Closing of the 15th International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting 

The 15th International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting was held from May 27 to June 7, 2024, at Ibis Hôtel in Casablanca, the economic capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. 

This training and capacity-building program was organized by the African Local Governments Academy (ALGA) as part of a partnership between the International Observatory on Participatory Democracy in Africa (IOPD Africa) and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). 

A group of eight (08) participants, including local elected representatives, local government officials, leaders of civil society NGOs and UCLG Africa staff from French-speaking African countries (Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire), took part in the training session led by Bachir Kanouté, Secretary General of IOPD Africa and Executive Director of the Enda ECOPOP NGO, which promotes the emergence of sustainable cities and territories in Africa. 

The aim of this program is to create a pool of French-speaking African skills capable of supporting cities and local governments in drawing up and implementing their budgets, based on a governance approach centered on citizens’ needs and a transparent management ethic. 

Focusing on both theory and practice, the program enabled participants to learn about the concepts, principles and methods of Participatory Budgeting, and to gain an insight into the innovative administrative practices of local authorities in this field.  

From June 03 to 07, the Casablanca City Hall was the venue for the practical work and role-playing exercises, which were also attended by Ms. El Asri Bahija, President of the Social, Cultural, Sports and Human Development Affairs Commission, Mr. Mohamed Cheikh, Director of the Support and Resource Development Department, Ms. Khadija Bilal, Head of the Budget Division, and Mr. Saad Allah Yassine, Head of the Urban Life Division.  

At the closing ceremony of the training, the Secretary General of IOPD Africa, Mr. Bachir Kanouté, thanked UCLG Africa and its Academy. He spoke of their fruitful collaboration with IOPD Africa and ENDA Ecopop in setting up the International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting, as well as its organization in various African countries since 2017. He also congratulated the participants on their work and innovative ideas, and encouraged them for the future. 

For her part, UCLG Africa’s Director of Development, Knowledge Management and the African Local Governments Academy (ALGA), Dr. Najat Zarrouk, praised the partnership with IOPD Africa and ENDA Ecopop, Mr. Bachir Kanouté’s expertise, as well as his introduction to the continent of Participatory Budgeting, born in Porto-Alegre (Brazil) in 1989, so that it could become an African reality. After recalling that Participatory Budgeting is an essential tool for good and effective governance that leaves no one behind, she thanked the participants for their interest and work, and also extended her thanks to the Municipality of Casablanca for hosting the practical exercises. 

The representatives of the Municipality of Casablanca also thanked the organizers for the quality and smooth running of the training session. They expressed their interest in receiving support to enable actors at all levels to take ownership of the Participatory Budgeting approach, which is already the subject of Casablanca’s commitment through its inclusion in the municipal action plan of the economic capital of the Kingdom of Morocco.   

The closing ceremony was marked by the awarding of certificates and attestations of participation, as well as a diploma expressing the gratitude of UCLG Africa, OIDP Africa and ENDA Ecopop to the Casablanca City Council for facilitating the organization of the International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting. 

As part of the African Local Governments Academy’s (ALGA) 2024 action plan, a 2nd International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting is scheduled this year for English-speakers in Abuja (Nigeria), and a 3rd Portuguese-speaking session in Luanda (Angola). 

Click here to view the photo album of the closing ceremony of the 15th International Training Session on Participatory Budgeting.