The start of the Municipal Councillors Capacity Development Program

Today starts the implementation of the Capacity Development Program for the municipal councillors of Valandovo, Veles, Ohrid, Sveti Nikole, Strumica and Cair.

Through trainings on a total of 11 topics arising from their legal competences, the program’s goal is to strengthen the role of municipal councillors in local democracy.

In addition to today’s introductory training, the program includes training on topics of public financial management, spatial and urban planning, as well as topics related to inter-municipal cooperation and gender equality at local level.

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The trainings are part of the “Empowering  Municipal Councils” Project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation with a total value of CHF 3.4 million implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in cooperation with national and local partners.

In the next two years, this project will include additional 18 municipalities that will be selected through public calls.

In addition to the training for counsellors, a total of CHF 1.2 million is reserved for small grants intended for the realization of priority initiatives in all 24 municipalities that will participate in the project.