The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) participated in the launch of the “100 Days for Accountability of Palestinian Local Government Units” campaign, represented by Eng. Abdalmo'men Afana, Technical and Support Unit Manager, and Mr. Jihad Namoura, Capacity Building Officer at APLA. The campaign was launched during a press conference organized by Local Communities Organization and Rased Palestine, in partnership with the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN), with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, as well as a number of Palestinian local government unit mayors and representatives and civil society organizations.
The campaign aims to enhance the participation of citizens and youth in social accountability, promote the principles of integrity, transparency, and participation in the work of local government units, as well as create spaces for dialogue between citizens and local government units, follow up on issues raised, and work to address them in ways that contribute to improving services provided to citizens. This approach is based on the understanding that accountability should aim to improve performance and services, rather than pass judgment or create confrontation with local government units, while taking into consideration the challenging political, economic, and financial conditions under which they operate.

During his remarks, Eng. Afana noted that a period of 100 days is too short to assess the performance of local government units, given the political and economic conditions and accumulated challenges they face. He explained that financial challenges and limited resources available to local government units, coupled with the impact of citizens’ economic situation on their financial capacity and the decline in support from a number of international donors to Palestine, represent additional challenges to the ability of local government units to carry out their responsibilities and respond to the needs of their communities.

Eng. Afana stressed the importance of ensuring that accountability and the assessment of LGU performance are based on objective, professional, and fair criteria that take into consideration the realities of LGUs and the conditions under which they operate. He also presented the “Baladiyah Meter” platform, affiliated with APLA, highlighting its importance in supporting transparency, participation, and dialogue, and its alignment with the objectives of the campaign. He called on LGUs to provide the platform with information and keep their data updated, strengthening its role as a tool for community participation, dialogue, and accountability.

APLA’s participation in the conference comes as part of its efforts to promote constructive dialogue between local government units, local communities, and partners, contributing to the development of local practices and improving responsiveness to citizens’ needs, in line with APLA’s commitment to supporting local government units and enabling them to effectively and efficiently fulfill their developmental and service delivery roles.