Programme description

Title: Local Development through Good Municipal Governance (PROMUDEL)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Country: Guatemala
Lead executing agency: Office of the Vice-President of Guatemala
Overall term: 2006 to 2012

Context

The signing of the peace accord in 1996 after 36 years of civil war created the foundation for a process of peace and reconciliation. The accord contains an agenda of key economic, social, political and legal reforms, but there is still a long way to go to eliminate the conflict’s root causes. At the municipal level, most local authorities and organised civil society are still unable to carry out core municipal tasks. And the majority of the marginalised population is still not in a position to participate adequately in the shaping of political will or in economic development.

Objective

Selected municipalities in four departments practise good governance characterised by efficiency and transparency. Municipal services have tangibly improved and cooperation and communication between local government and civil society is strengthened.

Approach

The programme area includes municipalities in the departments of Alta und Baja Verapaz, Quiché and Huehuetenango. The programme, with joint financing by Germany and Sweden, works mainly with municipal authorities, local development councils and other representatives of organised civil society.

The work of the development councils at the village and municipal level, which has enjoyed legal recognition since 2002, is being consolidated. Thanks to the development councils, disadvantaged population groups, such as indigenous peoples, women and young people, are better integrated. The municipal councils accept the role of these participatory committees and consult with them on development measures.

The programme - known in the region as ‘Municipios para el Desarrollo Local’ (PROMUDEL) - simplifies bureaucratic procedures, ensures that the municipal council uses existing financial management systems in decision-making and helps raise local authorities’ capacity to generate own income.

PROMUDEL also actively supports municipal services. In close cooperation with the population in poorer areas, the municipalities are piloting the implementation of smaller-scale model infrastructure projects with 50 percent financing through local subsidies. The aim is to reduce the distrust that has accumulated between the authorities and inhabitants of these neglected regions and to establish joint decision-making and implementation mechanisms.

Results achieved so far

In its first phase, the programme advised 35 municipalities in the four departments. 25 municipalities have improved the management of municipal services, such as the water supply, waste water disposal and waste disposal. Grants awarded to improve services at local level have enabled the implementation of 75 projects with 12,476 beneficiaries. 25 municipalities have increased their own revenues by more than 30 % and in 26 municipalities the municipality development council (COMUDE) is functioning correctly. 19 municipal councils inform the COMUDE of the financial situation and the projects’ progress every three months. In many municipalities new offices have been opened, which demonstrates the political will and the compromise of implementing improvement measures. Thus, with the programme’s support, 25 women’s and eight youth offices have been set up, as well as 26 offices responsible for public services. Bilingual citizens’ information points have been set up in 11 municipalities, providing information about the various municipal proceedings and units in Spanish and in the local Maya language.