From 5 to 10 March 2017, the African Local Government Academy (ALGA), a flagship project of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) (www.UCLGA.org) and Florida International University (FIU) in the United States have organised a study visit to the Kingdom of Morocco for PhD and Master’s students. This will be the third study trip organised by FIU for the benefit of its students with the first edition taking place in Bulgaria (2013), the second in the Kingdom of Morocco in 2014, which inspired this 2017 edition in Morocco again.

This study visit has been arranged in partnership with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Administration (ENSA), the University of Al Akhawayn (AUI) and the International University of Rabat (UIR), with backing from the Moroccan authorities, on the theme: ‘Contemporary issues of public administration at regional and local levels’.

In positioning ALGA as an organisation that is opened to collaboration on the continent the exchange is aimed at introducing students of FIU to the key issues and challenges of Public Administration, both in Morocco and Africa, as well as to fundamental reforms and good practice implemented to deal with them at a national, regional and local level.

A group of 14 people will take part in this exchange of experiences with 12 sessions moderated by senior officials, university professors, and practitioners in the towns of Rabat, Ifrane, Azrou, Fez and Marrakech covering:

• The challenges of decentralisation in Africa and the way in which UCLG Africa seeks to address them through advocacy, support, training and capacity building, networking and the integration of a gendered approach;
• The place of Public Administration in the dynamic of development in Morocco;
• The key reforms underway concerning Advanced Regionalisation in Morocco.

The study visit will also be punctuated by visits to institutions and opportunities for cultural exchange.

Coinciding with the celebration of International Women's Day, this group, comprising largely women, will also benefit from a presentation on ‘Promoting the status and leadership of women in Moroccan Public Administration’ on 7 March as a flagship experience in terms of the Continent.

This exchange will also be an opportunity for UCLG Africa and its Academy to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership, particularly in the areas of training, capacity building and research.