In 2022, thirty years have passed since the creation of the first Local Economic Development Agency - LEDA - with specific purposes of human development and the fight against inequalities.
In the first decade of the nineties and thanks to the PRODERE programme, eight LEDAs were created in Honduras (Ocotepeque), El Salvador (Morazán and Chalatenango), Nicaragua (Nueva Segovia and Jinotega), Guatemala (Ixíl and Ixcán) and Costa Rica (Perez Zeledon).
This experience represented a good practice, which was included in other cooperation programmes of the United Nations which supported the creation of other LEDAs during the following decades in Colombia, Mozambique, Angola, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Albania, Serbia; and, subsequently those in Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and Lebanon.
In the meantime, as a result of imitation, in some countries such as Colombia, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, other LEDAs were born, also thanks to the establishment of national networks that have favoured their start-up (To know more about LEDAs, see the correspondent Annex).
Most of these LEDAs (88% of the total) are still operating today and, thanks to their own self-sustainability models, they support territorial economies in their competitive, resilient, inclusive, sustainable, and fair development. They are part of the ILS LEDA - International Links and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies - global network of structures working for the sustainable goals.
On the occasion of this anniversary and to honour the LEDAs, ILS LEDA has decided to dedicate 2022 to celebrate their history and their experiences, and explore how to face their future challenges.
To know more about the celebrations, see the attached brochure, the LEDA information leaflet, and visit the ILS LEDA website.
Brochure: Agenda 30th annversary of LEDAs
Information Leaflet: The Local Economic Development Agencies for the sustainable goals
