Local governance and accountability and transparency: exploring opportunities for a Post 2015 agenda

Report Fourth Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean Local Governance and Accountability and Transparency: Exploring Opportunities for a Post 2015 Agenda

Democratic Governance Practice Area Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNDP/ RSCLAC

Report Fourth Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean Local Governance and Accountability and Transparency: Exploring Opportunities for a Post 2015 Agenda

THE TEAM RESPONSABLE FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE DOCUMENT The report about The Fourth Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean “Local Governance and Accountability and Transparency: Exploring Opportunities for a Post 2015 Agenda” reflects the work realized in the context of the Community of Practice that took place in Panama City (Panama) 21-23 November 2013. This Meeting was organized by the Democratic Governance Practice Area of the Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Development Programme/ Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, with the support and collaboration from the Global Programme on Anti-Corruption for Development Effectiveness (PACDE) of the UNDP/ Bureau for Development Policy.

The edition of the document was coordinated by Gerardo Berthin in collaboration with Luis RuizGimenez, Adriana Ballestín and Annina Hyvönen.

A heartfelt appreciation goes to Freddy Justiniano, Director, a.i. of the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean and to Patrick Keuleers, Officer in Charge of the Democratic Governance Group of UNDP´s Bureau for Development Policy (BDP).

Similarly, special gratitude to Anga Timilsina, Aida Arutyunova and Diana Torres from PACDE/BDP, and for UNDP colleagues Arkan El-Seblani, Francesco Checchi and Eloide Beth.

JANUARY 2014 The opinions and views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Opening of the Community of Practice .................................................................................................. 5 2. Policy Dialogue with Local Authorities- November 21, 2013 ................................................................. 6 2.1 Summary of the session ...................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Main results ......................................................................................................................................... 7 3. The Community of Practice – November 22 and 23, 2013 ..................................................................... 9 3.1 The First day of the Community of Practice- November 22 ............................................................. 10 3.2 The Second day of the Community of Practice- November 23 ........................................................ 13 4. Evaluation and Assessment of Meeting´s Results ................................................................................ 17 Annex .......................................................................................................................................................... 20

Introduction The IV Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice (COP) in Latin America and the Caribbean “Local Governance and Accountability and Transparency: Exploring Opportunities for a Post 2015 Agenda” was held in Panama City (Panama) for the first time, November 21-23, 2013. This Meeting gathered more than 70 participants, who provided valuable inputs for a regional strategy to strengthen local governance, transparency and accountability. Among them were 13 representatives from UNDP Country Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP specialists and advisers from New York, Bratislava, Beirut and Bangkok, and technical professionals form the United Nations System (UNODC, UNISDR and UNICEF). Nearly 20 local authorities, governors and mayors from Latin America and the Caribbean also participated.

The event was organized with the support from the Global Thematic Programme on Anti-Corruption for Development Effectiveness (PACDE) of BDP/UNDP, and by the Democratic Governance Practice Area of the Regional Centre LAC/RBLAC through the Regional Initiative of Transparency and Accountability in Local Governments- TRAALOG. During 2013, in diverse regional contexts, two similar meetings were held in the Arab and European Regions, Beirut, Lebanon (June) and Skopje, FYR Macedonia (October) respectively. Patrick Keuleers Officer in Charge of the Democratic Governance Group of UNDP´s Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) and Freddy Justiniano, Director of the UNDP Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean from the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC), inaugurated both the dialogue with the mayors and the IV Meeting.

In the afternoon of the 21, as a preamble to the CoP, a dialogue roundtable with the Local Authorities took place with the objective of initiating a policy dialogue around the opportunities and challenges of the local governance and decentralization processes in the Region. The context of the policy dialogue was the Post 2015 Agenda and the Sustainable Human Development principles. The protagonists of this part of the CoP were 19 local authorities form 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and Peru.

During the Policy Dialogue, local authorities highlighted the need to continue strengthening local institutions and emphasized the benefits of collaborative work. It was evident, the relevance of regaining citizens´ trust and of including effective mechanisms for citizen participation. There was consensus that in order to achieve these it was necessary to promote transparency and accountability by establishing control instruments and promoting a culture of integrity and prevention. The inputs generated during this session will feed the regional strategy for local governance and decentralization processes that is being developed by the Regional Centre to link with the new Strategic Plan, the new Regional Program Document and with the Integrated Strategy for Local Governance and Economic Development.

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The 22 and 23 constituted another space for discussion and dialogue, more specifically focusing on transparency and accountability in local governments. These two days of the CoP offered participants, including local authorities, a unique opportunity to share and exchange practices, tools, challenges and prospective. The need to strengthen the cross-cutting preventing anti-corruption approach, and the active promotion of transparency and accountability in local public management systems was highlighted. The CoP did not only offer the opportunity to analyze possibilities and tools to promote and support transparency and accountability in local governments, but also constituted a strategic forum to listen and learn from the work and reality of local authorities.

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Background The IV Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice (COP) in Latin America and the Caribbean “Local Governance and Accountability and Transparency: Exploring Opportunities for a Post 2015 Agenda,� is part of an effort to articulate and promote transparency and accountability themes in Latin America and the Caribbean initiated in 2008, when the first Meeting of Anti-Corruption Community of Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean took place in Lima, Peru.

In June 2009, the 2nd UNDP Latin American and Caribbean Community of Practice on Anti-Corruption was held in Bogota-Colombia, and provided a number of inputs about the needs in Country Offices and other regional initiatives. In September 2011, the 3rd UNDP Latin American and Caribbean Community of Practice on Anti-Corruption was held in San Jose, Costa Rica, where the key take away was that transparency and accountability are central elements to strengthen democratic governance at all levels.

These meetings were possible thanks to the assertive support of the Global Thematic Programme on Anti-Corruption for Development Effectiveness (PACDE).

In addition to the mentioned Meetings held in the region, the IV Meeting also follows in line with two other regional meetings that took place during 2013 with the support of PACDE as well. First, the Sixth Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Community of Practice in the Arab Region held in Beirut, Lebanon on 2829 of June. Second, the Regional Conference on Identifying and Addressing Corruption Vulnerabilities at Local Level (Eastern Europe & CIS), held in Skopje, FYR Macedonia on October 3-4. Both of these events produced a rich exchange of practices and lessons from the global, regional, and country levels perspectives that are strategic inputs for the work of UNDP in promoting transparency and accountability in local governments. As such, the IV Meeting in Panama also provided an opportunity to provide inputs to the Corporate Guidance Note on Transparency and Accountability in Local Governments, and identify programming entry points in the context of the New UNDP Strategic Plan and Regional Program Document, both for the period of 2014-2017.

Against this background (context, trends and challenges), and the 5th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption being held in Panama and Latin America for the first time (from 25th to 29th of November), the IV 4th Meeting Latin American and Caribbean Community of Practice on Anti-Corruption took place, focusing on the nexus of local governance and transparency and exploring linkages with the post 2015 development agenda. The Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda singled out the role of local governments in development, as a key partner to expand and sustain human development. Similarly, the Report highlights the key role of transparency, including in local governments.

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The CoP provided an opportunity to discuss the relevance of UNDP in promoting and facilitating initiatives dealing with local governments, transparency and accountability. At the same time it was a unique opportunity to obtain inputs from the Country Offices and local authorities. The CoP did not only provide the opportunity to analyze possibilities of promoting and supporting local governance and transparency activities, but also the challenges and possible approaches and strategies to be pursued.

As such, it constituted a forum for listening and learning about good practices and lessons from different countries and across regions and to explore possible synergies not only with current strategic initiatives, but also with regional and global initiatives as well. Finally, the CoP was a key forum for pursuing cutting-edge cross practice initiatives in transparency and local governments.

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1. Opening of the Community of Practice Freddy Justiniano, the Director of the UNDP Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean (RSCLAC), and Patrick Keuleers, Officer in Charge of the Democratic Governance Group of the Bureau for Development Policy opened the IV Meeting.

Freddy Justiniano, as the host, welcomed the participants to a Meeting that should promote dialogue and substantive discussions. He emphasized the promotion of transparency and accountability as a key ingredient to strengthen democratic governance and human development in the region. More so when according to a recent LAPOP survey, citizens recognized corruption as the third most important problem in the region.1 The fight against the corruption, from the point of view of UNDP, is centered above all in prevention and management of corruption risks. They are present and future challenges to strengthen democratic systems. Similarly, the recent and pioneering efforts of the Regional Center in promoting transparency and accountability were highlighted, in particular the strategy focusing on local governments through the Transparency and Accountability in Local Governments (TRAALOG). Freddy Justiniano explained that the RSC-LAC has directed its support to Country Offices in transparency and accountability through the TRAALOG initiative, providing technical assistance, services, tools and methodologies for immediate application and tailored made to each context.

Then Patrick Keuleers, Officer in Charge of the Democratic Governance Group of the Bureau for Development Policy, intervened and emphasized the importance of the topic of the COP in UNDP programming, as it is reflected in the UNDP Global Strategic Plan (2014-2017), and at the regional dimension, in the Regional Program for Latin America and the Caribbean (2014-2017). Patrick Keuleers also used his intervention to present the new UNDP global program of anti-corruption (GAIN- Global Anti-Corruption Initiative), in which TRAALOG will be an important component, this way reaching global relevance.

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Mitchell A. Seligson, et.al, eds (2013). The Political Culture of Democracy in the Americas: Toward Equality of Opportunity. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University.

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2. Policy Dialogue with Local Authorities- November 21, 2013

Participants Policy Dialogue with Local Authorities 

Carlos Hugo Molina (Moderator)



Juan Carlos Carola, Argentina, Attorney Gral. La Pampa Province



Hilberto Campos, Belize, Mayor of Corozal



Antônio Carlos Pannunzio, Brazil, Mayor of Sorocaba, Sao Paolo



Carlos Cuadrado Prats, Chile, Mayor of Huechuraba, Metropolitan Region of Santiago



Víctor Hugo Chavarría, Costa Rica, Mayor of La Alajuelita, San Jose



Luis Carlos Delgado, Colombia, Governor of the Department of Tolima



Natalia Abello, Colombia, General Secretariat, Alcaldía de Barranquilla



Carlos Ramos, El Salvador, Mayor of San Pedro Masahuat, La Paz Department



Brenda Ramsay, Jamaica, Mayor of de Mandeville, Manchester Parish



Luis Antonio Zapata Guerrero, Mexico, Mayor of Corregidora, Querétaro



Omar Candia Aguilar, Peru, Mayor of Alto Selva Alegre, Arequipa



Federico Barahona, Panama, Mayor of la Pintada



Faustino Camaño, Panama, Mayor of de Soná



Manolith Samaniego, Panama, Mayor of Arraiján



Manuel Delgado, Panama, Mayor of el Chagres



Lauren Garcia, Panama, Municipality of Santa Fé



Temístocles Javier Herrera, Panama, Mayor of La Chorrera



Yira Molinar, Panama, Mayor of Santa Isabel

This was a special session, a preamble and complement to the COP, which consisted of a Policy Dialogue Roundtable with local authorities, governors and mayors from 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The session was attended by representatives from 13 UNDP Country Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean, from the Regional Centre (RSC-LAC) of Panama, from the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, from the Regional Centre of Bratislava, Regional Centre of Pacific Asia, Regional Centre of the Arab States, from the Bureau of Development Policies (BDP) and the Virtual School of UNDP. The session had as its objective to open up a broad dialogue with local authorities, to

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analyze the opportunities and challenges for local governance and decentralization processes in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

2.1 Summary of the Session In addition to a policy dialogue with technical characteristics, such as the sessions of the COP of the following two days, this session in particular had as its objective to take advantage of the political experiences of local authorities. Understanding the political dimension of local governance and local development is a key strategic input.

The session reflected the extensive accumulated experience in local public management of the local authorities. For example, some local authorities have occupied different public positions not only at the local level, but also in the national scene. On the other hand, some have been elected to lead their respective local governments for at least two or more periods.

Also, the session benefitted from the heterogeneity of local authorities, in terms of sub-regions (South America, Southern Cone, Andean Region, Mesoamerican and Caribbean), as well as political systems (Unitary, Federal, Parliamentarian) and decentralization models and degree.

It is worth mentioning another shared characteristic by the overwhelming majority of the local authorities who participated in the Policy Dialogue Round Table; their previous working experience with UNDP, and their high level of commitment to development, democratic governance and transparency and accountability principles.

Moreover, local authorities in the roundtable policy dialogue represented a wide spectrum of local, territorial, sub-national government entities. This is a reflection of how diverse the local institutional structure and the spatial planning are in Latin America and the Caribbean (counties, parishes, and array of municipalities, districts, departments and provinces). Finally, there was also representation in local authorities of both sexes, giving the policy dialogue a diversity of views and experiences.

Gerardo Berthin, Governance and Decentralization Policy Adviser of the Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean explained the methodology of the Policy Dialogue, and immediately after Carlos Hugo Molina begun to moderate the policy dialogue. It started with a series of exploratory questions to start the conversation going. Each of the invited local authorities was given an opportunity to contribute and/or to respond to an array of topics, and also to highlight pertinent experiences in their respective localities.

2.2 Main results During the Policy Dialogue, local authorities highlighted the need to continue strengthening local institutions and emphasized the benefits of collaborative work. It was evident, the relevance of regaining citizens´ trust and of including effective mechanisms for citizen participation. There was consensus that in order to achieve these it was necessary to promote transparency and accountability by establishing control instruments and promoting a culture of integrity and prevention.

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Thematically, the Policy Dialogue Round Table allowed the discussion of a number of topics relevant to local governments. For example, local public administration, local economic development, aspects related with the quality of local democracy, citizen participation processes and finally topics linked with transparency and accountability.

According to each specific context, very specific topics and issues were raised. For example: -

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-

-

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In the case of Argentina, the role of administrative Investigations to pursue potential corrupt practices was emphasized, but also the complement with prevention through information systems and promoting transparency.

In the case of Belize, a country with only 9 municipalities and one third of a million inhabitants, the experience of the World Bank and the investments it made to enforce rules of transparency and accountability at the municipal level.

In the case of Brazil, the importance of the massive protests and social manifestations that occurred in 2013 was highlighted, originally intended to focus on the provision of local public services, but ended focusing on other issues including corruption, and the milestone for participatory democracy and participatory budgets accounted by the Porto Allegro experience.

In the case of Chile, the challenge to find a fair balance between local and national subsidies for key policy areas (Education, health, etc.) was highlighted. Furthermore, the importance of civic education for citizenship was stressed, starting from an early age in the educational cycle.

In the case of Colombia, the opportunity that has been brought by the Peace Negotiation Process has supported the need to strengthen and enhance local governance and decentralization processes to enable the transition in conflict territories that have little state presence.

In the case of Costa Rica, the development disparities among counties and the need to invest in strengthening the local councils were emphasized.

In the case of Jamaica, the development challenge that currently signifies limited resources of local governments was highlighted.

In the case of Mexico, the importance of (a genuine) political leadership to promote transparency and accountability in local governments was highlighted. Also the importance of promoting popular participation was mentioned, and that economic development and transparency in the use of resources do not always go together.

In the case of Panama, the importance of the family unit was emphasized and investment in civic education.

In the case of Peru, there emphasis was on the obligation of local governments to be accountable to citizens, and how this can produce a more effective articulation between local governments and citizens and enable a link between the state and society at the local level.

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Citizen participation  Social audit  Participative Budgeting

Transparency  Access to information  Accountability and services through internet  Electronic procurement and vendor system  Anti-corruption systems

Citizen Values  Loss of trust in the political system  Hopelessness of the people  Strengthening spiritual, human and social values  Support the peace processes

Management capacity  Need of institutional strengthening  Taking advantage of the advantages of tourism  Resolve major hurdles in Basic Public Services  Innovations in health and education  Civil Service Career  Development of instruments for local democracy

Institutional and productive relationships  Developing capacities in productive endeavors  Development of local economy and overcoming unemployment  Public valuation in recreational activities and sports  Use of the cooperation instruments and commonwealth approaches

Other relevant issues to local governance that were raised during the policy dialogue session were: -

How can more women participate in local politics and how to achieve local governments being more receptive to the participation of women?

How to promote the gender approach from the local space?

How can local governments have influence in extractive industry policies?

What is the role of local governments in peace processes?

How to promote effective spaces and mechanisms for youth political participation at the local level?

What is the role of intermediate sub-national governments (provinces, departments, states), how to strengthen them to articulate public policy and promote multi-level governance?

The Policy Dialogue Round Table with Local Authorities provided a number of inputs for the different discussion sessions taking place the next two days (22 and 23 of November).

3. The Community of Practice- 22 and 23 of November, 2013 Following the first day that was entirely dedicated to collect inputs, in particular the visions of the local authorities on the challenges and opportunities for local government and the processes of decentralization, the CoP initiated the next day with the challenging task to incorporate all of these inputs, ideas and lessons learned in the discussions. At the same time, a key objective of these two days was to generate new inputs and be able to translate them into prospective and realistic programmatic

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strategies and into partnerships. Compared to the more political focus that the previous session had, the two next days departed from a different platform, more technical and instrumental.

The first day of the CoP was opened with a series of presentations to position the theme. After that, specific discussion panels took place with professionals from different UNDP Country Offices and regional and global units as well as from other agencies of the United Nations System. Meanwhile, local authorities, who had had a starring role the previous day, also had a prominent role in the rest of the CoP serving as commentators for panels and actively participated throughout with inputs.

During the second and last day of the CoP, instead, the objective was to articulate all of the inputs from the previous two days, through group working sessions and discussions.

3.1 The first day of the Community of Practice- November 22 Positioning the thematic of the Community of Practice In the first session, “Setting the Stage for the meeting: Why Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability?" Gerardo Berthin, Governance and Decentralization Policy Adviser, followed up by Anga Timilsina, Programme Manager of PACDE/BDP and Lourdes Gómez, Program Specialist of the ART Initiative, had the task of positioning the thematic framework for the CoP. There were two thematic issues that needed to be articulated, the local governance decentralization dimension and the accountability and transparency on the other. Similarly, it was important to articulate the global and regional dimensions, as well as to contextualize the topics within the corporative and regional programmatic frameworks.

In this panel the crucial role of transparency in strengthening democratic governance and promotion of human development was highlighted. Also a number of dimensions in local governance that require transparency and accountability were identified, such as: open public policy and administrative decisionmaking processes; resource management; operations and service delivery; investment priorities and their implementation; and procurement and contracts. The promotion of transparency could have a positive effect in local governance, in preventing the abuse of power and the discretion of the decisions, as well as generally reducing the opportunities for corruption. Another aspect that was highlighted was the work of the UNDP, not only in the Latin America and Caribbean region, but at the global level. Its vast experience supporting a wide range of transparency and accountability initiatives was recognized.

The Country Office experiences In the next session, the discussion went down to the most tangible work experience of UNDP in this topic, which highlighted the work and experience of selected Country Offices. The second session: Lessons in implementing Local Governance, and Transparency and Accountability: Perspectives of a Country Office in Latin America and the Caribbean, moderated by Marco Stella, the Anti-Corruption Specialist of PACDE/BDP, started the discussion with a key question; “Based on the experiences of Country Offices, what lessons can be share about the implementation of transparency and accountability

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initiatives?" Nora Luzi from UNDP Argentina highlighting the importance of UNDP projects in strengthening institutional capacities of sub-national governments, and the role of UNDP in promoting the implementation of commitments and obligations assumed by countries. Anyarlene Berges from the UNDP Dominican Republic added the importance and advantages of UNDP regional initiatives as broader platforms to promote dialogue on politically sensitive issues, such as decentralization or transparency. Similarly, she added the strategic aspect of regional platforms at the country level to promote transparency and accountability from key cross-cutting sectors such as youth and women.

Gilda Pacheco from UNDP Costa Rica focused on human development disparities within countries. She emphasized the comparative advantage of working at the local level in promoting human development through plans and strategies, precisely to promote a more inclusive and equitable human development from the local space.

In this session, Brenda Ramsay, Mayor of Mandeville/ Manchester Parish (Jamaica), Carlos Cuadrado, Mayor of Huechuraba (Chile), and Luis Carlos Delgado, Governor of Tolima (Colombia), were given the opportunity to comment and provide inputs. Their comments and inputs focused on the responsibility to educate the citizenry with civic values, not only making efforts to involve them in decision-making processes, but also in ensuring access to tools such as access to public information and accountability of local government work to citizens.

Transparency and accountability at the sectorial level The next session aimed to highlight the sub-national sectorial work in transparency and accountability in the area of sectorial development policies, with a special emphasis on the Millennium Development Goals, and other themes of the Post-2015 Agenda. In this context the Third Session, “Sectorial Accountability Initiatives and their contribution to local transparency and accountability,� took place moderated by Laura Rivera, Governance Programme Officer of UNDP- El Salvador. There were three sectorial experiences presented, each with emphasis on elements that could be important to consider for replication (actors, factors).

Kifah Sasa, from UNDP Costa Rica, presented an innovative initiative (implemented in collaboration with the Environment and Democratic Governance areas) supporting transparency and accountability in the Rural Administrative Associations of Aqueducts (ASADAS the acronym in Spanish). He pointed not only to the need of identifying corruption risks and developing continuous capacity in transparency and accountability for local governments, in complement of national efforts, but also strategic alliances within and outside UNDP. Ana Patricia Polo from UNDP Colombia highlighted the experience in Cartagena to design a strategy to prevent corruption risks in public service delivery, and the importance of citizens (as users of the service) involvement in preventive processes. Erica Massimo de Machado, from UNDP Brazil, emphasized the importance of initial diagnostics in sectors, in this case referring specifically to the health sector experience in the State of Sao Pablo. UNDP support in the selfassessment exercise was fundamental to produce a manual useful in the entire state to prevent corruption risks in the health delivery.

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In this session, Hilberto Campos, Mayor of Corozal (Belize), Luis Antonio Zapata, Mayor of Querétaro (Mexico), and Omar Candía Aguilar, Mayor of Altos de Arequipa (Peru), were given the opportunity to comment and provide inputs. Their inputs focused on being proactive in informing citizens about health, education and investments, as well as strengthening the capacity of citizens, in particular youth, to conduct social audit exercises.

Global Perspectives from Other Regions Once the national and sectorial transparency and accountability initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean were presented, a new thematic stream was initiated to share global experiences from other regions. The Fourth Session: Lessons in implementing Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability: Global Perspectives, moderated by Elsie Laurence-Chounoune, Deputy Resident Representative UNDP Jamaica. In the panel, three Anticorruption Specialists participated: Francesco Checchi, UNDP Regional Centre- Bratislava; Arkan El Seblani, UNDP ACIAC- Beirut; and Elodie Beth, UNDP Regional Centre- Bangkok. Each one contributed inputs from their own regional perspective.

From the Arab region, the need to seize the current momentum of change being experience by the region was highlighted, in particular as an opportunity to strengthen decentralization and promote transparency and accountability initiatives in local governments mainly focusing in enforcing normative frameworks or in designing complementary legislation to ensure citizen participation, access to information and ethics in public service. From the Eastern European region, Francesco Checchi emphasized risk management and approaches to promote integrity at the local level. While there are many methodologies available to identify vulnerabilities and promote integrity, there is no “ideal methodology.” Thus, it is important to tailor the development and application of approaches to each context. Elodie Beth, from the Asian Pacific region, added introducing the issue of technology and open government systems as means to promote transparency and accountability in the public policy cycle.

Cross-Practice and United Nations Agencies Work The fifth and final panel of the first day of the CoP was the session: Contributions and Lessons of the Cross-Practices and the Interagency Work. It was an opportunity to present experiences by other UNDP practice areas and other UN agencies, such as UNISDR, UNICEF and UNODC. The panel was moderated

by Guillermina Martin, the UNDP RSC-LAC. Each of the participants contributed from the perspective of each agency/practice, adding reflections and inputs in terms of the intersection or links between the themes of each of their experiences with transparency and accountability. Ruben Vargas from UNISDR focused on concrete tools for local authorities to manage and prevent risks, and the potential value of these tools for local economic development. Joaquín González from UNICEF shared some sectorial initiatives promoted by UNICEF in collaboration with local authorities in India, where the focus is on rights to access to information, complaint systems for users and social audits. This is one approach to respond to citizens´ concerns about the quality and accessibility of public services. Daniel Luz, the UNDP Citizen Security Adviser of RSC-LAC, focused on horizontal and proactive citizen participation, and

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knowledge about laws and their application as preventive instruments against corruption and citizen insecurity. UNOCD, represented by the Regional Adviser Virginia de Abajo, focused on collaborative work to strengthen capacities among public servants in Latin America and the Caribbean, and on advancing legislation that regulates access to information. Moreover, she suggested disseminating the UNCAC (particularly Chapter III on preventive Measures) to local authorities, as a potential instrument to promote integrity. In this session, Carlos Ramos, Mayor of San Pedro Masahuatl (El Salvador) and Natalia Abello, General Secretariat from the Municipality of Barranquilla (Colombia), were given the opportunity to comment and provide inputs. Both focused on proactive transparency (data, indicators), information and perception surveys to better respond to citizen expectations. Similarly, the value of transparency and accountability in public procurement, both in terms of access to pertinent information and to account at all states of the process.

3.2 The Second day of the Community of Practice- November 23 The array of panels and discussions of the first day of COP provided an opportunity to analyze various topics related to local governance and transparency and accountability from different angles. Similarly, the previous day offered an opportunity to share the experience of UNDP at different levels (local, national and regional, global), the cross practice work and potential collaborative initiatives with other UN agencies. The discussion was rich in content and benefited from the great expertise and knowledge, from both local authorities and technical professionals. During the second day of the COP, the methodology was more open and collective, giving priority to participatory work and strategic inputs for future work at the local, national, regional and global levels.

Links to the new UNDP programmatic frameworks During the Sixth Session: Local Governance, Transparency and Accountability in the New Strategic Plan and Regional Program (2014-2017), the Officer in Charge of the Democratic Governance Group of the Bureau for Development Policy, Patrick Keuleers, presented the broad lines of the recently approved Strategic Plan of UNDP (2014-2017), which is considered the roadmap for the next four years.

Meanwhile, the Regional Governance Policy Adviser of UNDP, Gerardo Berthin, presented the main elements of the new Regional Program of UNDP (2014-2017). Then subsequent group work sessions promoted discussions on tools and issues to serve as inputs for future programming.

Tools for Transparency and Accountability in Local Governments The first group session was about: Tools for Transparency and Accountability in Local Governments.

All of the groups had to generate discussions around two concrete questions:  

What tools exist to promote transparency and accountability in local governments?

What additional tools are needed to promote transparency and accountability in local governments?

Tables 1 and 2 respectively show a summary of the results of the discussions.

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Table 1: Tools Currently Available Transparency portals Complaints systems Electronic procurement Service telephone Hotlines Ombudsman Internal control systems and public ethics E-government initiatives Transparency in electoral processes Annual accountability public reports Consumer protection services Integrity pacts

Systems to monitor local management capacities Laws of access to information Capacity development

Freedom of the Press Gender commissions Active civil society Social Auditing Open government Laws of citizen participation Town meetings Rights of access to public information Participatory budgeting ART approach to articulate actors and policies, local working groups Local development planning and Local Development Agencies (ADELs), local development agencies, connecting economics with management Tools to promote integrity in legislative and/or parliamentarian processes ONU REDD, environment and forestry management Oversight committees (veedurias/local NGOs)

Table 2: Tools that we Need/ deficiencies Ethics and integrity in education systems (Civic education) Tailored-made e-government applications for local levels Information systems of budgets (improve existing ones) Citizen report cards (improve existing ones) Strengthen institutional capacities (tailored-made for local governments)

Whistle blowing/witness protection Tools to promote strategic partnerships (government, NGOs, private sector) Regulatory frameworks and independent bodies to enforce norms Knowledge sharing, identification and systematization of practices through federation/association of municipalities.

Training for newly elected local authorities (tailored made)

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For the next group session, "Discussion on Corporate Guidance Note on Local Governance and Transparency” each group was assigned a specific question for discussion (see Matrix below) The main results of the two discussion sessions are described below, and these are the inputs to the Guidance Note:

GROUP 1 Caribbean Countries

GROUP 2 Southern Cone

GROUP 3 Andean Countries

GROUP 4 Central America

Question/topic:

Question/topic:

Question/topic:

Question/topic:

1.

What are some vulnerabilities in issues of transparency and accountability at the local level to be highlighted in the Corporate Guidance Note?

2. What are the areas for reform and recommendations that should be highlighted in the Corporate Guidance Note?

3. What areas should be included to the Corporate Guidance Note - eg. Serving youth/gender, fiscal transparency (prioritize the top 5)

4. Is there a specific experience that should be highlighted in the Corporate Guidance Note?

Results of the Session Group 1 Topic Addressed: Vulnerabilities in Transparency and Accountability at the local level for the inclusion in the Corporate Note on Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability Inputs/issues: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Distrust in equity of public services Overly complex and bureaucratic processes Lack of quality control in service delivery Availability of “alternative informal options,” to obtain public services Actions and discretion and persistence of impunity

Group 2 Topic Addressed: Areas of Reform and recommendations to be included in Corporate Note on Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability Inputs/issues: 1. Strengthen political parties and campaign finance, and through this encourage the participation of women.

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2. Deepening the processes of decentralization at the administrative, fiscal and political dimensions.

3. Civic Education to strengthen culture of integrity.

4. Quota systems in countries where they do not exist.

5. Strengthen civil service at municipal level.

6. Tax reform to ensure adequate resources.

7. Permanent ban on sub-contractors who have participated in corruption. In these cases sanctions for the private sector should be more severe.

Group 3 Topic Addressed: Thematic topics to be included in the Corporate Note on Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability (e.g. service delivery, youth / gender, fiscal transparency) Inputs/issues: 1. Work with political parties, including training and raising awareness among party members about accountability and transparency issues.

2. Work with young people in transparency and accountability topics (social audit, UNCAC, access to information).

3. Strategic engagement and dialogue from local governments with small and medium enterprises (local), large corporations (national and international) and social organizations.

4. Work on extractive industries and mega projects and citizen oversight and dialogue.

5. The role of the UN in coordinating with other actors of the international community to strengthen efforts in promoting preventive actions.

6. Corruption as an obstacle to the exercise of women´s rights.

7. Analysis and understanding of how corruption affects human security.

8. Transparency in local peace processes and dialogue, to strengthen post-conflict societies.

Group 4 Topic Addressed: Highlight specific experiences in the Corporate Note on Local Governance and Transparency and Accountability Inputs/issues: It was proposed specifically to highlight Risk Management Plans of 1500 Rural Administrative Associations of Aqueducts (ASADAS the acronym in Spanish) in Costa Rica supported by UNDP. The justification was:

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1. Focus on high-impact sector for human development, whose beneficiaries are 1500 ASADAS, which provides services to about 46% of the population.

2. Strategic engagement of UNDP with the National Water Authority.

3. Incorporation of Transparency and Accountability systems/approaches into the Water Institution.

4. Allows for strategic alliances (SIWI / PACDE).

4.

Evaluation and Assessment of Meeting´s Results

The main expected results of the COP were:  

   

Ideas and discussions fostered to promote and support future programming on accountability and transparency in local governments; Discussions and reflections promoted on advantages and disadvantages of promoting transparency and accountability in local governments vis a vis the national scene and in the context of the new Strategic Plan and Regional Programme Document (2014-2017); Lessons learned on local governance and transparency programming, tools and experiences, in particular for a more effective programming at the country level; Inputs for a short-term plan sketched to implement local governance and transparency programming; Possibilities for south-to-south cooperation within the region and other regions identified and discussed; and Inputs to the Corporate Guidance Note on Local Governance and Transparency.

The evaluation by participants showed that a majority of the results and expectations were achieved.

There is a high overall satisfaction (86%) with the event, with most emphasis on the relevance of the topic, the richness of discussions and exchanges and the potential of networking.

In the evaluation and assessment of the IV Meeting, specific topics were highlighted such as: -

The active participation of the mayors and local authorities Global and regional perspectives together with the feedback from local authorities.

Share experiences from different countries of the region and other regions.

The operational framework of UNDP, the new Strategic Plan and the Post 2015 Agenda.

In terms of usefulness of the Meeting, it was positively evaluated (87% said it was excellent and very good), in particular the opportunity to acquiring new practical ideas.

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Average scores on scale 1-5 (1 deficient and 5 excellent) 1. Achievement of the objectives

4.2

2. Content and subjects

4.3

3. Methodology of the Meeting

3.9

4. Presentations

3.9

5. Materials

4.5

6. Relevance to your work

4.6

7. Exchange of ideas and experiences

4.5

8. Networking

4.5

Average scores on scale 1-5 (1 deficient and 5 excellent)

1. My knowledge of and interest in the subject has improved

4.3

2. Motivation to act

4.3

3. Ideas on how to apply what has been learned

4.4

4. The Meeting has fulfilled my expectations

4.3

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To conclude, some real comments from participants expressing their general satisfaction with the IV Meeting: 

  

“I am grateful with the opportunity. I am hoping to be able to apply the ideas and initiatives in the Country Office where I work, as well as share experiences of our Office that could prove to be useful for the others.”

Excellent Community of Practice! Excellent participation and especially the opportunity to discuss with different people and open the dialogue beyond the UNDP.” “Really good idea to include local authorities and professionals from other regions to this event, not only experiences from within the UNDP as is normally the case.”

“Really good and productive group work sessions. Collective benefit from the diverse experiences, especially those of the mayors.”

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Annex Local Authorities that participated in the COP

Carlos Hugo Molina, Moderator of the Dialogue Round-Table BOLIVIA

Well-known expert in Decentralization and Commonwealth (mancommunities). He has held three different public posts in his country Bolivia.

First, he worked as a legal adviser for the Ministry of Defense. Later he became the main promoter of the pioneering Popular Participation Law (Law 1551) as a General Secretary of Popular Participation. Last but not least, was the Prefect of the Santa Cruz Department (2003-2005). Today he is the President of the Centre for Participation and Sustainable Human Development (CEPAD).

Natalia Abello Vives, General Secretary Municipality of Baranquilla COLOMBIA

General Secretary of the Special, Industrial and Port District of Barranquilla since 2012. Prior she was the Chief of the Legal Office at the Local Enterprise for Public Services Triple A, and was the Secretary General and Legal director of the Public Services Company Transelca.

Hilberto Enrique Campos, Mayor of Corozal BELIZE

He has been Mayor of the Corozal Town Council, in three consecutive periods, from 2006 to 2009, 2009 to 2012, and more recently from 2012 to 2015. He has also been the Presided of the Belize Mayors Association from 2010 to 2012, and is currently its Vice President. He has participated in several National and International forums in topics related to the development of local governmental institutions. He has also Represented Belize at the SICA (Central American Integration System).

Omar Candia Aguilar

Mayor of Alto Selva Alegre. Previously he was the Coordinator of the Regional Interquorum Network Program. He has also been Coordinator of the Arequipa construction sector. He is also President of the Municipal Association of the Arequipa Province.

Mayor Alto Selva Alegre

PERU

Juan Carlos Carola General Attorney Prosecutor Office for Internal and Administrative Affairs Government of La Pampa ARGENTINA

Since 2008 he is the Attorney General of the Prosecutor’s Office for Internal and Administrative Affairs of the La Pampa Provincial Government. Before he was the Deputy Prosecutor and also Coordinator of Permanent Training School (2005-today). He also served as Presidential Legal Advisor for the Rio Colorado Province (2001-2003), Secretary of the Prosecutor´s State Office for Assets and Earned Incomes, and Private Secretary on Public Works and Services (2001).

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Victor Hugo Chavarría Mayor of Alajuelita COSTA RICA

Carlos Cuadrado Mayor of Huehuraba CHILE

Luis Carlos Delgado Peñón, Governor of the Tolima Department COLOMBIA

Antonio Carlos Pannunzio, Municipal Prefect of Sorocaba BRAZIL

Carlos Ramos, Mayor of San Pedro Masahuat EL SALVADOR

Mayor of Alajuelita, in San Jose Province. He’s been a textile manufacturer for more than 25 years. In 1998 he was nominated by the Local Council of Alajuelita as Mayor. He was the first mayor elected of Alajuelita since 1999.

He has been the Mayor of Huechuraba Municipality, in the Santiago Metropolitan Region since December 2012. Before he was a Councilman (20082012). He was the Chilean Governmental Official Delegate at the Conference of Labor Ministers of the Americas (2001-2004); at the Summit of the Americas (2001); at the Meeting of Congressmen against Corruption (2002) and at the OCDE Meeting on Education (2004). He was Director of the International Relations Department of the Metropolitan Government of Santiago (20092010).

Governor of the Tolima Department since 2012. Before he held the post of Councilman in an array of Municipalities at the Department. He has been Mayor and also Director of Planning at the Municipality of Ibagué. He has been a Member of the House of Representatives and Senator. Under his leadership Law 851 (2003) was passed, that declared the Colombian Folkloric festival, the Music Festival and the National Contest of Duets as National Cultural Heritage.

Mayor of Sorocaba (Sao Paolo State) since October 2012, a post that he previously held from 1989 to 1992. He was a Congressman for more than 15 years (1995-2010) and President of the Latin America Memorial Foundation between 2011 and 2012. He has also been the Secretary of Local Pubic Services (1987 to 1988), and has been a Professor and Director of the Sorocaba-Fatec Technology School during 25 years.

Mayor of the Municipality of San Pedro Masahuat, La Paz Department, continuously since 2003. He also holds the post of Vice-president of the Salvadorian Institute on Local Development (ISDEM) since 2012, and is the Director of the Salvadorian Corporation of Municipalities (COMURES) since 2003.

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Brenda Ramsay Alcaldesa de Mandeville Mayor of Mandeville JAMAICA

Luis Antonio Zapata Municipal President MEXICO

Federico Barahona

Since 2008, she is the first female mayor of Mandeville and the Chairman of the Manchester Parish Council in Jamaica. She is in her fourth term as Councillor for the Bellefield District. She worked for a very short time in the advertising department of the Gleaner Company, before moving on to the bauxite/alumina company Alcan, where she would spend 25 years in the mineral resource and legal departments.

Municipal President of Corregidora, Queretaro State since 2012. He was certified majority in the District Council VII by the Electoral Institute of Queretaro. He is the elected Municipal President for the 2012-2015 Period.

Mayor of La Pintada, Province of Cocle.

Mayor of La Pintada PANAMA

Faustino Cama単o

Mayor of Sona, Province of Veraguas

Mayor of Sona PANAMA

Manolith Samaniego

Mayor of Arraijan, Province of Panama

Mayor of Arraijan PANAMA

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Manuel Delgado Alcalde de Chagres Mayor of Chagres PANAMA/ PANAMA

Lauren Garcia

Alcalde del Distrito de Chagres, Provincia de Col贸n Mayor of Chagres, Province of Colon

Mayor of Santa Fe, Province of Veraguas

Mayor of Santa Fe PANAMA

Tem铆stocles Javier Herrera Mayor of La Chorrera PANAMA

Mayor of La Chorrera, Province of Panama

Yira Molinar Mayor of Santa Isabel PANAMA

Mayor of Santa Isabel, Province of Colon

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List of Participants CoP

NAME

COUNTRY

1

Freddy Justiniano

Panama

2

Patrick Keuleers

USA

RSCLAC/RBLAC Regional Services Centre for Latin American and the Caribbean UNDP-BDP: Bureau for Development Policy

3

Gerardo Berthin

Panama

UNDP- RSC LAC

4

Adriana Ballestin

Panama

UNDP- RSCLAC

5

Ana Rebeca Diaz

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

6

Annina Hyvönen

Panama

UNDP- RSCLAC

7

Carmen Restrepo

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

8

Carlos Valdivieso

Colombia

UNDP-Virtual School

9

Daniel Luz

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

10

Fernando Hiraldo

Panama

UNDP- Panama

11

Gemma Xarles

Colombia

UNDP-Virtual School

12

Gonzalo Pizarro

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

13

Guillermina Martín

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

14

Joaquín González

Panama

15

Luís Ruiz-Giménez

Panama

UNICEF UNDP- RSCLAC

16

Louise Agersnap

Panama

UNDC LAC

17

Maria Acosta

Panama

UNDC LAC

18

Marta Ortega

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

19

Neus Bernabeu

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

20

Pablo Basz

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

21

Pablo Ruiz

Panama

UNDP-RSCLAC

22

Rubén Vargas

Panama

UNISDR

23

Sara Camara

Panama

UNDP- RSCLAC

24

Virginia de Abajo

Panama

UNODC

25

Arkan El Seblani

Lebanon

UNDP- Regional Centre for Arab States

26

Francesco Checchi

Slovakia

UNDP- Regional Centre Europe and Central Asia

27

Maria Jacobson

Sweden

SIWI

28

Elodie Beth

Thailand

UNDP- Regional Centre Asia-Pacific

29

Anga R Timilsina

USA

UNDP-BDP: Bureau for Development Policy

30

Diana Torres

USA

UNDP-BDP: Bureau for Development Policy

31

Lurdes Gomez

USA

DGG/Bureau for Development Policy

32

Marco Stella

USA

UNDP-BDP: Bureau for Development Policy

33

Carlos Hugo Molina

Bolivia

Consultant, Expert in Local Governance & Decentralization

24

UNDP COUNTRY OFFICES 34

Nora Luzi

Argentina

35

Jay Coombs

Belize

36

Erica Massimo de Machado

Brazil

37

Elizabeth Guerrero

Chile

38

Ana Patricia Polo

Colombia

39

Gilda Pacheco

Costa Rica

40

Kifah Sasa

Costa Rica

41

Laura Rivera

El Salvador

42

Loreto Avello

El Salvador

43

Claudia de Saravia

Guatemala

44

Elsie Laurence-Chounoune

Jamaica

45

Novia McKay

Jamaica

46

Georgina de la Fuente

MĂŠxico

47

Jose Arias

Peru

48

Anyarlene Berges

Dominican Republic

49

Gloria Manzotti

Panama

50

Massimo Lorenzato

Panama

25

With the support and collaboration of UNDP´s Global Programme on Anti-Corruption for Development Effectiveness (PACDE)/Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) 26