Donor approaches to Local Economic Development

This paper compares five approaches to Local Economic Development (LED) that are currently being applied in Africa. These are the World Bank (WB), Local Economy (ECOLOC), International Labour Office (ILO), GTZ and UN-Habitat approaches. I have chosen these five because their methods are fairly distinctive, have been spelt out in some detail in relatively accessible manuals and because they influence the way many go about doing LED in different parts of Africa. By contrasting different features of these approaches and assessing them against the challenges that LED faces on the continent, I hope to open a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing LED in these different ways. The paper is intended mainly for LED practitioners and decision-makers in government and business seeking support for LED promotion.