CAF supports strengthening of work of municipalities

Sponsored by CAF and with the backing of the Graduate School of Political Management of George Washington University, the "Meeting For Action" begins tomorrow in Hotel Radisson. The event is part of the program for strengthening the decentralization process in Bolivia, which will train leaders and support teams for work in municipalities.

The sessions will be opened by the CAF president, Enrique García, and by the Bolivian Finance Minister, José Luis Lupo. Mayors and local councilors from many municipalities will take part and define, with help from international experts, policies to improve the services they provide to their communities.

The meeting will deal with issues of municipal development, financial operations and citizen participation. Guest speakers include personalities such as: Luis Raúl Matos of George Washington University; ex-minister Bernardo Klisberg of the IDB and Irene Saez former mayoress and governor, both from Venezuela; and Gerardo Guajardo from the Monterey Technological Institute.

Enrique García, president of CAF, explained that in recent years the Corporation has contributed to the decentralization processes in the Andean countries, which have become a fundamental element in development. Decentralization contributes to the modernization of the State, helps strengthen democracy by promoting citizen participation, and favors the efficient execution of public investment. Particularly in Bolivia, García said, the process contributes to the execution of the Bolivian Strategy for Reducing Property. CAF’s assistance is being delivered through Bolivia’s Financial Adjustment Program for municipalities with high levels of debt. In the first stage, four municipalities will take part; later the Program will be expanded to others.

The meeting is intended to help regional governments to educate and train leaders and their support teams in an effort to improve the efficiency of local government. On this occasion, distance courses consisting of one-month modules will be offered with assistance from the Monterey Technological Institute.