Jordan, EU and UNDP sign 5-million-euro agreement

AMMAN — The Ministry of Interior, the European Union Delegation in Jordan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Administration signed a five-million-euro agreement for a programme that aims to enhance local governance in Jordan by encouraging accountability and effective policymaking.

The “Decentralisation, Accountability and Integrity at the Local Level” 54-month programme aims to improve service delivery and offer development opportunities to people by improving public institutions’ ability to fulfil their mandate, seek funding opportunities and implement projects involving the active participation of citizens, according to a UNDP statement.

The agreement was co-signed by the Minister of Interior Mazen Faraiah, Minister of Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Kreishan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh and EU Ambassador to Jordan Maria Hadjitheodosiou and UNDP Resident Representative to Jordan Sara Ferrer Olivella. 

Faraiah said: “…The partnership between the Ministry of Interior, the EU Delegation in Jordan and the United Nations Development Programme is not new, however, it is an extension of successful development programmes implemented by the Ministry of Interior on the local level with technical support provided by UNDP with funding from the EU Delegation in Jordan. The programme focuses on the importance of development cooperation regarding citizens and responding to national priorities. ”

The interior minister endorsed the role of the EU, and UNDP for their continuous support to Jordan through capacity building, technical support and digitalised tools designed to streamline local administration and development through improving accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in placing and implementing policies in the six selected governorates of Irbid, Balqa, Aqaba, Ajloun, Madaba and Tafileh. This includes the government priorities in policies that support rule of law and integrity that require the follow up of priorities on all government levels. 

Faraiah values the roles of the EU Delegation and UNDP in their constant support of capacity building, technical support, digital tools designed to support local administration and development. 

Hadjitheodosiou stressed that “when addressing issues such as climate change, growing inequalities, urbanisation or rural remoteness, local authorities are at the forefront for responding to the challenges on the ground and providing viable solutions for their communities. We believe that addressing the needs of local communities and achieving sustainable development can only be achieved through effective local governance. Our programme aims to contribute to strengthen the capacity of Jordanian municipalities and governorates, improve service delivery and develop accountability mechanisms.” 

 “We are pleased to consolidate our strengths with the European Union and the Ministry of Interior to make the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals become real to Jordanian communities, households and individuals, particularly to those who are at risk of falling behind” said Olivella-Ferrer, Resident Representative of UNDP in Jordan. 

Stressing UNDP’s long-term presence in Jordan, Olivella anticipates that the new programme will benefit local institutions in fostering inclusive and participatory participation and providing citizens for the common good during these testing times of the global pandemic. 

The “Decentralisation, Accountability and Integrity at the Local Level” programme, or DAILL, will be implemented by UNDP in close cooperation with the Ministries of Interior, Local Administration, Finance, and Planning and International Cooperation in the Governorates of Aqaba, Ajloun, Balqa, Irbid, Madaba, Tafileh. 

Direct beneficiaries of the initiative will include governorate, executive and municipal councils, local civil servants, and communities in the pilot localities.