Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
Guidelines for Participating in the
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Supported by:
UNDP Office in Kosovo
and
The Ministry of Local Government Administration
May 2007
Provisional Institutions
of Self-Government
United Nations Interim
Mission in Kosovo
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
Table of Contents:
1. Overview of the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
Initiative
a. Background
b. Rationale
c. Objective
d. Intended Results
2. Overview of implementation modalities
a. UNDP facilitation
b. Review Board
c. Municipal Participation
d. Donor agreements
e. Optional UNDP monitoring and evaluation
3. Guidelines for Municipalities
4. Guidelines for Donors/Investors
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
1. Overview of the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
a.
Background
Inter-municipal cooperation is promoted as a response to the challenges of decentralization and as a
means to promote human development by improving the quality – and quantity – of public services.
The basis for inter-municipal cooperation lies within the context of the ongoing process of
decentralization – the process of decentralization is not yet complete and local governments do not
have the capacity to fulfill many of their basic competencies – and to benefit from projects which lie
beyond their individual capacity. And while inter-municipal cooperation does not and cannot replace
adequate fiscal decentralization, it can help to make better use of limited resources. It is primarily
pursued when it leads to gains in economic efficiency, through the combining of municipal resources
(both financial and human) and the division of tasks according to appropriate expertise. The goal of
any inter-municipal cooperation project should be to improve the quality of local public service
delivery, particularly to poor and vulnerable groups.
b. Rationale
The general strategy of any inter-municipal cooperation project is to analyze existing municipal
resources and competencies and to determine whether or not cooperation makes good economic
sense. In the Kosovo context, where municipalities do not have the financial, capital and human
resources to deliver all of the competencies assigned to them, cooperation with other municipalities
can improve human and economic efficiency by tapping into resources in neighbouring
municipalities, and in some instances make the municipality more competitive for future investment
for development projects and infrastructure, for example developing physical infrastructure (roads,
irrigation systems, water and sanitation systems). The Ministry of Local Government Administration
(MLGA) has recently released a statistical report on a variety of public service delivery areas,
including education, roads, health clinics and water systems. This report will be integral in the further
identification of how municipalities can exchange expertise and resources.
Finally, inter-municipal cooperation also addresses an important development issue – the lives of
citizens are influenced by a number of factors not restricted to municipal borders: economic
activities, physical features (geographic and infrastructure zones), environment, and social groupings
– regardless of political boundaries, there is a requirement to introduce a ‘culture of cooperation’ in
order to address non-political cross-border factors. One of most important benefits is the transfer of
know-how (through addressing issues of a deficit of staff in technical vocations) and the contribution
towards the sustainable development of communities – facilitating common efforts to prepare for
future EU integration and bringing the quality of public services up to EU standards. Further, better
cooperation and the exchange of information can enhance the possible eventual absorption of EU
structural funds (allowing groups of municipalities to be better placed to apply for and implement
structural fund projects) and lessons learned from other accession countries. This is directly related
to efforts to counter corruption, abuse of power and a lack of transparency in service delivery, as
inter-municipal cooperation projects can only be truly successful when all actors involved adhere to
principles of good governance.
c. Objective
The most common modalities of inter-municipal cooperation are joint service production, joint
administration, service agreement, joint planning and development, joint funding of investments,
exchange of experience, creation of a new tier of government, and multiple modalities. Within the
context of Kosovo municipalities, the most appropriate forms of inter-municipal cooperation will
likely be joint service production and joint planning and development in ‘mini-regions.’ Examples from Europe
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
and the region include Portugal (improving water supply efficiency through local government
associations), Poland (cooperation to use EU funds for cleaner water) and Hungary (establishing
common administrative functions).
In Kosovo, several different sectors have been identified through assessments with municipal
presidents, vice-presidents and department directors, including local economic development,
infrastructure, community integration, agriculture, health care, environment, secondary education,
transparency and e-governance. Further, local investment and donor assistance in improving public
services will also provide excellent avenues for cooperation, for example in the development of
alternative energy sources, building and repairing inter-municipal roads, and environmental
protection.
d. Intended Results
To date, there has been little to no inter-municipal cooperation, other than the exchange of
experience and ideas between senior municipal officials. The exchange of information and bestpractices as well as the development of a network of municipal employees is being initiated through a
separate UNDP Kosovo project, the Local Government Information Network (LOGIN),
implemented by the Association of Kosovo Municipalities. This project aims to scale up the level of
cooperation between municipalities, through the promotion and facilitation of the creation of intermunicipal cooperation project. Through the provision of guidelines for project creation, templates
for concept note development, and guidelines for participation in an inter-municipal cooperation
project, UNDP, together with the Ministry of Local Government Administration, will create an online facility for the promotion of cooperation projects to the larger donor and investment
community.
2. Overview of Implementation Modalities
a.
UNDP facilitation
With long experience in promoting inter-municipal cooperation in South East Europe and other
regions, UNDP will provide a facilitation role for the Ministry of Local Government Administration
and the Ministry of Finance and Economy. UNDP’s role to facilitate inter-municipal cooperation is
four fold.
First, UNDP Kosovo will continue to consult with municipalities on the benefits of inter-municipal
cooperation, and facilitate joint meetings of municipalities to allow for more direct dialogue on
common municipal priorities.
Second, UNDP will provide a number of tools for project development - guidelines on the
development of inter-municipal cooperation projects, templates for concept notes, Terms of
Reference for local project development experts, and host the on-line database of inter-municipal
project concepts submitted to the central level Review Board.
Third, UNDP will participate in the central level Review Board (with the Ministry of Local
Government Administration and Ministry of Finance and Economy).
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
Fourth, through the on-line database, UNDP will promote inter-municipal project concepts to
interested donors and investors, and provide local project development experts to municipalities to
develop concepts into full proposals in line with interested donors’ requirements.
UNDP also leaves open the option to provide monitoring and evaluation services for donors or
investors, depending on their requirements, and the capacities of the municipalities to carry out these
tasks in line with donor or investor standards.
b. Review Board
The Review Board will be composed of a representative of the Ministry of Local Government
Administration, Ministry of Finance and Economy and UNDP Kosovo. The Review Board will meet
once a month, and will operate according to agreed Terms of Reference, to be posted on the UNDP
website alongside all other documentation available for this project.
The Review Board will assess project concepts against pre-defined criteria, and will accept the
concept, return it for clarifications or modifications, or reject the project concept. Municipalities will
be able to contact the Review Board during the development of project concepts in order to obtain
clarifications or assistance if required.
c. Municipal Participation
Municipalities are the primary stakeholder in this process. Most municipalities in Kosovo have been
involved in discussions on inter-municipal cooperation facilitated by UNDP Kosovo since mid-2006.
Targeted dialogue on possible cooperation in the areas of secondary education, health care and
access to water have already taken place. In line with Local/Municipal Development Plans,
municipalities will develop inter-municipal cooperation projects based on the project concept
templates provided by the Ministry of Local Government Administration and UNDP Kosovo.
If a project concept is accepted by the Review Board based on assessment criteria, the concept will
be placed in an on-line database for potential donors and investors. If a donor or investor is
interested in funding one of the concepts, municipalities will work with a UNDP project
development expert to elaborate the project concept into a full proposal in line with donor
requirements. Depending on implementation arrangements agreed with the donor or investor,
municipalities will be solely responsible for project implementation, narrative and financial reporting
to the donor.
d. Donor agreements
Donors or investors interested in funding a concept project available on the UNDP Kosovo website
can contact UNDP directly to obtain assistance in having the concept notes elaborated into full
proposals. UNDP will provide a local project development expert, individually funded by the
requesting donor or investor, to ensure that project proposals are in line with their requirements,
have been properly linked to municipal budgets and budget cycles, incorporate local procurement
requirements and ensure viable cooperative project management/implementation structures. One-off
agreements can be signed with UNDP, will project implementation agreements will be signed directly
with municipalities.
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative
Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development
3. Guidelines for Municipalities
Municipalities interested in participating in this facility will be required to submit concept notes using
the provided template for concept note development, and must abide by the decision or requests of
the central level Review Board. Clarifications to the Review Board made, however, municipalities will
have access to the Review Board assessment criteria and should develop their project concepts to
reflect such criteria.
Guidelines on developing inter-municipal cooperation projects are provided on-line and on CD –
however, questions on the development of project concepts may be made to UNDP or the Ministry
of Local Government Administration at any time.
If a project concept is accepted by an interested donor or investor, municipalities will be required to
work with UNDP local project development experts in order to elaborate their concepts into full
project documents in line with donor/investor requirements. This service is provided by UNDP with
no cost to municipalities.
Municipalities shall be transparent in outlining their experience and capacities to implement intermunicipal cooperation projects, and will notify the donor or investor of their ability to carry out
reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the project.
4. Guidelines for Donors/Investors
Donors or investors who are interested in funding an inter-municipal cooperation project on the
Facility’s website can contact UNDP Kosovo directly for assistance in elaborating project concepts
into full proposals. UNDP Kosovo recognizes that each donor or investor has specific proposal
requirements, and as such has encouraged municipalities to submit project concepts only, to avoid
the duplication of effort in developing full project proposals.
UNDP Kosovo also recognizes that municipalities may not have full capacities to carry out proposed
projects – as such, in order to ensure that all capacities or shortfalls are addressed in project
proposals, UNDP Kosovo provides a local project development expert to municipalities to for the
elaboration of project concepts into full proposals based on the requirements of individual donors or
investors. Costs incurred for this service are funded by the requesting donor or investor – however,
this service allows the potential donor or investor an assurance that due consideration has been made
of municipal budget restrictions, capacities, implementation mechanisms, and other processes or
capacities affecting the implementation of an inter-municipal cooperation project.
Donors will be in direct contact with municipalities related to narrative and financial reporting of the
project, however, if desired, donors can contract UNDP to undertake monitoring or evaluation of
their project.
Guidelines for Participating in the Inter-municipal Cooperation for Development Initiative