International Experiences with Decentralisation

Effective decentralisation requires the clear assignment of duties and responsibilities (functions); sufficient resources (funds) and staff (functionaries) needed to carry out public duties at each level of government. The 3Fs as they are commonly known are critical to the design of any decentralised system and must be carefully sequenced to ensure their success. This paper looks at how three countries – Bolivia, Switzerland and Uganda – have devolved the 3Fs to local governments.