Executive Summary
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USAID Nexos Locales Quarterly Report 19 January-March 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Quarterly Report captures the breadth of activities performed during the nineteenth quarter (Q19), which ranges from January 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019. It delineates high-level results, key achievements in each of the six result areas, obstacles faced during the reporting period, project management updates, and financial reporting against the six funding sources of the Nexos Locales contract. Quarter 19 marked the start of the project’s staff reduction plan and Chief of Party transition that ensures a smooth exit from 14 municipalities in September 2019 and down to a total of 15 municipalities by March 2020. The 15 selected municipalities to remain will serve as the core geographic coverage area for the last three years of program implementation (2020-2022). Also commencing during this reporting period was the start of the electoral period for the general elections (first round of voting to occur in June 2019). Given the project’s role, both with civil society and municipal authorities, the electoral period has presented unique challenges for program implementation, which have required slight adjustments to achieve desired outcomes. Although the year five work plan anticipated some of these challenges, this year’s elections are proving to be atypical. There are ongoing legal battles for candidate inscriptions, which are further shortening political campaigns and creating a scramble for get-out-the-vote efforts. Political infighting between aspiring mayoral candidates who form part of the administrative councils of incumbent mayors has limited the project’s ability to work. Incumbent mayors are concerned that aspiring candidates of their administrative councils are seeking to take credit for project advances and use them as evidence in supporting their opposition campaigns. To ensure complete neutrality and avoid political risks to the project, Nexos Locales has concentrated its efforts during the campaign period on technical assistance to individual members of key municipal offices. All public events or technical assistance sessions that can be used for political propaganda have been suspended. Perhaps the most impactful event during the quarter has been the migration surge at the United States border. In March 2019, approximately 100,000 Central Americans fleeing from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras reached the border. This surge in illegal migration, driven principally by economic need and insecurity, has presented the project with a unique opportunity to highlight its active role in addressing the key drivers of migration, particularly in the areas of improved governance and promoting prosperity. Because Nexos Locales works in 13 different technical areas, it is capable of pivoting project efforts to support a reprioritization of development objectives in the region. The project’s dual role in strengthening the supply and demand sides of local government enable it to deliver an integral framework of good governance that strengthens the social contract and improves living conditions of ordinary Guatemalans. To showcase the project’s ongoing efforts, this quarterly report includes a special section on how the project’s work contributes to stemming the flow of illegal migration (see Section I: Stemming Illegal Migration) through the pillars of promoting prosperity and improved governance. Advances during the quarter in all six result areas of the contract are summarized below: Result 1, Sound Public Financial Systems – Project staff supported the Municipal Administrative Financial Directorates (DAFIM) to complete and comply with five key financial reports that closeout the 2018 budget calendar year and propose the new 2019 municipal budgets. A digital management tool for the Municipal Access to Public Information Units (UAIP) was developed and installed in all municipalities USAID Nexos Locales Quarterly Report 19 January-March 2019 under project coverage. In Concepcion Huista, located in the department of Huehuetenango, the Municipal Development Council (COMUDE, a form of city council), received recognition from the Departmental Development Council (CODEDE) for their exceptional management of their COMUDE as a result of project inputs to strengthen the COMUDE. Result 2, Citizen Participation – The municipality of San Marcos, San Marcos soft launched a Citizen Charter on water service provision, outlining mutual responsibilities by citizens and municipal government for the use and provision of safe water. Copies of the Citizen’s Guide to the Budget and the COCODE Basic Functions Manual was distributed to all 15 new municipalities1 to orient COMUDE members. Through three sub-grants, 169 civil society organizations (CSOs) developed 422 advocacy campaign plans on prioritized community development topics. Lastly, six women’s networks3 were accredited with voice and vote in the COMUDE (a form of city council). Result 3, Increase Quality of Potable Water – Four4 Municipal Water and Sanitation Offices (OMAS) were established and two5 were institutionalized. Additionally, six municipalities6 invested in improving the infrastructure of their urban water systems through various means and four municipalities7 took action to improve water quality this quarter by installing water chlorination systems while the municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché, installed a laboratory to process water samples for water quality monitoring. Result 4 and 5, Local Economic Development and Climate Change Adaptation – In the nineteenth quarter, thirteen Municipal Women’s Directorates (DMMs)8 became members of the Municipal Commission for Food Security and Nutrition (COMUSAN) and the Commission for Economic Development, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (COFETARN) in the COMUDE. Notably, the Food Security and Nutrition (SAN) Situation Room tool and guide, developed with support from Nexos Locales, is being implemented by the Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SESAN) in 340 municipalities. The project developed and installed a DMM digital management tool in 43 municipalities to guide DMM directors to break down the lengthier Annual Operative Plan (POA) into 1 The 15 new municipalities are: Huehuetenango: 1) San Miguel Acatan; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán; 4) San Juan Atitán; 5) San Pedro Necta; 6) Malacatancito; 7) Huehuetenango; Quiche: 8) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 9) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; 10) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 11) San Marcos; 12) Comitancillo; 13) Concepción Tutuapa; 14) Tacana; and Totonicapán: 15) Totonicapán. 2 All project municipalities except for 1) Santa Lucia la Reforma; and 2) Concepcion Chiquirichapa. Concepcion Chiquirichapa was excluded due to unfavorable conditions and an amendment was approved to reallocate the funds to creating and implementing a second advocacy campaign in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta. 3 Huehuetenango: 1) San Juan Atitán; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 3) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche; San Marcos: 5) San Marcos; 6) Comitancillo; and Totonicapán; 6) Totonicapán. 4 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) Todos Santos Cuchumatán; 3) San Pedro Necta; and 4) San Sebastián Coatan. 5 San Marcos: 1) Concepción Tutuapa; and 2) Comitancillo. 6 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Sebastián Coatan; 3) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 4) Zacualpa; 5) San Juan Cotzal; and 6) San Gaspar Chajul. 7 Huehuetenango: 1) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 2) San Miguel Acatan; Quiché: 3) Sacapulas; and 4) Santa Cruz del Quiche. 8 Huehuetenango: 1) Concepción Huista; 2) Jacaltenango; 3) San Antonio Huista; 4) La Libertad; 5) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 6) San Juan Atitán; 7) San Pedro Necta; 8) San Miguel Acatan; Quiche: 9) San Juan Cotzal; San Marcos: 10) Tacana; 11) Tajumulco; 12) San Miguel Ixtahuacán; and 13) San Lorenzo. USAID Nexos Locales Quarterly Report 19 January-March 2019 smaller, more defined actions. Lastly, seven municipalities9 completed actions from their Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans, to reduce the impacts of adverse climate change through the protection and conservation of municipal forest areas. Result 6, ANAM & AGAAI – Fifty technical factsheets were developed to inform the production of online tutorial videos for improved municipal management through a grant to the National Association of Municipalities (ANAM). The Career Municipal Service bill was presented to the new members of the Municipal Affairs Commission in the Guatemalan Congress. Working in parallel, but not dependent on the passing of the Career Municipal Service bill, two10 Municipal Human Resource Offices were established. 9 Quiche: 1) Sacapulas; 2) San Andrés Sajcabajá; 3) San Bartolomé Jocotenango; Huehuetenango: 4) San Sebastián Huehuetenango; 5) San Juan Atitán; and San Marcos: 8) Concepción Tutuapa. 10 San Marcos: 1) San Lorenzo; and 2) San Pablo. .