Enhancing the Trust of the Citizens in Local Governance through Digital Transformation in Tunisia

Sfax municipality joins the national information system for monitoring and evaluation of public projects

Overview

In cooperation with the National Center for Information, Sfax municipality joined the national system ‘INJAZ’ for the monitoring and evaluation of public programs and projects, which enables the municipality to provide real-time data on the implementation of projects and programs. This system aims to identify the best ways to facilitate decentralisation, transfer of power and citizen participation.

Background

The technical department of the municipality of Sfax overviews the implementation of numerous structural, infrastructural projects as well as the construction of public facilities, resulting in multiple overlaps at the local and national levels. As such, the monitoring of these processes is rendered highly complex.

In many occasions, this complexity hindered the effective implementation of municipal projects. As a result, citizen’s trust in the municipal performance has decreased despite the great efforts and capital invested in the implementation of municipal projects.

To overcome this challenging situation, Sfax municipality and in cooperation with the National Center for Information has joined the national system ‘INJAZ’ for the monitoring and evaluation of public programs and projects. INJAZ is considered an ideal tool to anticipate the problems that may hinder the implementation of municipal projects. In addition, this system contributes to the transparent communication of public data to the public and those involved in the multiple tiers of administration thus establishing the principles of open government.

A national decree was issued with reference to the development of the National Information System for monitoring public programs and projects “INJAZ” and was addressed to the National Media Centre, central government and municipalities to transition into digitalizing public services. Various stakeholders and volunteers have contributed to the development of real-time data.

In the same vein, numerous local workshops were organized to discuss the ongoing challenges related to the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of municipal projects. A wide spectrum of stakeholders has participated in these workshops including municipal representatives as well as representatives of the civil society. The highly-participative process resulted in the development of a digitalized system approved by all stakeholders from the public administration. This digitalized system aims at better governance of public projects thus improving the municipal performance and increasing citizens’ trust in the local authorities.

Objectives

  • Establishing an open source system to monitor and evaluate public projects and programs
  • Developing and modernizing administrative processes and municipal services through digitalisation

Activities

  1. Preparing and identifying project stakeholders and task forces
  2. Providing the necessary project management training
  3. Presenting a unified perception of projects, project progress reports, and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of project implementation
  4. Expediting energy conservation programs and renewable energy projects
  5. Predicting issues that may obstruct the execution of projects and resolving them preemptively

Effects

  • Good governance for municipal projects thus contributing to achieving the ‘open government’
  • Expediting progress of municipal projects
  • Increasing municipal revenues and decreasing the greenhouse gases emission as a result of expediting energy conservation programs and renewable energy projects
  • Modernizing administrative processes and municipal services through digitalisation
  • Improving citizens’ trust in local authorities and strengthening the monetary role of citizens and social inclusion

Conclusions

Effective preparation and the engagement of all stakeholders is key to significantly enhance the acceptability and feasibility of such a reformative project. Accurate incorporation of the gender component through the consideration of the different needs of women and men, in addition to the vulnerable groups is an incentive to progress and address challenges preemptively.

Published: 31/01/2021

Contact

Ms. Imen karoui
Head of Works and Projects Follow-up Committee, Rapporteur of the Participatory Democracy and Open Governance Committee and Head of Energy and Renewable Energies Control Projects in the Municipality of Sfax
Imenkaroui1806(at)gmail.com

 

Ms. Dhouha Bouzid
Chair of the Information, Communication and Evaluation Committee and Rapporteur of the Tourism Committee
bouzidhouha(at)gmail.com

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Categories: Connective Cities Good Urban Governance Democracy and public participation Urban management and administration Smart Cities / Digitalisation
Regions: Africa Tunesien Sfax Middle East

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