GTZ is currently developing a new program entitled ‘Promotion of Democracy, Municipal Development and the Rule of Law’. Our research aimed to support the development of this project by providing an evaluation of the operation of municipal government and local civil society organisations in the three countries of the South Caucasus.

Our analysis looked at:

• the different structures of local government across the three countries
• the legislative and constitutional position of local government
• the responsibilities of local government in law and in practice
• the different sources of finance and structure of spending in different municipalities
• the way civil society organisations operate outside of the capital cities in each of the three countries.

The research combined a desk review of existing material on local governnment in the three countries, with original budgetary analysis, expert interviews and a small survey of local CSOs in each of the three countries 

Based on this research the team made recommendations about the different ways in which the project would most effectively achieve its stated objectives. The team also formulated a preliminary M+E strategy for the overall program.