Assessment of Multi-stakeholder Partnership in Promoting Local Economic Development: A Case Study of Mekelle City

Abstract

This survey study sought to assess the role of Multi-stakeholder Partnership in promoting local economic development in Mekelle City. The main objective of this study was to assess the institutional arrangements of local economic development and role of multi-stakeholders partnership in employment creation, income generation and encouraging local enterprise development in Mekelle city. It is a cross sectional survey of 117 local economic development beneficiaries using semi-structured questionnaires and focuse group discussion. In-depth interview with stakeholders of the project and local economic development expert was also conducted. The study reveals that multi-stakeholders of the project (local government, youth and women association and chamber of commerce) have been involved in different activities of the local economic development. This study concluded that the partnership among the stakeholders is not functional in almost all process of the local economic development. To overcome the poor involvements of multi-stakeholders of the project, starting from the local economic development project beneficiary selection up to the repayment period of the loan, multi-stakeholders should give due emphasis in following up and delivering valuable support. Local governments should also internalize local economic development project as a prime task, not secondary task of the city. The Chamber of Commerce which is expected to implement the project as a potential stakeholder should assist the local economic development beneficiaries through capacity building in business development activities and in the whole local economic development process through actively participating starting from designing of the plan up to monitoring and evaluations. The institutional arrangements of local economic development project should state each and every function of stakeholders and the stakeholders should implement it in accordance with their responsibilities.