Thousands of Local Elected Officials Benefit from Training Programmes
Orhei, November 21, 2007 – About 4,000 out of 12,000 of local elected representatives of public administration have already benefited from training programme, the goal of which is to learn about the fundamental principles of local public administration activities and form a better understanding of their roles. This nation-wide activity, launched at the beginning of this October, is an integral part of the Integrated Local Development Programme, funded by UNDP Moldova, Swedish Agency for International Development (SIDA) and Soros Foundation in Moldova.
On November 21 the orientation session for 40 rayon counsellors and mayors was organized in the premises of public library “A. Donici” in Orhei. Sergiu Tatarov, Vice-Minister of Local Public Administration, Kaarina Immonen, UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova, Bo Westman, SIDA Representative in Moldova and other distinguished officials took part in this meeting. Many interesting discussions and debates, involving major aspects of local administration, took place during the visit.
“These training programmes will contribute to the establishment of transparent and responsible local public administration, declared Kaarina Immonen, UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova. Active involvement of local public administration counsellors, improvement of decision-making quality and establishment of on-going dialogue with the citizens is a core stone of every government for the sake of a prosperous community.”
The orientation session in Orhei is organised by the Viitorul Institute of Development and Social Initiatives that delivers the training in the Central rayons of the country (including the Chisinau municipality). In the North and South of Moldova, the training activities are organised by the Contact National Centre for Assistance and Information for Non-Governmental Organisations. The sessions will cover all 901 mayoralties and local councils of the country (including the autonomous region of Gagauzia), the way that by the beginning of 2008 the majority of local elected representatives receive adequate training.
The training programme was preceded by training-of-trainers workshop for 30 facilitators who nowadays apply the knowledge received within the framework of training activities for local elected representatives. All the methodological materials, among which the “Guide for Local Elected Representative”, the core guidelines for any representative of local public administration, were developed by the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Moldova.
“Via this national-scale action, says Valeria Ieseanu, manager of Local Self-Governance and Participation component of the Integrated Local Development Programme, UNDP Moldova intends to accomplish one of its fundamental objectives – support of local public administration for more efficient functioning in partnership with citizens.”
As a result of local elections this year, people who came to governance are the people, for whom public administration is a new activity, that is why the training programme, implemented by UNDP Moldova, has stimulated a lot of interest on behalf of local elected representatives. Until now the attendance during the training sessions has been about 70%.
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For further information – contact person: Valeria Ieseanu, Project Manager, valeria.ieseanu@undp.org, tel. 31 11 49/50.
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UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
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