The Political Economy of Decentralization in Sub-saharan Africa: a New Implementation Model in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Table of Contents: Acknowledgments -- About the Authors -- Abbreviations -- Introduction / Bernard Dafflon, Rejane Hugounenq, Thierry Madies -- A Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa -- Analytical Approach -- Methodology -- Contributions of This Volume -- Notes -- References -- 1. Institutional and Fiscal Decentralization: Blueprint for an Analytical Guide / Bernard Dafflon -- The Institutional Approach to Decentralization -- Decentralized Budgets -- Assignment of Responsibilities between Tiers of Government -- Revenue Structures and Systems -- Financial Transfers -- Statistical Data -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 2. Local Public Finance of Territorial Collectivities in Burkina Faso / Bernard Dafflon, Thierry Madies, in collaboration, Abraham Ky -- History of Decentralization in Burkina Faso, 1991-2011 -- Organization of Decentralized Local Government and Deconcentration in 2011 -- The Decentralized Budget -- Assignment of Responsibilities -- Local Taxation -- Intergovernmental Transfers -- Revenue and Expenditure Statistics -- Notes -- References -- 3. Local Public Finances in Ghana / Guy Gilbert, Rejane Hugounenq, Francois Vaillancourt -- History of Decentralization in Ghana: From Independence to 2010 -- Organization of Decentralized Local Government and Deconcentration in 2010 -- The Decentralized Budget -- Assignment of Responsibilities -- Local Taxation -- Intergovernmental Transfers -- Revenue and Expenditure Statistics -- Notes -- References -- 4. Public Finances of Local Government in Kenya / Yvon Rocaboy, Francois Vaillancourt, Rejane Hugounenq -- History of Centralization in Kenya, 1963-2010 -- Organization of Decentralized Local Government and Deconcentration in 2009-10 -- The Decentralized Budget -- Assignment of Responsibilities -- Local Taxation -- Intergovernmental Grants -- Revenue and Expenditure Statistics -- Decentralization, the 2010 Constitution, and the Proposed LGA Reforms: Some Remarks -- Notes -- References -- 5. The Local Government Financing System in Senegal / Guy Gilbert, Emmanuelle Taugourdeau -- History of Decentralization in Senegal -- Organization of Decentralized Local Government and Deconcentration in 2009 -- The Decentralized Budget -- Assignment of Responsibilities -- Local Taxation -- Intergovernmental Transfers -- Balancing Local Budgets and Debt -- Revenue and Expenditure Statistics -- Notes -- References -- 6. Decentralization: A Comparative and Cross-Cutting Analysis of the Stakes / Thierry Madies -- The Analytical Guide: An Enabling Blueprint for Cross-Cutting Comparisons -- Decentralization, but Not Quite: Common Traits Despite Institutional Differences -- Conclusions and Lessons To Be Learned -- Four Countries, Four Decentralization Processes -- 7. Comments and Concrete Ways Forward / Gerard Chambas, Frederic Audras -- Comments -- Actionable Avenues -- Notes -- References -- Index. Publisher Marketing: For the past two decades, experiments in decentralization and federalization have been developing in Africa, Asia, and the formerly communist states of Eastern Europe. Many of the powers previously in the hands of the central government or its deconcentrated structures have been transferred to lower government layers. Additionally, local governments are gradually emerging as development actors. Whatever the reasons for decentralization, the transfer of new functions to local governments can be substantive, at least in intent. The Political Economy of Decentralization in Sub-Saharan Africa offers a new policy-oriented implementation model, applied systematically in parallel in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal. The book studies the individual countries and compares similar issues based on the same blueprint. The analysis is not intended to assess whether the chosen decentralization model is the right one, which does not exist. Rather, it examines decentralization achievements in specific national settings and compares those achievements with the announced objectives. The divergences revealed enable decision makers to choose appropriate directions for country reform. This method does not transpose textbook solutions to the states. The reference framework offers an analytical approach contextualized to each country that integrates not only economic arguments, but also sociopolitical ones. The authors propose an analytical guide founded on political and institutional economy. They analyze decentralized policies that help stakeholders to identify the issues, point out stumbling blocks, and ensure coherent decisions on decentralization. The book is an asset to all those involved in negotiating and implementing approaches to decentralization. Contributor Bio:  Madies, Thierry Thierry Madies is Professor of Economics at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He previously served as an economic advisor on the Council of Economic Analysis to the French Prime Minister. Professor Madies' field of research is at the crossroads between public economics and public policy, regional economics and the economics of innovation.