Part VI Conclusions and recommendations

Abstract

This being the case, the local authorities must do far more than in the past to face up to the challenge of making efficient use of their own assets and external financing for local economic development with a view to reducing poverty; they are also repeatedly urged to practise democracy and development on specific projects by eliciting democratic decisions on the use of the scarce resources provided by themselves and obtained from external sources. Both having constantly to deal with the hard realities of development financing constraints democratically and implementing majority decisions on development in a decentralized structure governed by the subsidiarity principle probably form the ideal course for future poverty-oriented development. Following this course successfully will undoubtedly require staying power of all concerned, both in the partner countries and in the international development cooperation community.