Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad presents municipal Code of Conduct

On 6 June 2011 some 300 mayors, local councillors and ministry officials gathered in Al-Bireh for the public launch of a Code of Conduct for municipal elected officials. In addition to Prime Minister Fayyad, the event was also attended by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Khaled Khawasmi, the Chairman of the Local Authority Association, Majed Abu Ramadan, and the Head of the Representative Office of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ramallah, Dr Goetz Lingenthal.

The Code consists of principles and rules for mayors and council members to ensure the equal treatment of citizens, the binding nature of the law for local administrations and a clear focus on the public interest in local decision-making processes. ‘The commitment to the Code of Conduct is the right way to strengthen citizens' confidence in their local representatives,’ said Prime Minister Fayyad.

The twelve rules of the Code of Conduct were developed jointly by the Ministry for Municipal Affairs and the BMZ-funded GIZ Local Governance Programme (LGP). In future they will be displayed in town halls in the Palestinian territory, not only signifying a commitment by the municipalities, but also creating a basis for local accountability. This applies regardless of whether a citizen seeks planning permission in a ‘one-stop-shop’ citizens’ advice centre, or exercises his or her rights to participate in local planning processes.

Besides organising the high-profile signing ceremony and a manual, the LGP is supporting the introduction of a new Act for local municipal supervision, which the Palestinian territories have not had so far. This provides more than just a legal basis for classifying breaches of duty. ‘The resulting system of municipal supervision creates legal certainty for local authorities and the Ministry. Municipal self-governance will be strengthened by the Ministry’s provision of high-quality professional advice and guidance, which will in turn contribute to the creation of a framework for administrative action under the rule of law,’ said Ulrich Nitschke, GIZ programme director.

Authors: Kristin Hentschel, Andrea Donath

Photo: Signing ceremony for the municipal code of conduct. Prime Minister Fayyad (3rd from right) and the head of the German Representative Office in Ramallah, Goetz Lingenthal.