Support
to Local Administration Reform Programme in Turkey
Project name:
Support to Local Administration Reform Programme in Turkey
Timeline: September
2005 - December 2007
What's the situation?
In the context of a broader programme to modernize and democratize
the Turkish administrative system, so as to align it with
EU standards and to strengthen the administrative capacities
for future EU membership, the Government of Turkey has undertaken
a programme aimed at the reform and modernisation of the local
administrations in the country (Municipalities and Special
Provincial Administrations).
The programme, already
launched through the adoption of new legislation on Local
Authorities, encompasses a wide number of reforms, in all
aspects of local administration and management, with the final
purpose of enabling Local Authorities to provide better public
services, carry out a more efficient management of their financial
resources and enhance their capacity for a more active engagement
in policy making with national authorities as well as in creating
partnerships with other Local Authorities in EU member countries.
The primary responsibility for the implementation of the programme
has been conferred to the Ministry of Interior (General Directorate
for Local Authorities). The Programme is supported by the
European Union through the MEDA programme, administered by
the European Commission.
What's our mission?
UNDP Turkey has been selected by the Turkish Government and
the European Commission to provide technical assistance requested
by the Ministry of Interior and financed by the European Union.
To this end, a Project titled "Support to Local Administration
Reform Programme" has been launched in August 2005, and is
due to last until November 2007.
The Project supports
the implementation of three main components of the Local Administration
Reform Programme:
- Strengthening reform
capacities (at Ministry of Interior, as well as in Unions
of Local Authorities);
- Improve budgetary
procedures and service performance in Municipalities;
- Strengthen the effectiveness
and efficiency of human resources,
How are we doing
this?
The project will support the implementation of the programme
by providing policy advice and technical assistance to the
Ministry of Interior and the Local Authorities in the formulation
of a long-term strategy for the implementation of the reform
programme, through a participatory process involving all pertinent
stakeholders. The project places special importance on the
provision of technical assistance and training for the development
of organizational and human resources capacities involved
in the reform namely those at the Ministry of Interior (General
Directorate for Local Authorities, Governorates and District
Governorates), the Unions of Local Authorities (Municipalities
and Special Provincial Administrations), the Local Authorities
themselves (elected representatives and professional staff)
and in the private sector (consultants on local public finances
and management).
In particular, in the field of local public
services, investments and budgeting, the project will provide
technical assistance for the formulation and implementation
of at least six pilot projects in selected municipalities.
These pilot projects will focus on the development and implementation
of Local Services' Improvement Action Plans, the development
of Strategic Planning instruments (required by the new legislation
on Public Financial Management and Control, in Municipalities
with more than 50.000 inhabitants) and the elaboration of
multi-year investment programmes and budgets that are in line
with strategic planning and the new legal requirements. The
project will help develop new manuals and software tools for
municipal financial management and accounting, based on best
practices and examples developed by multilateral and bilateral
donors (particularly from EU) involved in local administration
development projects in new EU member states or other candidate
countries.
The project will also assist the Ministry
of Interior in the development, pilot testing and delivery
of two main training programmes: one on municipal management
in general (for approximately 500 municipal staff from small
and medium-sized municipalities); and a second one on municipal
financial management (for Turkish consultants, which will
include a certification system). In both cases, the project
will develop training curricula, manuals and materials based
also on best practices of EU member states and/or candidate
countries. Both training programmes will be designed to enable
easy conversion into on-line training programmes. As well,
an on-line resource centre for municipalities will be created
during the time span of the project.
Eventually, the project will provide technical
assistance in the areas of programme communication (by means
of regional, national and international events, as well as
through a programme web-site and newsletter) and the enhancement
of partnerships between Turkish municipalities and with municipalities
in EU member countries.
Who are our partners?
Our partners are:
- The European Commission (through EC Delegation
in Turkey), as the funding donor
- The Ministry of Interior (General Directorate
for Local Authorities), as the governmental institution
responsible for the LAR Programme and UNDP's counterpart
for the implementation of the technical assistance project.
- The Unions of Municipalities (national
and regional) and Unions of Special Provincial Administrations.
- Municipalities and Special Provincial Administrations
involved in the implementation of the pilot projects on
municipal services and budgeting as well as in the training
activities of the project.
- TODAIE (our main partner for the development
of the two training programmes)
- European and Turkish experts and institutions
active in the fields of local administration, management
of local public services and local development.
How will Turkey benefit?
From a broader perspective, Turkey will benefit from the project
by advancing in the reform of its Local Administrations thus
getting closer to European standards and requirements on administrative
capacities for EU membership. Turkish citizens will also benefit
from direct representation and the provision of services by
more democratic, effective and efficient local administrations,
fully able to develop and implement strategic plans for the
development of local communities, to efficiently administer
public and financial resources allocated to them and hence
deliver high quality local services.
PROJECT
DOCUMENTS
- Government's " White Paper "
on Public sector / Public Administration reform (section
on Local Administration Reform) - available at Government's
web-site (www.basbakanlik.gov.tr
> Kamu
Yönetiminde Yeniden Yapilanma > Degisimin
Yönetimi için Yönetimde Degisim)
- Technical and Administrative Provisions
(TAPs) for the implementation of EU/MEDA-funded Local
Administration Reform Programme (document available
at Project's office (available at the website of the
Government's General Secretariat for EU Affairs)
- Terms of Reference for TA Project
on " Support to Local Administration Reform Programme
"
- UNDP's Technical Offer for "
Support to Local Administration Reform Programme "
|
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Republic of Turkey
Ministry of Interior
General Directorate of Local Administrations
Project Implementation Unit
Tel: (90-312) 417 2099
Tel: (90-312) 417 3617
E-mail: lartur@icisleri.gov.tr
E-mail: lartur@undp.org
|
