The document is based on two Inter-Agency meetings of the United Nations held in Geneva and New York, an LDC Experts and practitioners meeting in Mozambique and discussions with the Government of Norway representing donors, and the Government of Mozambique representing LDC countries. One of the astonishing conclusions from working in the field is that many local governments simply don't want to assume new responsibilities, even if this implies the allocation of additional financial resources and a more predominant political role, he said. The reason for this lack of interest is, in part, because some local authorities prefer the more comfortable state of discrete dependency on the central government. Its main cause, however, is the extreme weakness of local governments, that quite simply renders them incapable of taking on further responsibilities and obligations. Local governments need help.
Decentralization is neither feasible nor desirable without strong, competent local governments.