Action plan – El Kef, Tunisia, 2024 – 2027

At-a-Glance

Duration

June 2030

Date Submitted

25th December 2024

Foreword(s)

Join this international initiative, which aims to establish the principles of open government at the local level, will allow the municipality of El Kef to benefit from numerous advantages, such as the exchange of expertise and successful experiences in the field of open government at local and international levels, as well as the strengthening of international cooperation programs related to this area with the possibility of providing support and technical assistance to implement the various projects and commitments included in the action plans. In this context, preparations have been made for the second action plan of the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More for the municipality of El Kef 2025-2027, starting with a broad consultation process aimed at gathering proposals and ideas from all participants across different social strata in a participatory framework. This assistance has contributed to the development of the first version of the action plan, noting that this consultation targets various social groups and different stakeholders involved in administration in general and in the municipality of El Kef in particular, whether governmental or non-governmental. In addition to this online consultation, other means of participation have been utilized, where it was possible to make various proposals by filling out the designated descriptive form for this purpose across different topics and based on accompanying criteria, allowing for direct submission at the headquarters of the Municipality of Kef and the new Municipal District of Kef, as well as through the associations of the Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru... or on their websites and social media pages involved in this consultation.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

This subsection details the Open Government Strategic Vision in your local area that should guide the commitments for the action plan period.

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

The commitments included in the second action plan for the years 2025-2027 are of paramount and exceptional importance, given that their planning and preparation works coincided with a number of political, economic, and social challenges facing Tunisia. The most important among them are: improving the economic situation, combating corruption, strengthening the integrity of the public sector, and modernizing administration through a number of ambitious reforms and projects that will have a positive impact on the lives of citizens, in addition to local achievements that have been made in this regard.

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

The open government relations of the municipality of Kef have witnessed a significant weaving on all fronts. The municipality has seen civil society’s engagement in these programs, which has provided technical and financial assistance to implement municipal projects. In this context, the steering committee is composed of five members from the administration and council of the municipality of Kef, five members from local associations and civil society, as well as national associations. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity for exchanges and international cooperation, and shared experiences, including, for example. relations with the municipality of Béni Mellal-Khénifra (Morocco).

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

The priorities for improvement and the aspirations of the citizens of the municipality of Kef within the framework of the axes and principles of open government are:

• Strengthening transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, the right to access information, and the opening of public data
• Adopting integrity and a participatory approach
• Strengthening local governance
• Governance of natural resource management
• Continuing the closeness and development of online services.

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

The realization of the commitments of the 2nd OGP plan aims to change the daily lives affected by recurring issues. Citizens of the municipality of Kef expect to see projects emerge whose implementation will impact their lives. Moreover, their significant participation can be direct or indirect through civil society represented in the steering committee.

How does this action plan contribute to achieve the Open Government Strategic Vision?

The preparation of the second action plan represents an explicit affirmation and commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... by the municipality of El Kef to the principles of the Open Government Partnership Initiative and its continued efforts to further consolidate these principles within government and administrative working mechanisms. The municipality strives to establish a participatory working framework alongside civil society at all stages—whether related to preparation, implementation, monitoring, or evaluation. It aims to actively engage and increase citizen interest and involvement in local affairs. Social media is utilized as an important resource for citizens, journalists, and various stakeholders to participate and stay informed about developments in the Open Government Partnership program within the municipality of El Kef.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

The second action plan for the municipality of El Kef, spanning three years, includes six commitments focused on: strengthening mechanisms of participatory democracy and principles of local governance, as well as enhancing accountability and integrity (transparency in transactions, financial and fiscal transparency), governance of natural resource management, and combating corruption. It also addresses service-related challenges by providing data and guidance to people with disabilitiesA government is not open unless it is accessible to all, and governments are working to ensure people with disabilities are afforded equitable services and opportunities to participate. Technical spec... and creating digital tools that combine necessary data and information for transportation while highlighting existing service gaps and promoting the integration of these individuals.

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Commune du ElKef
• Associatio TWIZA
• Assocition Joussour

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

As part of the implementation of the second OGP, a call for applications was announced to strengthen the steering committee (five members from the administration and El Kef municipal council + five members from associations), select an independent monitoring body, and propose expanding the committee into an extended committee. This would allow for citizen representation in El Kef through the inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... of a member from the local council of East Kef, a member from West Kef, the president of the regional council, and other associations. This extended advisory steering committee would complement the existing 5+5 steering committee and the independent monitoring body.

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

The co-creation and implementation of the second OGP plan involved civil society associations from the steering committee holding direct meetings with the public at their headquarters, at the municipal palace of El Kef, or remotely via video conferences or social media, and with partners either in person or remotely, notably the National Democratic Institute (NDI). These meetings were held in private and public spaces, association headquarters, or NDI regional offices.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

The call for applications to establish the steering committee resulted in diverse representation, including vulnerable or marginalized populations and associations. Consequently, the members of this committee include associations that represent and advocate for causes such as women and genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... (Joussour Association), people with disabilities (the regional president for people with disabilities), youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... and culture (Cika Association for Kef Culture), democracy, citizenship, and development (CD2 Kef Center). The advisory extended committee, to be formed as part of the second plan, aims to include even more stakeholders.

Who participated in these spaces?

The steering committee has worked to improve communication and encourage participation and the expression of opinions to create a more diverse group of civil society organizations, government and non-governmental structures, and citizens. Elected representatives, including the local councils of East Kef and West Kef and the regional council (represented by its president), as well as other participants, including academics and students through their teachers and professors (workshops in collaboration with NDI), have also been involved.

How many groups participated in these spaces?

8

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

6

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

In its essential functions, the steering committee selected specific commitments. Other civil society associations also submitted proposals, and the second plan respects the choices of El Kef municipality’s partners, both within and outside the committee. These partners will have opportunities to join the projects through their participation in the implementation and monitoring of these commitments. Additionally, certain funds will be directly allocated to the budget for realizing some of these commitments, supported by member associations and others. Progress updates will be published on the municipality’s website and social media pages as part of a communication plan accompanying this action plan.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

An active association in civil society with a strong reputation due to its direct and indirect contributions on the ground, it gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through its support and assistance to government efforts, including providing public institutions and citizens with medical supplies and protective equipment, as well as participating in awareness campaigns. The association has also played a significant role in cleaning campaigns and volunteer work, demonstrating stable administrative and financial performance. This has enabled it to organize numerous events and participate regularly and effectively in municipal activities whenever invited.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• CIRTA, Association, whamami@ndi.org

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

Based on the experience of the first action plan, the appointment of a project manager from the steering committee (association) will bring significant benefits. This project manager will present a progress report during quarterly meetings, detailing the state of progress on commitments, challenges encountered, and all required information in a matrix format (table) for each commitment. Meeting minutes will serve as summary documents for these updates, along with records of remarks and decisions regarding the implementation of required actions.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

The commitments proposed in the second plan include the use of new open-source technology, which is achievable within a relatively medium timeframe and verifiable through IT tools, as well as leveraging the web or social media. Others involve civil engineering components. The project manager’s report, prepared with their commission, will provide a situational analysis of the required progress.

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

The inclusion of an association representative within the steering committee offers a tremendous advantage in terms of monitoring, oversight, and information sharing. This encompasses a large direct audience (members) and an indirect audience through the website and social media platforms. Additionally, the municipality benefits from public council meetings, council office sessions, commissions, and other information-sharing methods such as postings in designated spaces or on the giant screen located in the public garden at the municipal palace square.

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• TWIZA, Association

Second Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership of the Municipality of El Kef
OGP Tunisia Website