Local authorities in crisis management: The local generalist approach

This study investigates the role of local governance in crisis stricken areas and fragile States. It is the outcome of work carried out over the past 17 years within Cités Unies France (CUF), a network which has served to facilitate and coordinate international actions for French local governments for over 40 years. CUF has often been witness to the hardships experienced by local authorities in times of natural disaster, civil war and, more generally, when the State is absent. French and European local authorities have often served to give a voice to their afflicted counterparts. CUF work on the issue of "crises and rehabilitation" stems from the request by French local authorities desirous of helping their colleagues in situations of emergency or post-emergency. Their question was the following : how can we help local authorities coming out of a critical crisis situation to continue to perform their duties and provide indispensable local public services ?