THE COURSES OF MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DEFINED
04/10/2007
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By adopting drafts or proposals of rights-based development strategies in municipalities of Goražde, Jajce, Kalesija and Lopare, the planning phase within the UNDP – RMAP programme has been completed.
In mid-November 2006, mayors of these four partner municipalities signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNDP and initiated strategy-building activities. Following an intensive team field work of several months and with great participation of citizens, representatives of public, private and civil sectors, draft development strategies were unanimously adopted by the municipal councils/assemblies in Kalesija, Lopare and Jajce, while the Goražde strategy was adopted in the form of a proposal. The adoption of draft strategies in Kalesija, Lopare and Jajce will be followed by public hearings that will last 20 to 60 days.
The very process of creating the municipal development strategies is based on principles of social inclusion, non-discrimination, equality and transparency, allowing for the broad participation of the local population. Particular attention is paid to the needs of the most vulnerable population groups, such as the Roma, rural population, children and youth, women, persons with special needs, returnees, elderly and infirm.
The result of the process is creation of integrated, multi-annual development strategies, which define the vision, development goals, objectives and concrete project interventions for the municipality.
Integral parts of the Strategies are annual action plans that consist of priority programmes and projects whose implementation is expected in 2008. Following the adoption of the strategies, UNDP will further extend its support to the partner municipalities by providing technical assistance and capacity building, as well as seed funding for the implementation of priority projects.
The strategy-building process was supported by the Rights-based Municipal Development Programme (RMAP), which aims at building municipal capacities for policy development, planning and project management. It also provides support to the long-term inclusion of marginalised population groups and achievement of balanced development at the local level in BiH. The Programme is currently supported by the governments of Japan, Norway, Germany, as well as by UNDP.
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