Due to a high degree of fragmentation of local government, deficit of human resources, limited revenues base, non-transparent access to regional and national capital investment funds, and lack of guidance from the central level, local public administrations are often unable to fulfil their mandate and respond to the needs of the population in a participatory, effective, inclusive and sustainable way. There is a vast gap in accessing communal services between rural and urban areas, where the majority of the population lives, as weil as between vulnerable groups and those that have better social and economic status. The public's capacity to hold local authorities accountable is poor and citizens are reluctant to engage in public affairs because they do not trust the authorities. There is a number of ongoing reforms, which aim at strengthening decentralised entities, and the new governement made decentralisation a clear priority. This provides a momentum for Switzerland to step in and contribute to the proper implementation of reforms.

The rural population of Moldova has equitable access to quality public service provision.

Rural municipalities (local public authorities and their local councils), providers of communal services, service users, local civil society organizations, including various service users associations, harne town associations of migrants. Central authorities and influential stakeholders involved in the policy and legislative processes.

Outcome 1: Local public authorities in targete partner-municipalities manage service provision in a participatory, effective, inclusive and sustainable way.

Outcome 2: People are engaged in local decision making and monitoring of service provision in targeted rnunicipalities.

Outcome 3: Policy, legal and financial environment is favourable for quality service provision and decentralization reform.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• Local public authorities' strategic needs in communal service planning, budgeting and management are defined and satisfied.

• Service providers' organisational development needs in effective communal service operation and maintenance are defined and satisfied.

• Local public authorities and service providers are supported in the implementation of their service improvement plans through resource mobilisation and co-financing.

• Municipalities have policy frameworks and established processes for people's engagement in the area of communal service planning and delivery.

• Service users engage in participatory communal service planning and delivery.

• lnformed policy dialogue and policy making process in relation to communal service provision.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:   N/A

Skat Consulting Ltd (Switzerland) is the implementing partner. Backstopping support will be offered by DESPRO NGO (Ukraine), Ximpulse GmBH (Switzerlandd) and DPI Development Partnership International GmbH (Switzerland). The State Chancellery of the Republic of Moldova is the Skafs strategic partner in the implementation of the project.

The project established good coordination with the "Comunitatea Mea" (My Community) USAID-funded project that aims to strengthen local government in Moldova to become more effective and accountable to citizens. "Ma lmplic" coordinates also with other SDCfunded projects thatfocus on enhancing development at local and rural levels (implemented by UNDP, UNFPA and Council of Europe). The project will coordinate with other like-minded development partners that facilitate Moldovas decentralization process, strive to build local governmenfs capacity to meet citizens' needs, and strengthen citizen confidence in democratic institutions (USA, Germany, EU, World Bank).