European Union Project supports inclusive planning for rural development

AKMOLA OBLAST − Today, a seminar on inclusive planning for local development was held at the Forum of active villagers which gathered more than 40 akims of rural districts and their deputies. This seminar was conducted by the European Union (EU) funded Project “Greater Stakeholder Engagement at local level in East and Central Kazakhstan”.

During the event, akims of rural districts received real examples of proactive exercise of their powers and functions to involve local people, search for resources and create a positive attitude to life and work in rural areas.

Inclusive local development planning is the process of working out a comprehensive development plan at the village/county level that is led by akim and his/her team with the involvement of all stakeholders and representatives of civil society. Such approach is fully in line with the Kazakhstan Law on Local Public Administration and Self-Governance dated 23 January 2001, No 148.

During the implementation of the EU Project, technical and advisory support was provided for the development of 10 inclusive plans to systematically address the needs of the population in 10 rural counties of East and Central Kazakhstan. Moreover, to support the actual implementation of those inclusive plans, the financial assistance for a total amount of KZT 12,000,000 was provided to 11 entrepreneurs from the same counties to implement their business projects to create new jobs for young people and women and improve the quality of local services.

Thanks to the EU Project, we were able to rethink the approach to solving the problems that exist in rural areas. And this helped us solve the problem of the lack of mobile communication. As a result of our negotiations with Beeline,since 2018 560 people have been connected to the mobile network without using any budgetary funds, says BagzhanBilyalov, akim of the Zharaspay village, Nura district of the Karaganda oblast.

The EU-funded project Greater Stakeholder Engagement at local level in East and Central Kazakhstan” is being implemented from 2017 to 2020 by ARGO Civil Society Development Association, Foundation for Local Government Reform (Bulgaria), “Local Self Governance Development Centre” PF (East Kazakhstan oblast), and ECOCENTER Karagandy Regional Ecological Centre. The total budget: EUR 470,000 (EU contribution: EUR 420,000). The project aims are aligned with Kazakhstan National Plan on 100 Concrete Steps as it contributes to rural economic development and empower local communities in their interaction with local authorities.