LocationsAssistance to the Government of Georgia in the implementation of a systemic reform of regional and local governance
Fostering Regional and Local Development in Georgia
Assistance to the Government of Georgia in the implementation of a systemic reform of regional and local governance
Photo: Vladimir Valishvili/UNDP
Summary
UNDP, with funds from the Swiss and Austrian governments, is assisting Georgia to implement a systemic reform of local and regional governance, increase citizen engagement in decision-making and create an enabling environment for the local economic growth. The first phase of this initiative, 2012 – 2017, focused on the assistance to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia in the key reform areas. The second phase, 2018 – 2021, is supporting and promoting the ongoing reform, focusing on decentralization, local economic development, civic engagement and the increased capacities of the national and local institutions to deliver quality services at the local level. Special attention is provided to mountain development with the aim to promote economic growth of Georgia's highlands while preserving their unique culture and biodiversity.
Activities
UNDP assists Georgia in building strong and competent local self-governance institutions that will act as catalysts in stimulating regional and local economies and foster the inclusion of people into policy-making for the benefit of all citizens, including women, men, youth, displaced and minority groups.
To achieve that, we work in following three areas:
- Establishment of policy and institutional frameworks to foster decentralization of governance and local and economic development (LED);
- Enhancement of capacities of national and local government institutions to deliver quality services at the local level, enable business environment and promote local economic actors;
- Economic and social empowerment of local communities to ease their access to decision-making.
Results so far:
- Georgia adopted a Law on the Development of the High Mountainous Regions in 2016, paving the way for systemic policy efforts to address the challenges faced by the country’s highlands.
- In 2019, with assistance from UNDP and the governments of Switzerland and Austria, the Government endorsed the country’s first four-year Strategy on the Development of the High Mountainous Settlements, committing new funding of USD 240 million to promote economic development, improve social welfare and expand access to services for the 300,000 people who live in Georgia’s highest mountain regions.
- In 2017, Georgia developed a national concept for decentralization and local self-governance presenbted to the Parliament.
- In 2014, six regions of Georgia put together their developement strategies and action plans in close coordination netween the local authorities and communities.
Some other achievements include:
- Training for over 4,000 local public servants.
- Establishment of the National Training System for Local Civil Servants.
- Engagement of civil society and local communities into the governance process. Over 30 local projects have been implemented in six regions of Georgia in 2015-2016, focusing on local tourism development, infrastructure, public services, education, business development and other areas
- A series of research conducted in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 to study citizen satisfaction with public services in Georgia.
Contact information
Project address
12 Kazbegi Avenue
Tbilisi 0176 Georgia
Contact persons
Tinatin Tkeshelashvili
Project Manager
tinatin.tkeshelashvili@undp.org
Gigi Bregadze
UNDP Democratic Governance Team Leader
gigi.bregadze@undp.org
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