Hauptnavigation

Local Governance Exchange in the Partnership Between

North Rhine-Westphalia and Ghana

In the context of the partnership between Germany's federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Ghana, Engagement Global's Service Agency Communities in One World is implementing a new pilot programme to support cooperation in partnership between NRW and Ghana.

Three Women talk to each other.
Participants are talking about the new pilot programme. Photo: Martin Magunia

North Rhine-Westphalia and Ghana have been working together closely for more than 20 years. In 2007 this engagement was raised to an official level through a partnership agreement between the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. In a renewal of the agreement dated 2016 the governments decided to align the cooperation for the next five years with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2017 the partnership was extended to include local governance exchange between ministries in NRW and Ghana.

This local governance exchange builds on the existing engagement of the two sides and strengthens it at the local level.

The programme objectives
  • (Re)activate, strengthen and professionalise municipal engagement in the context of the partnership between the Ghanaian and German sides
  • Promote expert exchange between municipalities on various topics and tasks at the local level
  • Strengthen municipalities in NRW and Ghana through expert exchange and knowledge sharing (mutual learning) with a view to sustainable local governance
  • Plan and implement projects jointly in order to make tangible contributions on both sides toward implementing the 2030 agenda
  • Promote the multi-level approach: national – regional – local
Who can participate

The new pilot programme is designed for existing municipal partnerships, but will also promote the initiation of new partnerships between Ghana and NRW.

How we will support you
  • Advice on the programme and how to join it
  • Fact-finding missions in both directions, e.g. to initiate a partnership
  • Expert missions and training stays for experts within the partnerships in both directions
  • Country-specific intercultural training courses for people involved in the programme
  • Professional advice to support the work of the partnerships in the context of the programme
  • Advice on and access to further funding opportunities for implementing joint municipal projects
  • National and international networking meetings in NRW und Ghana

The pilot programme is being implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Germany's federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

If you would like to find out more about the programme and possibly getting involved, we'd love to hear from you!

Review

Partnership work gains monumentum

Bonn, January 10, 2023.

The signs were finally good in 2022 for face-to-face meetings in the "Local Governance Exchange North Rhine-Westphalia - Ghana" programme.

Further Information

Fact-finding mission 2022

North Rhine-Westphalia, 29 May to 3 June 2022.

The partnerships from Ghana and NRW met for the first time during a fact-finding mission to NRW.

Further Information

NRW-Staatssekretär Dr. Mark Speich steht an einem Stehpult und spricht; im Hintergrund sind Plakate von Engagement Global zu sehen. Foto: Martin Magunia

The inaugural year of the programme in the time of the pandemic

Bonn, January 2021
Despite travel restrictions and heavy workloads in local government caused by the coronavirus, during the first year of the 'Local Governance Exchange North Rhine-Westphalia – Ghana' programme it remained possible to initiate new partnerships and continue existing ones.

Further Information

NRW-Staatssekretär Dr. Mark Speich steht an einem Stehpult und spricht; im Hintergrund sind Plakate von Engagement Global zu sehen. Foto: Martin Magunia

Kick-off workshop launches new project

Düsseldorf, 4 February 2020
Engagement Global's Service Agency Communities in One World and the State Chancellery of Germany's federal state of NRW jointly invited participants to the kick-off workshop for the project 'Local Governance Exchange North Rhine-Westphalia – Ghana'.

Further Information

Downloads

Further Information