PLATFORMA

platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


Seminar for Dialogue and Capacity building of local and regional
authorities in the Mashrek in the development and local governance
fields

Date: 24 September 25 September 2014
Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Amman

Overview

The geographical region of the Mashrek as covered by this seminar encompasses Egypt,
Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. The region has, for many decades,
undergone political, military, ethnic, and religious tensions that have affected its stability. Of
the countries that we will be examining, one is a monarchy (Jordan), four are republics
(Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen) and the autonomous territory of Palestine, which has not
yet all the attributes of a state. The situation of stability based on secular and democratic
institutions still has a long road to cover in the region. The religious factor is important and
omnipresent throughout the region, in the constitution and across private and political
spheres.
The population in these countries is predominantly urban (Syria 56%, Jordan 83%, Lebanon
87%, Palestine 74%), with the exceptions of Egypt (44%) and Yemen (33%). All of these are
lower middle income countries with some industry and oil production, except for Palestine
whose economy depends mainly on the services sector. However one cannot overlook the
huge differences that exist between these and other countries of the region, or the relative
low levels of coverage of some basic services.
Nevertheless, in spite of the ceaseless political, military, and religious tensions, wars and
other perennial obstacles to the regions stability as a whole, and certainly to the
development of local autonomy and decentralization, some advances deserve recognition:
the holding of democratic local elections in Palestine and that decentralization appears in the
constitutions of Lebanon.
However, there are worries in the region of a broader trend toward the gradual
recentralization by central governments; in certain cases, even assuming the tasks of
providing street cleaning, sewer maintenance, and public health measures.



PLATFORMA
platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


PLATFORMA

It seems important, in this framework that PLATFORMA partners try to help to reinforce the
institutional and operational capacities of Local and Regional Authorities in the Mashrek,
particularly in the field of good governance and local development.

In that sense, our project hopes to strengthen the working areas developed in the framework
of the Structured Dialogue to promote good governance, and to further develop the strategic
reflection on enabling environment so as to make local LRAs development actors with their
own identity and role.

Objectives
to have an exchange with the participants on the content of the Communication for
local Authorities published by the European Commission in May 2013
1
;
to exchange information on the challenges and opportunities to support
decentralization in the Mashrek
to understand what can be the role of local authorities in conflict and post-conflict
situation, and how would it be possible to support local and regional government
actions in these contexts
to discuss views of LRAs of the regions regarding the topic of localizing the SDGs.
encourage local and regional authorities (LRAs) from the region to be proactive in
identifying opportunities for development cooperation

Participants

50-60 participants from the region will be invited to participate:
representatives of LRAs (elected local and regional representatives and local
representatives in charge of international cooperation);
representatives of civil society;
representatives of national governments;
representatives of the European Union Delegations from the targeted countries.



1
European Commission (2013) Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries
for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes


PLATFORMA
platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


Program

After the introductory session, a presentation and discussion of the Communication of the
European Commission on the role of LRAs in development cooperation will take place in
order to provoke an open debate on the issues and problems affecting the region and the
possible role of local governments, with an evaluation of the political background. The output
of the workshop will be aimed at generating recommendations that should help the
participating countries develop further towards democratic local governance.

Following are some of the themes to be discussed:

Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and
more effective development outcomes
A dialogue on localizing the sustainable Development goals (SDGs)
Support mechanisms available to LRAs
Decentralisation in Mashrek

Documents

The seminar will be an active and participative experience for the participants but it will have
as reference material the following:

European Commission (2013) Empowering Local Authorities in partner
countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes
SKL PLATFORMA (2014) Draft document on Decentralisation in Mashrek;
International comparison and current trends within local self-governance, local
finance and service delivery
CUF PLATFORMA (2014) Draft document on local and regional governments
actions in a fragile state or in a state facing a crisis.






PLATFORMA
platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


DRAFT AGENDA

Day 1 24
th
September 2014
Time Session
09:15 - 10:00



Welcome and introduction
J oanna Wronecka, Ambassador, Chief of the EU Delegation
in Jordan
Akel Biltaji, Mayor of Amman
Ghassan Shaka President of Association of Palestinian Local
Authorities (APLA)
Walid Masri, Minister Municipal Affairs
Nicolas Wit, Deputy director of CUF
10:00 - 10:45 Presentation of the EC Communication on Local Authorities and
Development
Silvio Lazzari, DG DEVCO B2. Civil Society, Local
Authorities, Human and Society Development, European
Commission
Questions from the participants
10:45 - 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 - 13:00

Round table on Governance for Development, Decentralisation,
Service Provision and Post-2015 Agenda

Moderated by Mohamed Boussraoui, UCLG representative
Isam Akel, Executive Director ; Association of Palestinian
Local Authorities (APLA)
Roger El Ashi, Mayor Moukhtara and President Federation of
Higher Chouf, Lebanon
Mohammed Zawahreh, City Manager of Zarqa (Jordan)
Khaled Abdelhalim Executive Director of the Local
Development Observatory Local Administration Reform Unit
(Egypt)

13:00 - 14:30 Lunch



PLATFORMA
platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


Time Session


14:30 15: 00



Presentation of Study on the challenges and opportunities to support
decentralisation in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen

Myriam Ababsa, Institut franais du Proche-Orient, and Aziz Hallaj,
American University of Beirut (Lebanon), on decentralisation policy

15:00 - 15:15 Coffee Break

15:15 - 17:00

Round table on the challenges and opportunities to support
decentralisation in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen: local government
perspective

Moderated by Belhassen Turki, Project Manager, SKLinternational
Mohammed Maaiteh, Mayor of Karak, Jordan
Noha Ghosseiny, Mayor of Baakline, President of the
Federation of the Chouf Soueijani Municipalities and Member
of the Lebanon Mayors Committee.
Abdel Nofal, Representative from Palestinian Municipal
Lending Fund on local finance
Amgad Abdulrahman, Representative from Yemen
Mahmoud Ramadan, Ex-Councillor Aleppo, Syria
Waleed Mahmoud El-Edfawy, Head of public relation
department, Luxor water company (Egypt)

19.15

Bus pick-up to the Restaurant
20:00 Dinner at Jafra Restaurant




PLATFORMA
platforma@ccre-cemr.org
www.platforma-dev.eu
With the support of the European Commission


Day 2, 25
th
Sept 2014
Time Session

09:00 11:00

Presentation on Local and regional government actions in a fragile
state or in a state facing a crisis.

Nicolas Wit Deputy General Director of Cits Unies France

Speakers:
Arne Musch (Business Unit manager), VNG International
Mohamed Saab, Mayor of Chebaa and President of Al Arqoub
Federation (Lebanon)
Franois Grnewald, Executive Director, Groupe URD
(Urgence, rhabilitation, dveloppement), France

11:00 - 11:15 Coffee break

11:15 - 12:00

How to reinforce the relationship between LRAs from Mashrek and
the European union : instruments for development cooperation

12:00 - 13:00 Conclusions and wrap-up

hsan KZER Coordinator General UCLG-MEWA
Raed Al Adwan, Representative of Government of Jordan
Noha Ghosseiny, Mayor of Baakline, President of the Federation
of the Chouf Soueijani Municipalities and Member of the Lebanon
Mayors Committee.
Olivier Boudart, EC Representative
Hkan Gustafsson, Managing Director, SKL International.


Time Session
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch

14:30 - 16:30

Consultation on Localizing the Post-2015 agenda

Session prepared in the framework of the campaign by the Global
Taskforce of Local Governments, UNDP and Habitat on Means of
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals