Iraq, Lebanon, MASAR, Maintaining Strength and Resilience for Local Governments

The project is contracted by the European Commission and financed by the EU’s Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (“MADAD”).
This project is carried out in cooperation with the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD), Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM), and KL Denmark (KL).

Programme Objective:

The wider objective of the project is to strengthen the long-term resilience of targeted sub-national governments and their host, refugee and IDP populations to deal with displacement.

The specific objectives:

• SO1: To improve the capacities of sub-national governments to engage in holistic, area-based planning and consider different scenarios that respond to the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations.
• SO2: To improve service delivery to generate greater social stability outcomes, based on the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations.
• SO3: To empower sub-national governments and service providers to facilitate local economic development and to have better access to municipal investment that benefit the extension of safe public services and create economic opportunities for host, refugee and IDP populations.

The expected results of the project are:

R1 Enhanced capacities of sub-national governments to engage in holistic, area-based planning and consider different scenarios that respond to the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations:
1.1 Sub-national governments spatial planning capacities in target areas are strengthened.
1.2 Spatial scenarios are designed and provide concrete logic for sustainable municipal service delivery and municipal investment.
1.3 Users of municipal services are more aware and interested in service delivery.

R2 Increased service delivery that is responsive and generates greater social stability outcomes, based on the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations:
2.1 Sub-national governments and service provider capacities in target areas are strengthened.
2.2 Local Governments implement service delivery projects in a more efficient and responsive manner, in line with longer-term scenarios.
2.3 Users of municipal services are more aware and interested in service delivery.

R3 Empowered sub-national governments to facilitate local economic development and have better access to municipal investment that benefits the extension of safe public services and economic opportunities for host, refugee and IDP populations:
3.1 Capacity of local governments of local governments for projects beneficial to both host community and refugees to manage investment project and its procedures is strengthened.
3.2 Identification and formulation process for municipal investment projects benefit the extension of safe public services and creation economic opportunities for host communities and refugees are enhanced.
3.3 Economic growth potential and resilience of the local economy hosting target groups enhanced.
3.4 Social stability potential and resilience of the local economy hosting target groups enhanced.

Activities:

• Financial and administrative management of the project
• Setting up and maintaining internal and external M&E cycles in accordance with the donor’s requirements (IATI and AKVO)
• Coordination of joint programming with UNDP, UNHABITAT and international donors (e.g. GIZ)
• Development of (emergency) scenarios and a longer-term urban areas vision
• Capacity development for assessment and strategic planning (design and construction) for selected service delivery
• Analyzing, advising and drafting of national policy papers on relevant subjects based on relevant pilot and field experience
• Co-design internal processes for pilot projects for procurement, implementation and monitoring to enhance service delivery for each location
• Co-implement pilot projects in targeted locations to enhance service delivery in line with a spatial scenario plan and territorial development vision
• Municipal service quick wins, pilots, benchmarking, asset management, training and community outreach activities for improved and more inclusive service delivery
• Technical assistance, training and feasibility studies to help local governments and executing agencies to identify and formulate for municipal investment projects
• Establishment of working groups in participation of host community representatives, refugee/IDP and business owners
• Capacity development to design municipal investment projects to the guidelines and standards of investment financing institutions
• Identify priority investment projects together with sub-national governments
• Develop capacity to develop bankable projects, including necessary feasibility study, environmental impact assessment, and audits.