2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

Following the 1991 revolution, the Republic of Mali embarked on a process of far-reaching decentralisation, creating local authorities (communes, cercles and regions) responsible for designing, programming and implementing economic, social and cultural development initiatives. The Economic, Social and Cultural Development Programme (PDESC) is the main tool for managing and coordinating this development.

At the end of the PDESC 2017-2021, the Koulikoro regional council launched the preparation of a new PDESC for 2023, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It includes short-term objectives, strategies and actions adopted by deliberation of the local authority, and encourages citizen participation in accordance with the Code of Local Authorities in Mali.

The new Koulikoro PDESC received technical support from the Regional Department of Planning, Statistics, Information Technology, Town and Country Planning and Population (DRPSIAP), the Regional Development Agency (ADR), the Citizens' Public Action Monitoring Committee (CCAP) and the Environment and Sustainable Development Agency (AEDD). This participatory approach involved all the key players in regional development, including 116 local authorities divided into one region, seven cercles and 108 communes.

The process of drawing up the PDESC follows six phases: preparation, diagnosis, definition of strategic orientations, programming, drafting and validation/adoption. The diagnosis, a crucial stage, included a technical analysis by the relevant departments and a participatory analysis involving the population and elected representatives, to understand the situation of the region, development trends, strengths and weaknesses, as well as the priorities and solutions proposed by the inhabitants.

Priorities were determined in a participatory manner using grids for prioritising SDG targets, and an action plan was drawn up. The sustainable development action analysis grid (GADD) ensures that each action planned respects the principles of sustainability and contributes to achieving the SDGs. Strong citizen participation in the planning, budgeting and management of public affairs makes the community's assets more visible and attractive, making this tool a lever for local development and territorial marketing. Citizen participation is thus perceived as a guarantee of territorial development.

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