Why invest in building local capacities for M&E of decentralisation?
Why are donors thinking about M&E of decentralisation? Why should they invest in exercises aiming to build capacities in partner countries to monitor and evaluate decentralisation? Should national and local actors in decentralising states be interested in developing systems and tools for assessing the results, outcomes and impacts of reform processes? In answer to these questions, with reference to the case studies, literature and discussion on the subject, the following can be said: • Donor agencies and development organisations supporting decentralisation processes want to know to what extent and under what conditions their support to these reforms can contribute to development goals, such as poverty reduction, economic development and good governance (Reyes and Valencia 2004: 69). However, as the recently published reference document of the European Commission rightly states, assessments of outcomes and impacts of assistance to decentralisation are still ‘works in progress’ (Europea
