Implementing Decentralized Local Governance: A Treacherous Road with Potholes, Detours, and Road Closures

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies was established at Georgia State University with the objective of promoting excellence in the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy.In addition to two academic departments (economics and public administration), the Andrew Young School houses seven leading research centers and policy programs, including the International Studies Program.The mission of the International Studies Program is to provide academic and professional training, applied research, and technical assistance in support of sound public policy and sustainable economic growth in developing and transitional economies.The International Studies Program at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is recognized worldwide for its efforts in support of economic and public policy reforms through technical assistance and training around the world.This reputation has been built serving a diverse client base, including the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), finance ministries, government organizations, legislative bodies and private sector institutions.The success of the International Studies Program reflects the breadth and depth of the in-house technical expertise that the International Studies Program can draw upon.The Andrew Young School's faculty are leading experts in economics and public policy and have authored books, published in major academic and technical journals, and have extensive experience in designing and implementing technical assistance and training programs.Andrew Young School faculty have been active in policy reform in over 40countries around the world.Our technical assistance strategy is not to merely provide technical prescriptions for policy reform, but to engage in a collaborative effort with the host government and donor agency to identify and analyze the issues at hand, arrive at policy solutions and implement reforms. The International Studies Program specializes in four broad policy areas: Fiscal policy, including tax reforms, public expenditure reviews, tax administration reform  Fiscal decentralization, including fiscal decentralization reforms, design of intergovernmental transfer systems, urban government finance  Budgeting and fiscal management, including local government budgeting, performancebased budgeting, capital budgeting, multi-year budgeting  Economic analysis and revenue forecasting, including micro-simulation, time series forecasting,For more information about our technical assistance activities and training programs, please visit our website at