ABSTRACT
The chapter discusses the political and administrative dimensions of decentralization, arguing that for decentralization and local governance (DLG) reforms to be successful, all dimensions must be covered in a holistic and integrated manner. It underlines the importance of identifying and understanding the context factors of reforms, and points to essential design elements which ensure the responsiveness of SNGs to the needs and priorities of their communities. This is a core objective of DLG reforms; however, it is often threatened by elite capture and clientelism. Lack of regional cooperation on DLG issues is seen as hampering mutual learning in the region.
