When Local Governments Lead: Lessons from Colombia at the PFD Meeting 2025
At the 2025 Policy Forum on Development (PFD), SALAR International delivered a clear and timely message: local and regional governments must be recognized as key partners in building sustainable and peaceful societies, particularly in fragile contexts.
The PFD meeting, hosted by the European Commission, is a unique platform that brings together civil society organisations, local authorities, EU institutions, and other development actors to exchange perspectives on EU development cooperation. It plays a vital role in shaping inclusive, participatory policy dialogue—ensuring that voices from the ground influence EU external action.
Speaking on behalf of SALAR International, Lucia Acosta Negrin shared practical insights from SALAR Internationals work in Colombia through the FOINCIDE project. Her stories and reflections highlighted how strengthening local governance can foster trust, address root causes of fragility, and lead to durable, community-owned solutions.
Real change starts locally
Two stories from Colombia illustrated this message vividly. In the municipality of Tierralta, a dispute over the use of a public building was peacefully resolved through facilitated citizen dialogue. What began as a tense stand-off between local authorities and fish vendors became a cooperative effort to clean and renovate the space—thanks to trust-building and inclusive decision-making.
In Turbo, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, residents of marginalized neighborhoods joined forces with the municipality to clean up their environment and protect the local mangrove ecosystem. With municipal support, community members became “Guardians of the Mangrove,” collecting over 3,000 kilos of waste, launching recycling initiatives, and planting thousands of seedlings—transforming not only the landscape but also their relationship with local institutions.
Lessons for EU development policy
From these experiences, SALAR International offered four key lessons:
- Start from real needs: Communities often know what needs to change, but lack the channels or confidence to act. Co-designing solutions with them ensures ownership and sustainability.
- Local governments are entry points to broader ecosystems: Local authorities connect with a wider network—women’s groups, youth organizations, traditional leaders—creating a foundation for inclusive change.
- Flexibility enables local ownership: Fragile contexts require adaptive approaches. Flexible funding and trust in local partners make responsiveness and innovation possible.
- Test locally, scale strategically: When municipalities are involved in developing tools and practices, these become practical and scalable. SALAR’s conflict mediation and gender mainstreaming tools, for example, are already informing national policy in Colombia.
A call for co-creation
As the EU prepares its new Multiannual Financial Framework, SALAR International urges a deeper commitment to multi-level governance: local and regional authorities must be seen not only as recipients of aid, but as strategic co-creators of the EU’s external action.
Because whether it’s in a fish market, a mangrove, or a municipal office—real and lasting change happens when people feel heard, included, and empowered to lead.
