Recognizing the important role government systems play in contributing to building inclusive, responsive and resilient communities, the National Symposium on ‘Catalysing Change: Making Local Governance Future Fit’ was co-convened by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the European Union Delegation in Sri Lanka and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka.

A release by the UNDP yesterday said that the dialogue created a platform to foster productive exchanges of insights and best practices among stakeholders concerning local governance, drawing extensively from the lessons and experiences gained over five years, working alongside 134 local authorities in four Provinces in the country through the Capacity Development of Local Government (CDLG) Project, funded by the European Union.

Commenting on the success of the CDLG project, Pradeep Yasarathna, Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government noted, “CDLG has leveraged existing frameworks to support local government authorities in delivering more inclusive, accountable, and effective services. This initiative has particularly emphasised gender-responsive budgeting, integrated planning, and robust social, environmental, and gender impact assessments at the grassroots level.”

The closing ceremony for the dialogue took place this morning with the participation of Carmen Moreno, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka; and Pradeep Yasarathna, Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

Speaking about their role in supporting better service delivery that promotes sustainable development, Carmen Moreno, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka noted, “The purpose of a democratic system is to provide for the voices of all citizens to be heard and to influence decisions. This is what matters the most, and local governments offer this unique opportunity better than any other level of governance. When local communities are empowered to participate meaningfully in decision making the State becomes responsive to their needs, providing the services and the public goods that are mostly needed, strengthening in this way the social contract with its citizens.”

The national symposium aimed to identify opportunities for scaling best practices, reflect on governance challenges and solutions and promote multi-stakeholder collaboration. Topics such as Accountable, Anticipatory, Agile and Adaptive Governance (AAAG), application of Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation, data and planning for inclusive governance, renewable energy & sustainable waste management, tax and revenue management, and societal change through empowered communities were explored during the 2-day event which brought together over 100 policymakers, Government officials, representatives from the diplomatic corps, the donor community, civil society, and development practitioners.

Speaking on the significance of the symposium and the project, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka highlighted, “As CDLG comes to a close in October this year, the symposium has been a pivotal platform, exploring how these values have augmented revenue generation, social accountability, digitalisation, and the green transition, all through the lens of CDLG’s development of local governance. The symposium facilitated sharing of innovative practices to propel scaling up horizontally across the country, going beyond the project’s 4 provinces, and also vertically at the national level.”

By leveraging the experience of experts, practitioners, and multiple stakeholders, the National Symposium will play a pivotal role in shaping the future trajectory of governance in Sri Lanka, ensuring it remains adaptive, resilient, and well-positioned to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s development landscape.