Mayors Forum

As part of its efforts to promote the status and leading role of LGUs in development policy-making and spearheading reform, APLA launched the Mayors Forum. To serve as a strategic platform for consultations, exchange of experience and ideas and innovative insights, the forum will promote the role and efficiency of the local government sector, empower it to address current challenges, and achieve sustainable development that fulfils Palestinian community aspirations and supports the sustainability of municipal functions.

Dialogue sessions

The forum activities were initiated by a series of dialogue sessions, entitled “Assessing the Current Situation and Developing an Outlook of the Local Government Sector in Palestine.” Sessions were held in five major cities, namely Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron. These involved a broad participation of 142 representatives of 108 LGUs, including 80 LGU mayors, from across the West Bank governorates.  

Discussions highlighted three main components:

1. LGUs Financial Situation: Analyzing financial challenges and exploring innovative solutions to ensure sustainable funding.
2. Regulatory and Legislative Framework: Reviewing laws and regulations to identify gaps and proposing developmental improvements.
3. Basic Services: Assessing the quality of services and exploring ways to improve them to achieve fairness and efficiency in access.

The Mayors Forum launching represents a strategic step within APLA’s vision to strengthen the role of LGUs as a cornerstone of development and governance in Palestine. The forum was established as part of the activities of the "Enhancing Accountability and Transparency of Local Governance Bodies" project, funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Transparency, Evidence, and Accountability Program (TEA3).