PHOTO: http://www.fmdv.net/
In the framework of the International Forum on Metropolitan Governance Innovation, held in the city of Guadalajara Mexico, from the 23rd to the 24th of November, the FMDV carried out a workshop presenting the Subnational Mechanisms of Joint Funding (SMJF) as tools that facilitate the articulated municipal development for the metropolitan areas.
The Forum, organized by UN-Habitat and the State of Jalisco Government (Mexico) in collaboration with the FMDV call together various international organisms, national and local authorities, academics and private actors of the region with the aim of communicating the necessary reforms to boost the management improving of urban metropolitan cities and regions.
In this context, the FMDV organized a workshop to analyze the viability of implementing the SMJF in Mexico and Latin America as an effective tool of collective funding between local governments of a same metropolitan area, representing, among others benefits, a lower cost for the local administrations when it comes to implement joint development projects.
As part of the workshop, various representatives of institutions involved in the funding for the region development convened, such as the World Bank (WB), Fitch Ratings, Evensen Dodge International, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), EMPLASA Sao Paulo (San Paulo Enterprise of Metropolitan Planning) USAID, French Development Agency in Mexico and the Study Institute on Government and Public Finance.
Likewise, the workshop counted on the participation of representatives from UN-Habitat; various representations of the Metropolitan Institutes for Planning of the Torreón, Colima, Culiacán and Michoacán states; representatives of national local governments such as the Municipalities of Zapopan, Tlajomulco, Tlaquepaque, Zapotlanejo and Guadalajara; as well as various representations of international local governments such as the Municipality of Sao Paulo and the Metropolitan Institute of Urban Planning of Caracas.
However, some of these experts agree that there is still a long way to go in the adaptation of the legal and institutional frames of the places where the resources are intended to be applied; regulatory changes intended to make the administrative processes more transparent to ensure the way the municipalities implement budgets; thus, reducing the risk of resource spending and generating a greater guarantee of the effective implementation of their development projects.
In addition the Regional Director for the Latin America of the FMDV, Eugene Zapata, emphasizes that the “institutional continuity is a key factor to reach more efficient and long-term planning processes in the metropolitan areas”.
Finally, the workshop participants agree that the network and solidarity among partners are fundamental to generate confidence in reaching these objectives and in the efficient implementation of the Subnational Mechanisms of Joint Funding for the metropolitan areas of the region.
SOURCE: http://www.fmdv.net
Articulation of Territorial Networks
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