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Local Resource Mobilization and Local Finance Strategies to Support Urban Development Lessons from Qena Governorate, Egypt and the Local Finance Framework

Lennart Fleck

Moderator

date November 6, 2024 | 15:00 - 16:30
place
SDGs in Action - room B
organization
UNCDF - United Nations Capital Development Fund
country
Uganda
language
English
Reference: 
SDG-B 9

Summary

Cities have the potential of being engines of sustainable development but only if they can leverage their full potential when they are effectively planned, governed, and financed. Trillions of dollars in additional investment are needed for infrastructure and service delivery in developing countries each year to fill the existing gap and keep up with population growth and urban expansion. This event aims to spark discussion and forge partnerships among key stakeholders within the local finance ecosystem. The goal of this session is to learn from the experience of resource mobilization in Qena, Egypt and identify key prerequisites that are necessary for unlocking additional external financing and explore a new innovative Local Finance Framework that provides local governments with strategies on how to prioritize and sequence financing for sustainable development.

Part 1: Empowering Urban Development Lessons from Qena Governorate on Resource mobilization
The Egyptian government's objective to achieve financial decentralization is paramount in empowering local administrations to effectively manage their budgets based on program and performance metrics. A national roadmap has been devised to enhance the state's revenue sources through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Local Development and the Ministry of Finance and technical support from the World Bank. Through case studies and insights from Qena, the event will explore strategies to develop and sustain local revenue sources, emphasizing the need for explicit legal frameworks and participation mechanisms. Discussions will also address the interim measures required until comprehensive legislation is enacted, ensuring equitable resource distribution and fiscal autonomy for local administrations. The event will showcase Qena's journey toward financial empowerment and decentralized governance to achieve sustainable urban development.

Part 2: Introducing the Local Finance Framework (LFF) for a more efficient allocation of global resources towards sustainable urban development
In addition to mobilizing own source revenues, local governments need a more strategic and coordinated approach to local finance that effectively contextualizes, prioritizes, and sequences existing funding/finance interventions at the local level to ensure sustainability and value for money. This can be achieved through LFF which will help guide local government and development partner decisions’ toward more efficient funding and financing strategies. The event will provide an opportunity for input on how LFF can directly contribute to achieving the SDGs, especially critical in developing regions where the SDG investment gap has widened to $4 trillion and are concentrated in key urban sectors, such as energy, water, and transportation. This event will showcase the key aspects of the LFF and outline steps for its effective implementation, focusing on actionable, scalable solutions that enhance urban sustainability.

Objectives

• Showcase Qena Governorate's experience: By analyzing the strategies, policies, and practices implemented in Qena, participants will gain insights into how local administrations can effectively mobilize resources to support urban development initiatives.
• Provide practical insights and recommendations: Drawing from Qena Governorate's journey, offering practical insights and recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and practitioners seeking to enhance resource mobilization and decentralization efforts in their respective contexts.
• Validate the LFF: Gather feedback from expert participants on the contents and assertions of the LFF to incorporate and strengthen the framework. Allow participants to discuss their experiences in the field and how they corroborate or contradict the findings of the LFF.
• Raise Awareness of the need for the LFF and its role in Achieving the SDGs: Through expert panels and discussions, highlight the LFF’s role in addressing current gaps in urban finance, its potential to improve local governments’ financial positioning, and its strategic importance for achieving the SDGs. This objective focuses on illustrating the LFF’s value in transforming financial access and decision-making processes in developing regions.
• Build Collaborative Partnerships: Work to establish and strengthen partnerships between relevant entities. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, best practices, and lessons learned from diverse contexts.

Session panelists

Panelist
Role
Organization
Country
Mr. David Jackson
Director, Local Transformative Finance
UNITED NATIONS CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
Ms. Gladys Wanga
Governor of Homabay County
Homabay County Government
Mr. Hesham EL Helbawy
Assistant to Minister of Local Development
Egypt Ministry of Local Development
Mr. Ashraf Dawoudy
Governor, Qena Governorate
Qena Governorate