Over the past decade, several African countries have undertaken decentralization reforms aimed at bringing public decision-making closer to the territories. The outcomes of these reforms vary considerably depending on local governments’ actual capacity to exercise their new powers.
What institutional diagnostics reveal
A well-conducted institutional diagnostic distinguishes formal decentralization — enshrined in legal texts — from effective decentralization, observable in resource allocation and the actual exercise of local power. This gap, often underestimated, is a decisive risk factor for any project that depends on the cooperation of territorial authorities.
A targeted policy review, supported by interviews with the relevant institutional actors, makes it possible to anticipate these gaps and adjust the engagement strategy accordingly.