The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) conducted an official visit to Tulkarem and Qalqilya governorates. In the presence of APLA’s President Eng. Mousa Hadid, the Mayor of Northern Asira, Mr. Hazem Yassin - a member of the Administrative Committee, the Executive Director of APLA, Eng. Abdallah Anati, and APLA executive staff. Meetings were organized with Local Authorities of both governorates to learn more about their needs and to introduce them to the roles and activities of APLA in the preparation process of the General Assembly’s meeting scheduled to be held in the second quarter of this year.

Treasurer of APLA, Mayor of Tulkarem, Eng. Mohammad Yacoub welcomed the twenty-five Local Authorities from the different parts of Tulkarem governorate who attended this first meeting that was held at the Municipality of Tulkarem.

APLA’s President Eng. Mousa Hadid reviewed the plans and programs to be implemented in the coming period, stressing the need to support Local Authorities and to endorse the association’s decisions. In the same context, APLA’s Executive Director Eng. Anati said: “APLA is the institution of Local Authorities and their primary address. It is committed to representing and defending the interests of its members with all relevant parties“. The Local Authorities raised tin that meeting the most important topics of concern, stressing their full commitment and endorsement to the views, decisions of APLA in their efforts to strengthen their powers.

As part of the visit to the municipality of Qalqilya, APLA held its second meeting in the presence of 15 Local Authorities from different parts of the governorate. The Executive Committee Member, Mayor of Qalqilya, Dr. Hashem Al-Masry, Deputy Governor of Qalqilya, Brigadier Hossam Abu Hamda, and the Director of the Municipality, Mr. Abdul Momen Afaneh welcomed the guests. DR. Al-Masry presented the most important accomplishments of APLA in the past two years, calling on the mayors of Local Authorities to activate their roles through active participation, to follow-up and to have continuous communication with the association.

APLA’s President Eng. Mousa Hadid stressed the need to maintain direct communication with the Local Authorities, particularly Village Councils, and the need to continue to empower them and strengthen their roles in providing the best services to citizens while improving their quality. Mayors of Local Authorities defined their needs and challenges that prevent them from undertaking their job to the fullest and expressed their hope in the role APLA shall fulfill in the present and future timeframe.

In this regard, Eng. Anati outlined the interventions related to working with Village Councils as set out in APLA’'s strategic plan, particularly the first strategic objective which explicates the organizational structure of APLA’s executive office, including the special unit APLA is working on establishing. This unit is called the Technical and Legal Support Unit, which will increase communication and networking with all Village Councils in order for APLA to be able to perform its role properly. He also presented APLA’s approaches relating to updating and developing rules, laws, and policies on local governance, including the report on mandates and capacities of Local Authorities, particularly Village Councils.

It is worth noting that preparations are being made in the rest of the Palestinian governorates for similar meetings, in order to ensure that all Palestinian Local Authorities are being part of APLA’s decisions and to keep them informed of all relevant developments.