The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA), in partnership with GIZ’s Local Governance Reform Program (LGRDP), has launched the Village Councils Hub to exchange expertise between Local Authorities Mayors in the southern area of the West Bank. This aims at identifying topics of priority for Village Councils to exchange expertise on. Workshops will be implemented to exchange knowledge, including hosting experts on specific topics throughout the hub’s operation in order to benefit Village Councils, exchange expertise and improve cooperation and networking between them. This comes as part of the second phase of the “Technical Hubs” program that targets staff and officials at Palestinian Local Authorities.

The Vice president of APLA, Mayor of Hebron, Mr. Tayseer Abu Sneineh, launched this workshop by welcoming the participating Local Authorities. He explained the main role of the association, which strives to represent the Local Authorities while defending their collective interests in order to strengthen their powers and enable them to fulfill their roles and duties.

Executive Director of APLA, Eng. Abdallah Anati, clarified that this hub mainly targets Village Councils in the West Bank as a whole. However, a mechanism has been identified to work with these councils based on regions in the first phase in order to facilitate access to the maximum number of Village Councils. The hub was firstly launched in the north, then the center and today it’s being launched in the south. Mr. Abdallah stressed the importance of maintaining direct communication between Village Councils and the necessity of continuing to empower them and promote their roles in the provision of the best services for the public, as well as improve the quality of such services.

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 systems, laws, and policies on local governance, including the report on mandates and capacities of Local Authorities, particularly Village Councils.

In turn, Emile Ghoury from GIZ presented the concept and objectives of the hubs, especially the Village Councils Hub, and the proposed structure to build and develop the work of the hub, its subcommittees and the roles assigned to each of them.

 The participants have agreed on the work topics that will be addressed in future meetings of the Village Councils hub, provided that work is focused on methods to improve financial capacities at Village Councils, strengthen the relationship with citizens, tackle the construction challenges and the structural plan, work in the so-called area C, in addition to the issue of solid waste and sewers. Mr. Amjad Deeis, Mayor of the Beit Amra Village Council, was selected to be the coordinator of the Village Councils Hub in the center area. The participants classified the work committees for each topic in order to develop clear action plans to ensure the greatest benefit for the participating Local Authorities.

It is worth noting that the hubs program in the current phase includes five hubs: the Village Councils Hub, Engineering and Planning Hub, Public Relations Hub, Finance Hub, and the Creativity and Innovation Hub. The program is implemented in partnership between APLA and GIZ’s Local Governance Reform program.