[BACK]   [HOME PAGE]

Decentralization

(i)      Introduction

Encouraged by the results of the first year of implementation of decentralization policy, the Royal Government of Cambodia through the National Committee to Support Communes/Sangkat and with the Department of Local Administration and other ministries, institutions, and donors, has continued to strengthen and expand activities during its second year, all aiming at achieving the objectives of the decentralization policy. Among these achievements are the issuance of legal instruments to guide the implementation of decentralization, the strengthening of support systems for commune councils, and strengthened cooperation with donor projects such as the United Nations Development program Support to Decentralization Project [UNDP SDP], Asian Development Bank’s Commune Council Development Project [CCDP/ADB], GTZ, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the Commune Council Support Project [CCSP].

The civil society sector had been supportive of the overall implementation of the decentralization programme. Through CCSP, an NGO Liaison office was established within the Department of Local Administration. The NGO Liaison Office serves to enhance the exchange and flow of communication between the government and civil society of decentralization and local governance reforms issues. It also serves to promote government-civil society partnerships in decentralization. A promising coalition of NGOs is now actively involved in the promotion of civil society-commune council partnerships in the implementation of projects. The Working Group on the Decentralization Partnerships evolved from a major national workshop spearheaded by CIDSE to pilot partnerships among commune councils and community-based organizations in project implementation. Aside from these, a growing number of NGOs are now actively involved not just with funding commune projects but in capacity building of commune council members. Concern Worldwide is realigning its program to work closely with the government and other stakeholders in a capacity building program for the commune council. Buddhism for Development is conducting capacity building initiatives on decentralization for political parties.  Star Kampuchea has conducted research related to commune council transparency. Indeed, there is a healthy diversity of NGO initiatives in the decentralization sector.

(ii) Key Issues

Ensuring that commune projects lead to poverty reduction

Almost all communes had developed Commune Development Plans and Commune Investment Plans in a manner which has been regarded as highly participatory. However, no measures were set in place to make sure that the projects identified through participatory processes are those that would have greatest impact in reducing poverty. The project identification and prioritization processes were, in many cases, based on some crude voting procedures both at the village and the Planning and Budgeting Committee level. Assistance from technical support units was weak, putting into question the technical feasibility of the chosen projects and, ultimately, its effects and impact or reducing poverty in the communes.

Needs from the communes should be fed up to province and national levels to inform policy and resource allocation

Provincial plans of national ministries are still developed without prior discussion and coordination with the communes. Thus, provincial line agency plans are presented during the District Integration Workshop for communes to consider. This puts into question the importance of the participatory planning process itself. The “take it or leave it” principle is pervasive and it would seem that Provincial representatives of line agencies have not internalized the spirit of decentralization.

There is so much emphasis on local planning; other dimensions in decentralization such as fiscal decentralization and local revenue generation are not pursued with interest.

Local planning, and the participatory processes it involves, is a cornerstone in decentralization. However, sufficient local funds for the implementation of projects also need to be ensured to sustain interest and faith in the process. Without adequate funding, decentralization can turn into a hollow dream and people in the communes will lose interest or even go against it if it does not lead to concrete results.

Transparency should be observed, both in decision-making and in financial transactions.

While some guidelines have been issued to guide financial management in the communes, systems and responsibilities for auditing have not been established. In some cases where auditing had taken place, audit reports were not circulated to concerned institutions.

Commune chiefs continue to be exclusive decision-makers; traditional authoritarian decision-making processes continue to prevail in spite of participatory processes being promoted. In a lot of cases, decisions being made by the commune chief or commune councils take place without inputs from those affected by them.

(iii) Recommendations

To the Government:

·         Increased technical support should be given to commune development planning processes to provide options that are technically feasible and responsive to the needs identified.

·         Establish with partners systems to assess the impact of decentralization on poverty reduction.

·         Ensure the congruence between different levels of planning [commune, district, provincial, and national plans] by setting a system for commune plans to fit into the framework of higher level plans.

·         Provide continuous capacity building not just on development planning, but also on other aspects that affect governance such as transparency and public accountability.

·         Make regulations to ensure transparency in the disbursement and use of commune funds. Audit mechanisms for commune funds should be set in place. An anti-corruption program comprising of education, prevention, and prosecution should be launched at least at the local, if not all levels of the government.

·         Decentralization should not only focus on local planning but on other aspects of governance such as the promotion and internalization of concepts like transparency, public accountability, fiscal decentralization, and capacity building in these areas.

To Donors:

·         Agree on a common framework for the long term perspective of decentralization in Cambodia.

·         Continue to support decentralization and local governance initiatives, both by the government and NGOs.

·         Follow where their money goes and establish mechanisms with the government to ensure financial transparency.

·         Provide policy advice to the government and ensure that these are being considered.

To NGOs:

·         Continue to improve participation of citizens in local governance processes by raising their awareness of the rights and responsibilities in the new system of local governance.

·         Continue promoting partnerships between civil society and commune councils, not only in the implementation of projects but also in building the capacities of commune councils, community organizations, and other stakeholders in local governance.

·         Implement programs that seek to instill among the citizens the concept that commune officials are accountable to the citizenry as well. Introduce innovative approaches or programs which facilitate citizen’s monitoring of the performance of commune councils, in providing feedback, and in promoting local civil society and commune council dialogues to institute needed reforms at the communes.

Avoid developing parallel structures in the communes that could undermine the performance of commune councils.

[Top]   [BACK]   [HOME PAGE]

____________________________________________

For more information and the issues raised in this paper, please contact The Commune Council Support Project, Tel: 023 427197

Email ccsp.pl@online.com.kh and ccsp@online.com.kh