ABSTRACT
Within the development debate, the central government is no longer seen as the sole agent of national development. It has been given a more modest role of facilitator, transferring its economic activities to the private sector, dele gating responsibilities for local development to lower levels of government, and allowing civil society to participate in local and national planning and development. The parallel and complementary processes of privatization, decentralization, and participation seem to have created a favorable climate for the formation of partnerships between the various stakeholders in the development process; the government, the private sector, civil society, and - to some extent - international organizations.
