USAID launches 5-year, $21 mln programme for effective, accountable governance in Georgia
The USAID Local Governance Programme is described as recognising the potential of elected officials and civil servants to more effectively manage service provision and to ensure that local governments are accountable to members of their community. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The United States Agency for International Development announced on Friday the signing of a five-year, $21 million programme that facilitates "more effective and accountable" local governance in support of Georgia’s ongoing decentralisation reforms.
The USAID Local Governance Programme is described as recognising the potential of elected officials and civil servants to more effectively manage service provision and to ensure that local governments are accountable to members of their community. It also prioritises the role of local civil society and citizen engagement in decision-making at the local level.
USAID designed the programme to support Georgia’s Local Government Decentralisation Strategy. Specifically, USAID will select 22 municipalities using objective criteria to receive targeted assistance.
"In each municipality, both sakrebulos and local executive agencies will receive tailored, in-depth assistance to improve inclusive governance and provide the services that citizens need to enhance their quality of life and create economic growth opportunities in their communities”, USAID said.
The Agency also said it would offer grants to local civil society organisations, private businesses, youth, and other individuals in the municipalities to “empower them to engage with local governments and participate in decision-making and government accountability”.
The Georgian Government is aiming to achieve the country being listed in the top five of all major global rankings in the coming years, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told the Parliament on Wednesday.
Georgia’s position in the 2021 Global Governance Efficiency Index has risen by eight places, making the country a competitor among World Bank member states and the top 20 countries in Europe. Georgia surpassed France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Portugal and other leading countries in the Governance Efficiency ranking.
Georgia has shown an improvement in the World Bank's recent study Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) of 2020 in terms of political stability and absence of violence and regulatory quality compared to the results of 2019. Georgia received 30.66% from the total 100% scale for political stability and absence of violence.
The German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) is helping to strengthen local governance and democracy and to create the requisite legal and institutional frameworks in Georgia.
The United States Agency for International Development Agriculture Programme, Enterprise Georgia and the Rural Development Agency of the country have launched a new programme to establish export market connections for Georgian companies involved in agriculture business.
Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, on Thursday met with John Pennell, the new Head of the United States Agency for International Development in Georgia, to discuss ongoing projects and prospects for further cooperation, the Ministry of Economy said.
Cooperation between the Georgian parliament and the United States Agency for International Development was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the speaker of the Georgian legislative body Shalva Papuashvili and John Pennell, the newly appointed mission director for USAID in the Caucasus.
The United States Agency for International Development is launching a five-year programme designed to create jobs and improve livelihoods of people living in over 90 communities along the administrative line separating the Russian-occupied regions from the rest of the country.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and Erin McKee, the assistant administrator of the United States Agency for International Development for Europe and Eurasia on Thursday discussed relations between Georgia and the US, with this year marking the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the countries.
The United States Agency for International Development has allocated a grant of $220,000 for supporting financial market development in Georgia, the national bank of Georgia announced on Wednesday.
The United States Agency for International Development will work with the southern Georgian municipalities of Bolnisi, Dmanisi and Marneuli in an effort to support improvements to the quality of life and empower local communities, the Agency said on Wednesday.
The United States Agency for International Development will work with the Georgian municipalities of Kutaisi, Tkibuli, Mestia and Lentekhi by supporting improvements to the quality of life and empowerment for local communities, the Agency said on Wednesday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday met with Shannon Green, the Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance of the United States Agency for International Development, to discuss cooperation with the organisation.