Institutional Features of a Developmental Local Government

Abstract

Ethiopia, like many other countries, has been implementing a decentralization program predicated on eradicating poverty. This raises the question of whether the program’s institutional design is suited to its purpose, which then leads to a broader question: What is the best institutional design for a decentralization program aimed at poverty reduction? This article sets out to answer the question, arguing that a decentralization program aiming to advance development must balance local autonomy with central supervision.