SANAA, 7 May 2008: UNCDF: Mobilizing Capacity Development at the Local Level in Yemen: Working through a decentralized governance structure to build the capacity of local authorities to plan, finance and implement their own development carries many inherent challenges. One such challenge is access – reaching numerous local councils in remote areas to meet and support their individual capacity building requirements.

FREETOWN, 1 May 2008: UNCDF Targets Local Councils in Sierra Leone for Training in Performance Budgeting : A UNCDF initiative in Sierra Leone has launched a new assault in the battle against poverty: Training local authorities to develop budgets based on performance indicators, and to ensure transparency, accountability and results in their local development plans.

FREETOWN, 23 April 2008: Sierra Leone: Rebuilding a Country, One Loan at a Time: UNCDF-supported Microfinance Programme Helps Sierra Leonean Businesses to Recover from the Crisis. After more than a decade of civil war, Sierra Leoneans began returning to their country in 2001 in search of lost homes and businesses. That same year, the American Refugee Committee started providing loans to returning and host populations to restart their businesses and lives. Clients used the loans to purchase basic equipment or supplies to begin or expand small-scale trading, production, and service businesses, such as carpentry, market gardens, or street-side tabletop retail enterprises. Within the first year of operations, the programme served more than 3,000 clients through three local partners, developed systems for managing its portfolio and built local staff capacity to effectively disburse and monitor loans.

DILI, 18 April 2008: Supporting Inclusive Growth in Timor Leste by "Infusing" Financial Services for the Poor New programme addresses financial obstacles at both the level of the micro-entrepreneur and national sectoral policy: UNCDF has launched a major new initiative in Timor Leste that will facilitate easier access to credit, savings and other financial services for the economically disadvantaged, promote inclusive growth and raise the financial sector’s prospects in the country.

No events currently scheduled.

Supporting decentralization in Mali In common with a number of Sahelian states, UNCDF is supporting the Government of Mali to implement a policy of decentralization, whereby specific powers and financial resources are devolved to democratically elected local authorities.

March 2008: Policy Orientation Guidelines for Decentralization and Local Government in Timor-Leste [ pdf English ] [ pdf Portuguese ]

March 2008: Local Governance Monthly Bulletin / Bulletin Mensal Governasaun Lokal (Timor-Leste)
Vol. 1, Edition 3 [ pdf English ] [ pdf Tatun ]

March 2008: 2007 LGSP Timor-Leste Annual Report [ pdf ]

September 2007: Project Update - LGSP Third Quarterly Report (July-September 2007 - Timor-Leste) [ pdf ]