First Governability Program launched in Colombia

The president of Colombia, Andrés Pastrana, and the CAF president, Enrique García, today launched the Governability Program for Colombia at a ceremony in the Casa de Nariño presidential palace. The first stage involves projects to strengthen governability and democratic institutions in 138 municipalities in 15 departments (provinces) and one metropolitan area. Several Colombian national and local agencies have agreed to work together on the program. The multilateral organization will contribute US$800,000 to the program's total cost of US $1.3 million.

According to García, "the CAF is convinced that the consolidation of competitive market economies can only move ahead with the development of the appropriate state institutions." The inclusion of governability into the Corporation's field of action is in response to a call by prominent politicians and intellectuals for an evaluation of the situation in the region in the wake of the economic and political changes of last 20 years.

Based on the conclusions of this evaluation in 2000, the decision was taken to move forward in four major integrated and complementary areas:Ethics and Transparency for Development; Institutional Strengthening; Decentralization and Citizen Participation; and Leadership for Transformation.

These guidelines became the basis for the design of the Governability Program in a joint effort with the National Planning Department, the Finance Ministry, the National Planning Council, the Audit Office of the Republic, the Colombian Federation of Municipalities, mayors and associations of municipalities and local authorities. This will be the first time the CAF has launched such a program in its member countries

Geographical coverage

To start the Program in Colombia six regions were selected where there is evidence of complementary institutional action, and active associations of municipalities or similar organizations. Each region covers municipalities in several departments: Magdalena Medio (Antioquia, Bolívar, Cesar and Santander); Piedemonte Llanero (Casanare, Meta, Boyacá and Cundinamarca); Suroccidente (Cauca, Nariño, Valle and Huila); Province of Ocaña (Cesar and Norte de Santander); Nororiental (Cesar, Guajira and Magdalena), along with one metropolitan area in process of definition. It is worth mentioning that among the organizations that will coordinate the execution of the program is the Corporation for Peace and Development of Magdalena Medio, winner of the National Peace Prize.

The four components of the program will be developed in all five regions. In the metropolitan area, which has yet to be defined, projects include improving tax administration and creating communication strategies to promote transparency and citizen access to information.

The actions consist basically of training, advice and backing for municipal authorities and leaders in areas such as improvements in tax administration, creation of more efficient mechanisms of accountability and fiscal control, and design of instruments for citizen participation in budget formulation. The Program will also strengthen and expand means of access to information, such as transparency online.

The first stage will also refine the work methodologies and elements of inter-institutional coordination with a view to extending the program to other municipalities and eventually repeating the experience in other CAF member countries.

Formation of leaders

Convinced that the new challenges that Latin America faces in a globalized world require a new type of leadership, the CAF has made the training of young people in vision of country and democratic values a key component of the program. The objective is to identify potential leaders and equip them, through training, with tools to become future leaders with a deep civic and democratic sense. This subprogram is already moving ahead in coordination with the National Planning Council.