DNDLOT

National Directorate for Local Development and Territorial Management

The National Directorate for Local Development and Territorial Management (DNDLOT) is the lead Directorate for the decentralization process and coordinating local development. Through both policy development and implementation of local government reforms, DNDLOT is working towards creating a strong, transparent and capable local government system that can increase development efforts in the rural areas of Timor-Leste. DNDLOT is also responsible for working on the definition, creation and implementation of local administration, as well as the territorial divisions for the future Municipal boundaries.

DNDLOT’s current programs include the administration of the Local Development Programme (LDP), which is a pilot model for a local governance system. Districts participating in the LDP have access to a small budget for local infrastructure development called Local Development Funds. DNDLOT is also currently working on coordinating the discussion on the draft law proposal on Local Government, which is being prepared based on the Policy Guidelines for Decentralization and Local Government approved by the Council of Ministers in March 2008.