Yemen achieves practical steps towards local ruling

By: Anwar al-Bahri Translated by: Hayel Fare'

SANA'A , June, 21 (Saba) - Yemen has made tangible and concrete
steps on the implementation of wide power local ruling which represents a political breakthrough enabling people rule themselves by themselves.

Local councils and governors elections are clear results of these process through
which the political leadership and the government effectively seek to implement it
on the
ground as a step to realize the wide power local rule.
On May, 5, Yemen held election for secretary generals in governorates and districts
and for heads of specialized committees.
These elections which gained great participation have been successful. The national
strategy for local ruling has been also approved.
This strategy has started given its fruits. Furthermore, the government increased
the budget of local development to YR 15 billion annually since 2008. Before this
date,
the budget was only YR four billion.
Duties of Local councils represent the first step to move to the system of local
governance with wide powers in the framework of people ruled themselves by
themselves. It
is also embarking step to transferring from financial and administrative
centralization.
Local councils represent a developed style to enforce public participation in the
developmental process and transfer to wide powers local governance.
In October 2008, at the cabinet meeting headed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh and
included ministers, Mayor of Sana'a secretariat, governors and secretary generals
of local
councils, the government approved the national strategy of local governance.
The National strategy of local governance is regarded a real translation of the
political leadership's will which emphasizes and affirms on the necessary of
establishing
foundations of the modern state of Yemen.
Local governance strategy represents also a conclusion of recommendations of Shura
and parliament councils submitted to the government and affirmed to speed up to
prepare
the national strategy to boosting decentralization.
At the same time, it represents a significant stand by the government to implement
what has come in these decisions and recommendations as well as what has been
getting
out in the fourth annual conferences of the local council.
These conferences which affirmed speeding up the preparation of a national strategy
to boost decentralization include future vision and real solutions to all
difficulties
and problems that hinder local authority to perform their duties.
Moving to the local governance system is regarded a new page added to Yemen's
efforts in the field of local governance.
According to these factors, Yemeni people expressed their desire to boost democracy
in sharing people in decision making that concerning local affairs and local
development.
Governors' elections were also a real example in this trend in addition to local
elections in the second round as well as in the presidential elections and the
last local
councils' elections.
Establishing a system of local governance is regarded one of the challenges facing
the state and the people for it requires an essential fundamental change in the
performance
of the country's apparatus on central and local levels and changing the culture of
those who lead them.
Aims of local governance system did not achieve only by political will of
political will and of the government but could be stopped by amending legislations
or holding
elections for local councils.
Consequently, the government has adopted strategic vision to improve local councils
for having local governance able to achieve development in the framework of
national
sustainable development.
The main goal of this strategy is enlarging the public participation in managing
local affairs, provide people with services and narrowing the gap between rural and
urban
areas.
This strategy aimed to enlarge the public participation in achieving the local
development goals within bringing an effective partnership between the local
governance units
and all organizational frames in local communities.
The strategic aims of implementing the local governance with wide powers to
improving the institutional structure, developing capacity building and financial
capabilities
needed to the local governance.
The implementation also aims at enabling units of local governance to manage local
development.
The strategy aims at expanding the popular participation in realizing the
development aims via creating active partnership between local governance units and
all parts organizing
local societies via suitable mechanisms and frameworks. It also aims at establishing
and enhancing foundations and principles for central control of local governance's
units.
The desirable local governance is based on seven foundations to keep Yemen and its
people united and away of federal system.
The first foundation aims at boosting the democracy and enhancing the social
participation in managing the local affairs. The second foundation aims at making
all local
governance's units financially and administratively independent.
The third foundation focuses on the importance of coherence of local resources with
duties and jobs transferred to units of local governance. These units are defined
on
performance and duties.
The fourth foundation tackles gradual performance of duties and jobs to coincide
with institutional capacity building in local governance units.
The fifth foundation affirms on subjecting local governance units to central
censorship to ensure that they will not come out of the general system.
The sixth foundation affirms on subjecting these units to social accountability on
all what is performing for realizing local development aims.
Meanwhile the seventh and the last foundation stresses on importance of good and
qualified services to be provided by local governance units to citizens.