Africa-Press – Angola. The municipalities of Catumbela and Cubal, both in the province of Benguela, were selected to intensify the actions of the Civil Society and Local Administration Support Project (PASCAL).
In fact, a delegation made up of the national director of Local Administration, Cassongo da Cruz, and the head of the European Union delegation, Rosário Pais, is in this province to present the focal points (representatives) of PASCAL in the aforementioned districts.
PASCAL representatives will work in conjunction with local authorities, the Municipal Budget Management Technical Committees and civil society organizations.
Speaking to the press, in the municipality of Catumbela, the director of PASCAL, Pablo Lopez, stated that the work will be further intensified in these two municipalities to serve as an example for the rest of the country.
According to Pablo Lopez, this Angolan Government project, financed by the European Union for around six million euros, aims to improve people’s quality of life, through participatory and inclusive governance, where services are closer to citizens.
“We intend to support and improve the legislative and regulatory framework in matters of participatory governance, working directly with the public administration”, he stated.
He added that academic institutions are also involved, to carry out studies that can contribute to the development of laws and reinforce the skills and capabilities of the Administrations’ technical staff.
The person in charge said that they work directly with civil society, strengthening participation spaces, namely the Community Listening Councils and support for the Participatory Budget.
To this end, assured Pablo Lopez, the project has a subsidy line of one million euros for civil society organizations.
“There are also a series of activities aimed at increasing the amount of information and sensitivity of the general population about participatory governance”, he said.
The project is being implemented in five provinces, namely Malanje, Luanda, Benguela, Huambo and Huila, in a universe of 25 municipalities.
In the province of Benguela, the municipalities of Ganda, Cubal, Catumbela, Benguela and Balombo are covered.
“The objective is to learn lessons from what works well and serve as an example for the 164 municipalities, within the framework of the decentralization process”, he stated.
When asked about the results, he assured that they are already beginning to be palpable, especially within the scope of the Participatory Budget.
“We can look at the Technical Committees for Municipal Budget Management. They can mobilize and prioritize those projects that they consider most necessary and through the Municipal Administrations they are implemented”, he considered.
The project began in June 2021 and will run until May 2025.
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