From 22 to 24 July 2025, Rwanda hosted the East African Local Government Forum (EALGF) meeting, which was held under the theme 'Strengthening the Role of County and Local Governments in Regional Integration and Cross-Border Cooperation.

Founded in 2011 to strengthen local government and support EAC integration, the EALGF is a regional network that brings together local and county government ministries, associations, and sub-national institutions across East African Community (EAC) member states.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Local Government, Patrice Mugenzi, emphasized the critical role of local governments in governance, poverty reduction, and fostering regional collaboration.

“Through coordinated efforts, Local Governments must be empowered to address issues like youth unemployment and climate change effectively. Regional integration & cooperation are essential for sustainable development, economic growth, regional stability. Rwanda is committed to this through initiatives like cross-border markets infrastructure improvements — all focused on improving the lives of our citizens,” he said.

The forum coincides with Rwanda’s celebration of 25 years of decentralisation whose achievements were presented by the Permanent Secretary at Rwanda Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Bob Gakire highlighting its impact on enhancing citizen participation, improving service delivery, and promoting community-led development.

Discussions throughout the forum focused on key areas of interventions for regional integration and cross-border cooperation, but also strategies for strengthening the capacity of local governments and the best practices and success stories from cross-border collaborations.

EALGF acts as a policy platform where local governments engage with national and regional bodies including the EAC on issues of decentralisation, local democracy, and development; it also promotes Local Economic Development and cross-border trade, empowering local authorities to drive regional economic integration at the grassroots.

Key recent events of EALGF:

• 2011 – Inaugural forum of EALGF in Arusha, Tanzania, focused on establishing the EALGF as a regional policy platform and emphasis on integrating local governance into EAC structures.

• 2013 – Second formal gathering in Kampala, Uganda, strengthened regional collaboration on LED and decentralization policy frameworks; and introduced early discussions on cross-border cooperation. 

• 2014 – Nairobi, Kenya, the forum focused on improving intergovernmental relations between local, national, and regional bodies.

• 2018 – Arusha, Tanzania, Emphasis on practical implementation of local development strategies in line with the EAC Common Market Protocol.

• 2020 – Kigali, Rwanda (Virtual due to COVID-19), Addressed challenges brought by the pandemic on local service delivery; and shared innovations and adaptive governance practices at the local level.

• 2021 – Rwanda hosted the Annual Meeting of the EALGF, held in conjunction with the EALGA Annual General Meeting. The forum aimed to guide post‑COVID‑19 recovery strategies to boost regional trade and development across East Africa.

• 2022 – Bujumbura, Burundi, the forum reaffirmed the role of local governments in post-COVID recovery; focused on youth engagement, climate resilience, and cross-border LED initiatives.

• 2024 – Kampala, Uganda, Focused on advancing LED and cross-border trade. Addressed policy gaps in decentralization and coordinating local contributions to EAC’s Common Market Protocol.

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