Decentralisation essential requirement for reform, development — Fakhoury

AMMAN — The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on Monday finalised the comprehensive study of the donors’ intervention map at the governorate and municipal levels in support of decentralisation and local development.

During a meeting with the decentralisation donor bodies, chaired by Planning Minister Imad Fakhoury, the ministry announced the formation of a committee that includes governmental institutions and donor bodies with the aim of organising the efforts of donor countries and organisations supporting the decentralisation process.

The committee will also be tasked with following up on capabilities building, training and the implementation of development plans at the governorates, according to a statement by the ministry.

The governmental institutions that will be part of the committee include the Advisory Unit to Support Decentralisation in the Ministry of Planning, the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the Ministry of Political and Parliamentary Affairs.

Fakhoury stressed the government’s keenness on supporting the decentralisation process, saying “the government believes that the decentralisation is an essential requirement for reform and development for a stable and prosperous Jordan”.

He noted that the government will employ all available resources to achieve His Majesty King Abdullah’s reform vision, which aims to expand the role and responsibilities of local administrations in the governorates, as well as to increase citizens’ participation in policymaking, the statement said.

The minister noted that the government has issued regulations outlining the framework and necessary legislative cover for these councils, including the internal by-laws and financial systems regulating them, pointing out that the elected governorate councils have completed the legal requirements to endorse their budgets for 2018.

He said that the ministry had started implementing a series of training programmes for elected governorate and executive councils, with the support of international assistance, the statement read.

Fakhoury commended the efforts of the donors currently implementing a number of projects, including the USAID, the EU, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Association of Netherlands Municipalities, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

He noted that, following a meeting held at the end of last year with heads of governorates councils, the ministry has outlined the demands of the councils and is currently working with the Ministerial Committee for Decentralisation to find solutions that will be submitted to the Council of Ministers.