This edition focuses in particular on the regulation, management and financing of decentralized social sector services in South-East Europe. The report provides a comparative overview and then a detailed analysis of the local government responsibilities in education, social care and protection and public health in South-East Europe, how they are regulated, managed and financed for all South-East European economies.

The session was organised by NALAS and NORAD, on 21 September 2021, within the Annual Meeting of the DeLoG Network.

NALAS has published the Decentralisation and Local Public Administration Reform in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine: Learning from the past – preparing for the future and Status Reports on the Progress of Decentralisation Reform in in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The studies aim to consolidate lessons learned over three decades of reform and help the local government associations prepare for the reform next steps in their countries.

Today NALAS presented the preliminary findings and recommendations of the status reports at the European Union – Eastern Partnership Local Leaders’ Forum: “Solidarity and cooperation: how to be stronger together in the coming years?”.

Local governments across Europe discussed the impact of COVID-19 on local government financial health and how MFSA tool could be used to assess the potential impact of COVID-19 on local finances.

This “pocket size” practical booklet includes quantitative information allowing readers to quickly get an insight about local finance status and development in South-East Europe.

NALAS' Online Mayors’ Conference: SEE Local Governments in post COVID-19 Socio-Economic Recovery gathered over 140 participants and sent very important messages.

SEE local governments have been and will certainly remain at the forefront in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic social and economic crisis. Their challenges need to be listened to and understood, and they must be supported to address these challenges in the most effective and efficient manner.

In partnership with the USAID’s Planning and Local Governance Project in Albania (PLGP), NALAS prepared a Regional Comparative Survey: Best practices in the Financing of the Local Government Responsibilities in the Social Sector: in Education, Social Protection and Healthcare.

Join us on the two two regional peer learning and knowledge sharing webinars: Best practices in Financing Local Governments’ Responsibilities in the social sector: The South-East Europe Experience and the Challenges Facing Albania.