Paper short abstract:

This paper analyzes how INGOs use discourses and practices to maintain their legitimacy in an evolving development field where local governments have gained new responsibilities due to the decentralization process and to the increase of partnerships approaches.

Paper long abstract:

Relying on the study of power relations between International NGOs (INGOs) and local governments during the implementation of water projects in Benin, this communication shows how INGOs legitimate their activities in a changing environment where local governments gain more and more responsibilities and legitimacy to implement projects and to provide public services. In such an environment, INGOs need to reinforce their legitimacy to preserve their position in the development field. The legitimating processes implemented will depend on the targeted audience (local governments or donors) and on the type of sought legitimacy (pragmatic, moral or cognitive legitimacy).

INGOs use discursive means and practices to maintain legitimacy. They display appreciation of their own work and/or critics of local governments to delegitimize them. They promote innovation to stay ahead; they collaborate with other development actors to share knowledge and to coordinate their activities; they advocate for their values and activities to make them accepted norms and ways of doing; and most importantly for their legitimacy, they implement partnerships with the local governments which is the best indicator of their "commitment to constituent well-being" (Suchman, 1995: 578).

With these discourses and practices, INGOs maintain their legitimacy and promote their values and ways of implementing development projects. However, legitimacy is not exclusive and can be granted to others without losing it. So, as social orders evolve, INGOs adapt their legitimating discourses and practices in a way that they not only reinforce their own legitimacy but also the legitimacy of local governments as development actors.