All media representatives are invited to attend the ceremony of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Reinforcement of Local Democracy financed by the European Union, between United Nations Development Programme and partner municipalities, on Tuesday, 29 September 2009, at the BiH Institutions building, I floor, hall 1, at 11.00 hrs.
Mr Boris Iarochevitch, Charge d`affaires of the European Commission Delegation to BiH, Ms Christine McNab, Resident Representative of UNDP BiH and Mr Srđan Arnaut, Deputy Justice Minister of BiH, will address the participants, while the Memorandum of Understanding will be signed by the mayors of Banja Luka, Bihać, Bugojno, Doboj, Gračanica, Laktaši, Maglaj, Mrkonjić Grad, Novi Grad Sarajevo, Široki Brijeg, Travnik, Velika Kladuša, Višegrad, Zenica.
The European Union provided 1.5 million eur for this project, aimed at contributing to democratic stabilisation, conciliation and further development of Bosnia and Herzegovina through support to select municipalities in establishing improved local authority/civil society relations and facilitating financing mechanisms for improved service delivery.
Upon a transparent selection process with clearly set out criteria, out of 37 municipalities which applied to participate in the project, a total of 14 most competent municipalities were selected. The project objectives are to facilitate permanent partnerships between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and local authorities by building awareness on a mutual beneficial cooperation and encouraging sustainable dialogue; to create and adopt a unified and transparent mechanism for disbursing funds foreseen for CSOs and their activities, based on the project approach, local social service needs and identified priorities; and to ensure a sustainable source of funding through a municipal budget line for financing CSO projects and to encourage NGOs/CSOs to specialize/professionalise their activities – to adopt a longer-term planning perspective, to become more responsive to local needs and less dependent on current donor priorities.
For more details please contact: www.undp.ba
Asja Čengić, Public Relations
e-mail: acengic@undp.ba
+387 (0) 33 56 38 38 ; +387 (0) 33 55 23 30
