German Ministry of Development Cooperation. DELGOSEA - Activities and Status of Implementation DELGOSEA pilot cities are replicating best practices across national borders for almost 2 years now. It started with a thorough research identifying 16 best practices from the five partner countries. Selection criteria amongst others were: (1) the transferability potential to other countries; (2) the real impact on the life of the people; as well as (3) sustainability aspects. Research was followed by extensive training activities capacitating coaches from Local Government Associations and related civil society organisations to support the pilot cities in the replication of best practices. Once the pilot cities selected a best practice, it had to be translated into the local environments (development of transfer concepts) and finally be approved by the local decision-makers. The concepts were also embedded into the local development plans. This process was followed by capacity building for all stakeholders with the needed knowledge for best practice transfer. DELGOSEA is right now in the replication phase, which includes regular monitoring visits from the coaches and project coordination. During the last months of BP replication the cities gathered many experiences. First and foremost it has been proven that best practice transfer is indeed possible across borders. This is one of the most important lessons-learned. Secondly, many ideas have been collected on how the local and national frameworks should be improved to allow for better local governance. Policy recommendations have been developed for the national and later on for the regional level. These ideas are resulting from concrete experiences working in the Page xviii of xx

58 field of local governance. They are not top-down as it is often the case; the policy recommendations reflect the real needs of the cities in Southeast Asia. DELGOSEA Input and Contribution to the Regional Conference DELGOSEA will contribute to both thematic sessions. In session I, DELGOSEA will present its policy recommendations based on concrete experiences of best practice transfer in Southeast Asia. It will therefore be complementary to the recommendations provided by its sister project on Supporting Decentralization in Developing Countries. In session II, DELGOSEA will share its experiences as a regional network for the promotion of good local governance. It shall be highlighted that local governance is of regional concern. Sustainable results can only be achieved with the involvement of all stakeholders. The ultimate aim of DELGOSEA is the set up of a permanent dialogue on local governance on the regional level. The network shall involve ASEAN and other donors, as well as Local Government Associations, civil society, academia and media. DELGOSEA Partners and Stakeholders It follows a design that was developed by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) of Germany, the Local Government Development Foundation (LOGODEF) in the Philippines, the United Cities and Local Governments for Asia and Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) and the Association of Indonesian Regency Governments (APKASI), the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), the Association of Cities in Vietnam (ACVN), and the National League of Communes/Sangkats of the Kingdom of Cambodia (NLC/S). The following 11 Local Government Associations complement the picture: ACVN - Association of Cities in Vietnam, Vietnam ADEKSI - Indonesian Municipal Councils Association, Indonesia ADKASI - Association of Indonesia Regency Legislative Councils, Indonesia APEKSI - Association of Indonesian Municipalities, Indonesia APKASI - Association of Indonesian Regency Governments, Indonesia LCP - The League of Cities, Philippines LMP - The League of Municipalities, Philippines LPP - The League of Provinces, Philippines ULAP - The Union of Local Authorities, Philippines NLC/S - National League of Communes/Sangkats of the Kingdom of Cambodia MLT - Municipal League of Thailand, Thailand Page xix of xx

59 DELGOSEA Contact DELGOSEA Coordination Office: If you would like to register for the monthly e-news, kindly send an to with subject Subscribe. Or join us on: Disclaimer Any local government unit that is interested in improving its local services be it on peoples participation, institutional governance, urban environment or fiscal management, can join and learn from the best practices. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Join DELGOSEA: Page xx of xx

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