The Local Government International Bureau (LGIB) is the international arm of the United Kingdom Local Government Association. Based in Westminster, the LGA/LGIB is a voluntary lobbying organisation. LGIB targets the strengthening of local government in Sub-Saharan Africa through its involvement in decentralization and local governance reforms.

It support the development of the democratic process, giving voice to communities and improving the responsiveness of local government to their communities, improvement in public services and creation of a local enabling environment for growth and poverty reduction.

LGIB also works in partnership with DFID, DCLG and FCO in delivering technical assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa.

climate for business

Numerous studies, such as DFID’s ‘Working with the Private Sector to Eliminate Poverty’ and ‘Review of Activities in the Enabling Environment’ have emphasised that local government is as important as central government in establishing a successful investment climate in a country.

Local government has control over those aspects of the investment climate that can either support or hinder local enterprise development, such as land use, planning/development control, business registration/licensing/regulation, investment promotion/marketing, local taxation and fiscal systems, etc. Excessive local bureaucracy can act as a disincentive to register in the formal economy or encourage business growth. Therefore there is a need to promote streamlined local government processes that minimise the complexity, costs and bureaucracy associated with approval processes as well as to provide incentives to investors to bring sustainable economic benefits to a local community.

LGA/LGIB, through its links with various government departments such as DTI, HM Treasury, etc., has a wealth of experience, new thinking and tools on local business environment which it shares with partner local governments in developing countries.

Through our training and capacity building arm (Improvement and Development Agency) we have developed various methodologies and tools to review local business enabling environment as input to local economic development strategies developed by local authorities.

In the context of decentralisation which is occurring throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, local government (whether at regional or local level) are increasingly faced with the responsibility and challenges for economic growth and job creation. LGIB continues to assist our local partners through their endeavours.