Etelä-Karjalan liitto, on yksi Suomen 18 maakunnan liitosta. Maakunnan liitot ovat osa aluehallintoa. Ne ovat kunnallisen itsehallinnon periaatteiden mukaan toimivia lakisääteisiä kuntayhtymiä. Etelä-Karjalan liiton jäsenkuntia ovat kaikki Etelä-Karjalan yhdeksän kuntaa. Liiton lakisääteisiä tehtäviä ovat alueiden kehittäminen sekä maakuntakaavoitus. Etelä-Karjalan liitto on myös suunnittelu- ja edunvalvontayksikkö, joka tekee työtä maakunnan henkisen ja aineellisen hyvinvoinnin sekä kulttuurin edistämiseksi. Regional Council of South Karelia, is an organization for regional development and land use planning. Regional councils in Finland serve as regional development authorities, having two main functions laid down by law: regional development and regional land use planning. The office of Regional Council of South Karelia works for the advantage of South Karelia region, its municipalities and people. The main task regarding regional development is to draw up regional development plans and to coordinate regional development measures of its member local authorities and those of State regional administrative authorities. Regional Councils are largely responsible for the EU's Structural Fund programmes and their implementation. Regional councils have the key role in promoting the region's interests. The regional council protects the region's culture and traditions in many ways by networking with the actors in the region and in the same fields. The Assembly of Regional Council is the regional council's highest political decision-making body. The regional council's preparatory, executive and administrative body is a board. The regional board is assisted by the regional council’s office, headed by a regional mayor. The office of Regional Council of South Karelia is located in Lappeenranta and headed by Regional Mayor Satu Sikanen.