Project launched to support Jordan’s decentralisation efforts

AMMAN — Jordan is moving ahead with reform despite regional crises, especially the Syrian refugee crisis, in addition to challenges of poverty and unemployment, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury said Monday.

“Political and democratic reform cannot be achieved without the realisation of economic reforms,” the minister said at a ceremony to launch the project “Bolstering Jordan’s efforts in decentralisation through good governance and open public policies”.

The project will be implemented by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in cooperation with the ministry, and it is funded by $2 million from the MENA Transition Fund, a ministry statement said.

The collaboration will last three years and will be implemented within the context of the G7 Deauville Partnership MENA Transition Fund and of the MENA-OECD Initiative, an OECD statement said.

The conference gathered around 100 participants from the central government and public administration, governorates, municipalities, civil society, Parliament, academics and international partners, the statement said, adding that the event was organised with the support of Al Hayatt Centre for Civil Society Development of Amman.

This new collaboration between Jordan and the OECD will deliver an assessment of the impact of the decentralisation and municipalities laws on the existing public governance framework.

Based on its recommendations, the project will provide technical assistance, capacity building and implementation support to engage citizens more systematically in the formulation and implementation of public policies and services. 

A first peer view mission this week is under way to collect relevant data and information, according to the OECD statement.

“The government pays great attention to the local development process. So, [the ministry] was keen to adopt development practices to redress disorders in comprehensive and sustainable local development, direct its programmes towards meeting development needs and priorities, empower local organisations and citizens to identify their needs and priorities to develop their areas and communities, so that the base of popular participation in decision making is enlarged,” Fakhoury said at the meeting. 

The development of governorates is one of the top priorities in the government’s work, he added, and his ministry worked on creating the governorate development programme for 2016-2018 with a decentralised approach starting from the field as part of a national effort in cooperation with the public. 

He said that a ministerial team conducted field visits to all governorates and held meetings with local work teams to discuss development priorities in the governorates.

The minister also voiced the government’s interest to continue coordination with the OECD to benefit from its expertise in the field of local government, transparency and accountability.

For her part, Deputy Secretary General of the OECD Mari Kiviniemi stressed the importance of having Jordan as a model in decentralisation. 

French Ambassador to Jordan David Bertolotti showcased French experience in decentralisation and enhancing local governance, and German Ambassador to Jordan Birgitta Siefker-Eberle said her country has expertise in the field that could benefit the Kingdom.