Seminar for Dialogue and Capacity building of local and regional authorities in the Mashrek in the development and local governance fields

Transcription

1 Seminar for Dialogue and Capacity building of local and regional authorities in the Mashrek in the development and local governance fields Overview Date: 24 September 25 September 2014 Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Amman The geographical region of the Mashrek as covered by this seminar encompasses Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. The region has, for many decades, undergone political, military, ethnic, and religious tensions that have affected its stability. Of the countries that we will be examining, one is a monarchy (Jordan), four are republics (Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen) and the autonomous territory of Palestine, which has not yet all the attributes of a state. The situation of stability based on secular and democratic institutions still has a long road to cover in the region. The religious factor is important and omnipresent throughout the region, in the constitution and across private and political spheres. The population in these countries is predominantly urban (Syria 56%, Jordan 83%, Lebanon 87%, Palestine 74%), with the exceptions of Egypt (44%) and Yemen (33%). All of these are lower middle income countries with some industry and oil production, except for Palestine whose economy depends mainly on the services sector. However one cannot overlook the huge differences that exist between these and other countries of the region, or the relative low levels of coverage of some basic services. Nevertheless, in spite of the ceaseless political, military, and religious tensions, wars and other perennial obstacles to the regions stability as a whole, and certainly to the development of local autonomy and decentralization, some advances deserve recognition: the holding of democratic local elections in Palestine and that decentralization appears in the constitutions of Lebanon. However, there are worries in the region of a broader trend toward the gradual recentralization by central governments; in certain cases, even assuming the tasks of providing street cleaning, sewer maintenance, and public health measures.

2 It seems important, in this framework that partners try to help to reinforce the institutional and operational capacities of Local and Regional Authorities in the Mashrek, particularly in the field of good governance and local development. In that sense, our project hopes to strengthen the working areas developed in the framework of the Structured Dialogue to promote good governance, and to further develop the strategic reflection on enabling environment so as to make local LRAs development actors with their own identity and role. Objectives to have an exchange with the participants on the content of the Communication for local Authorities published by the European Commission in May ; to exchange information on the challenges and opportunities to support decentralization in the Mashrek to understand what can be the role of local authorities in conflict and post-conflict situation, and how would it be possible to support local and regional government actions in these contexts to discuss views of LRAs of the regions regarding the topic of localizing the SDGs. encourage local and regional authorities (LRAs) from the region to be proactive in identifying opportunities for development cooperation Participants participants from the region will be invited to participate: representatives of LRAs (elected local and regional representatives and local representatives in charge of international cooperation); representatives of civil society; representatives of national governments; representatives of the European Union Delegations from the targeted countries. 1 European Commission (2013) Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes

3 Program After the introductory session, a presentation and discussion of the Communication of the European Commission on the role of LRAs in development cooperation will take place in order to provoke an open debate on the issues and problems affecting the region and the possible role of local governments, with an evaluation of the political background. The output of the workshop will be aimed at generating recommendations that should help the participating countries develop further towards democratic local governance. Following are some of the themes to be discussed: Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes A dialogue on localizing the sustainable Development goals (SDGs) Support mechanisms available to LRAs Decentralisation in Mashrek Documents The seminar will be an active and participative experience for the participants but it will have as reference material the following: European Commission (2013) Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes SKL (2014) Draft document on Decentralisation in Mashrek; International comparison and current trends within local self-governance, local finance and service delivery CUF (2014) Draft document on local and regional governments actions in a fragile state or in a state facing a crisis.

4 DRAFT AGENDA Day 1 24 th September 2014 Time 09:15-10:00 Welcome and introduction Joanna Wronecka, Ambassador, Chief of the EU Delegation in Jordan (TBC) Akel Biltaji, Mayor of Amman Ghassan Shaka President of Local Government of Palestine (APLA) Walid Masri, Minister Municipal Affairs Håkan Gustafsson, Managing Director, SKLInternational Nicolas Wit, Deputy director of CUF 10:00-10:45 Presentation of the EC Communication on Local Authorities and Development Silvio Lazzari, DG DEVCO B2. Civil Society, Local Authorities, Human and Society Development, European Commission Questions from the participants 10:45-11:00 Coffee break 11:00-13:00 Round table on Governance for Development, Decentralisation, Service Provision and Post-2015 Agenda Moderated by Mohamed Boussraoui, UCLG representative Edmond Gharios, Maire de Chiyah (Lebanon), Membre du Conseil Mondial de CGLU Houwaychel AOUDEH AKROUCH, Mayor of Al Fuhays (Jordan) Khaled Abdelhalim Executive Director of the Local Development Observatory Local Administration Reform Unit (Egypt) Shawki Ahmed Hayel SAEED, Governor of Taiz (Yemen) 13:00-14:30 Lunch

5 Time 14:30 15: 00 Presentation of Study on the challenges and opportunities to support decentralisation in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen Myriam Ababsa, Institut français du Proche-Orient, and Aziz Hallaj, American University of Beirut (Lebanon), on decentralisation policy 15:00-15:15 Coffee Break 15:15-17:00 Round table on the challenges and opportunities to support decentralisation in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen: local government perspective Moderated by Belhassen Turki, Project Manager, SKLinternational Mohammed Maaiteh, Mayor of Karak, Jordan Noha Ghosseiny, Mayor of Baakline, President of the Federation of the Chouf Soueijani Municipalities and Member of the Lebanon Mayors Committee. Abdel Nofal, Representative from Palestinian Municipal Lending Fund on local finance Amgad Abdulrahman, Representative from Yemen Mahmoud Ramadan, Ex-Councillor Aleppo, Syria Waleed Mahmoud El-Edfawy, Head of public relation department, Luxor water company (Egypt) 20:00 Dinner

6 Day 2, 25 th Sept 2014 Time 09:00 11:00 Presentation on Local and regional government actions in a fragile state or in a state facing a crisis. Nicolas Wit Deputy General Director of Cités Unies France Speakers: Arne Musch (Business Unit manager), VNG International Olivier Boudart, EC Representative European Crisis Policies Mohamed Saab, Mayor of Chebaa and President of Al Arqoub Federation (Lebanon) François Grünewald, Executive Director, Groupe URD (Urgence, réhabilitation, développement), France 11:00-11:15 Coffee break 11:15-12:00 How to reinforce the relationship between LRAs from Mashrek and the European union : instruments for development cooperation 12:00-13:00 Conclusions and wrap-up İhsan İKİZER Coordinator General UCLG-MEWA Raed Al Adwan, Representative of Government of Jordan Local government representative Representative of the EU Delegation Anders Knape, President of Swedish Local Government Association, partner. Time 13:00-14:30 Lunch 14:30-16:30 Consultation on Localizing the Post-2015 agenda prepared in the framework of the campaign by the Global Taskforce of Local Governments, UNDP and Habitat on Means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals