The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity AMAN praised the funding and loaning for municipalities for classifying municipalities according to governorates 2017, and publishing it on their website.
Although that this classification is related to the work of the fund in the mechanism of allocation of fund service, projects, and interventions regarding the Palestinian municipalities. It is considered a qualitative, and important effort, linking good governance practices regarding grants and projects submitted to municipalities, whereas the municipalities share of funding increases according to higher ranks. The funding targets low-rated municipalities to help them rise to higher levels, stimulating competition, strengthen the will of the municipalities to improve their performance and to play its role effectively.
AMAN has previously worked with the Municipal Development and Lending Fund to include some indicators of the integrity system of the municipal rating scale, especially the principles of transparency, which are presented in the municipalty’s disclosure about its projects, investments, what has been implemented from the strategic development plan, the disclosure of the external audit report, the strategic plan, financial statements, the financial and accounting procedures manual, and an updated strategic plan with community participation.
The classification also includes the extent of the municipalities commitment to accountability systems and its obligations, such as the municialty’s issurance of quarterly financial reports under the manual of financial and accounting procedures and the implementation of external audits in the municipality.
It is noteworthy that although AMAN is focusing on its oversight strategy, it has mantained its programs to promote integrity in the local authorities, especially in relation to building municipal capacities and raising awareness, assuring that the classification presents the partner municipalties which have worked with AMAN recently such as the municipalties of Ramallah, Al-Bireh and Batonia, which have achieved tangible results, and upgraded to A+ rating in 2017, after it was rated B+ in 2014[/video]
