NORTH – SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT COOPERATION PROGRAMME

Cooperation Project between Salo, Finland and Mbabane, Swaziland

Background

   City of Mbabane is the capital of Swaziland and has about 60,000 people It is mainly an administrative City whose economy is based on the service sector with Government departments playing a significant role The City faces significant development challenges common in cities in developing countries

Background Cont.

 Salo is situated in the South-West Finland, between two big Finnish cities - Helsinki and Turku. The biggest merger of municipalities in Finland was implemented in Salo region; at the beginning of this year 10 municipalities were closed down and a new town was formed: Salo is the name of the new town. As a result of that merger Salo has now 55 000 inhabitants, total land area 2000 km2

The fact that Salo and Mbabane are quite same size (Salo as a centre of about 60 000 people and Mbabane has 60 000 inhabitants) helps the cooperation, for example comparison of functions and services is possible.

The cooperation

 The cities of Mbabane and Salo were in the pilot phase of the N-S Programmes and the cooperation project has been ongoing since 2002.

 However, since the cooperation started, the project has been evolving largely around the same themes since they were viewed as important and of great depth.

Components of the Cooperation Projects

Sustainable development incorporating LA 21  Local economic development  Administrative comparative study and exchange of administrative know-how  Better health by physical activities and development of sports management capacity in Mbabane

COMPONENT I SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PURPOSE:

ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE THROUGH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Component Issues

       Produce State of Environment Report for Mbabane (SoER) Develop Geographic Information System (GIS) Establish Waste Information- WIC (Case Study 2- Planning of Waste Management (Council & TUAS) Stakeholder/Community Participation (Msunduza Environmental Educators, Local Schools, SOER – internal & External, Recycling Companies.

Urban Design Environment Management System (EMS) Environment Policy

Key Programmes Implemented Programme 1:

Waste Information Center (WIC)

Programme 2:

State of Environment Reporting (SOE)

Waste Information Center Benefits

1.

Twenty one pilot schools linked to recycling companies 2.

3.

4.

Information Center Officer Education materials on waste management and waste recycling Waste Information Center Structure adjacent to MCM

State of the Environment Reporting Benefits

1. State of the Environment was developed 2. Determine desired levels of environmental quality 3. Environmental Performance Indicators 4. Principles of Sustainability 5. Stakeholder Participation 6. Potential linkages & interdependencies

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Benefits cont.

the planning department has been able to collect and map data on environmentally sensitive areas within the city such as swamps to assist in the protection of such areas from physical development data on various land uses such as pre-schools and churches which were not captured in the current zoning map have been mapped, thus informed decisions can be made when scrutinising various planning applications Knowledge on urban design practices in Finland and proved relevant hence the skills are now being applied in the creation of an urban design for the city.

Component II: Local Economic Development

Objectives The objective is to help improve the City of Mbabane’s Economic Development Strategy and attract appropriate investment to address the high unemployment rate.

Improvement of the municipality’s finances to offer good services and proper living standards for it’s’ citizens.

Benefits

  Mbabane improved its Economic development strategy implementation to factor in lessons learnt from the Salo Regional Development Center and discussions with City officials and private sector companies.

Information was shared between counterparts on the structure of finances and especially revenues and their collection. This has resulted in properly structured budgets and proposals have been made to improve the Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer System.

Benefits Cont.

  Council is now confidently participating in PPPs as an initiative aimed at improving the welfare of the residents of the City. These will provide employment and boost economic activity within the city as well as its neighbors. Boosted active participation of the City officials in the amendment of the outdated Local Government Financial Regulations of 1969. This will help in curbing mismanagement of funds and by so doing ensure funds are being channeled towards intended projects or programs meant for social upliftment of the citizenry. It will also improve corporate governance and accountability within local government authorities.

Component III: Development of Administrative structures

Issues:   Comparing administrative structures and practices This comparison to lead to the highlight of each city’s strong and weak areas and recommendations made on how the two cities can address the respective areas of weakness through cooperation. This kind of examination will strengthen and deepen the understanding by both sides.

Benefits

   Deep mutual understanding of the two cities’ structures and operation was reached and documented. For Mbabane this enabled it to improve the way it does things, both politically and operationally The two cities are moving towards a twinning arrangement such that even after the project lapses cooperation will continue. Hence there will be lasting ties between the North and the South.

The project will thus be sustained

Component IV – Better Health by Playing

Objective is to ameliorate young people’s health problems Focus is on:  Capacity building in the sports function in Mbabane     Supporting coordinator’s work Hand-holding (mentorship) in development of sports in Mbabane Sports strategic planning Training of trainers

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Benefits from Component 1

Main sporting facilities at Coronation Park upgraded together with children playing facilities in three areas in the City Since the sporting and playing grounds have been renovated the use of these places has increased remarkably The children playground attracts hundreds of children every week and it is encouraging to note that on weekends, especially, their parents usually accompany them.

Before the project there was no any particular place for children to play in Msunduza area. Now there is a playground for children and one Sunday there were 92 children playing and enjoying.

Cont.

  The eight sports trainers who were educated both in Salo and Mbabane are very active in organizing different sports events and training thus offering a possibility to be introduced to sports in general.

During the project the need for a person to be responsible for the sports and recreation was revealed in the city administration of Mbabane and presently there is a person responsible for sport administration within the City administrative structure.