Decentralization Cambodia Kerstin Lappe

Decentralization Cambodia 2/15 Kerstin Lappe Cambodia  Southeast Asia  Capital Phnom Penh  World Heritage Site Angkor Wat  Cambodia Basin  14 Mio. Inhabitants  Homogenous cultural structure  80% Agriculture Source: Kambodscha Botschaft

Decentralization Cambodia 3/15 Kerstin Lappe Historical Outlines  First settlement at the Mekong 5000 B.C.  18/19th century colony of Vietnam and France  1953 first autonomy  3 periods of civil war  Dictatorship of the Khmer Rouge  Vietnamese Invasion  Supervised by the UN  1998 second autonomy

Decentralization Cambodia 4/15 Kerstin Lappe Political Structure King Executive Council of Ministers Prime minister Deputy Prime Ministers Senior Ministers Ministries Legislative National Assembly 9 Commissions Senate 9 Commissions Judicative Supreme Court of Magistracy Supreme Court Appeal Court Provincial and Municipal courts Constitutional Court

Decentralization Cambodia 5/15 Kerstin Lappe Process of Decentralization  1991 first idea in the peace agreement of Paris  1998 free elections were hold  2001 Government Action Plan  2001 Law on Administration of Communes  2001 Law on Election of Commune Councils  2002 Election of Commune Councils

Decentralization Cambodia 6/15 Kerstin Lappe Administration Structure - Provinces Source: Maps of World Kingdom of Cambodia 21 Provinces (Khett) Districts (Srok) Communes (Khume) 4 Municipalities (Krong) Urban District (Khan) Quarters (Sangkat) = 1621 Communes

Decentralization Cambodia 7/15 Kerstin Lappe NCSC and DoLA  National Committee for Support to Communes/Sangkats (NCSC) - overall organization for Decentralization policy - inter-ministerial Committee - recommendations, policies, decisive role by laws - coordination of the implementation of commune councils - development of possibilities and boundaries  Department of Local Administration (DoLA) - secretary of the NCSC - department within the Ministry of Interior - supervision and evaluation of the implementation

Decentralization Cambodia 8/15 Kerstin Lappe Source: Pellini

Decentralization Cambodia 9/15 Kerstin Lappe SEILA  Khmer-word for “foundation stone“  Established 1996, outcome of CARERE  “Experiment” for decentralization of planning and financing in rural areas  Grew to a framework for the Administrative Reform and the decentralization policy  Implemented in almost every province by now

Decentralization Cambodia 10/15 Kerstin Lappe Commune Councils  First elections in 2002, mandate of 5 years  Simply proportional representation system  Depending on the size and the population: 5,7,9 or 11 members  Government sends a clerk for supporting the commune council (no influence on decisions)  Councils should come together once a month  Transparency and Accountability  Government fund for annual budget

Decentralization Cambodia 11/15 Kerstin Lappe Source: Pellini

Decentralization Cambodia 12/15 Kerstin Lappe Problems  Structural –Laws are unclear –Parallel acting system –Different party affiliations –Recover of civil wars –No effective control of budgets –Overall control by government –No direct income –Participation doesn't work  Cultural –Hierarchical society –Traditional central oriented –Automatically mistrust of government –Fear of revenge –Dominance of powerful groups –No knowledge about their rights –Wish for stability and peace

Decentralization Cambodia 13/15 Kerstin Lappe Pilot Projects - Aims  Aims –Relocation of tasks and responsibilities on districts –Development of transparent administration  Single aims –Reorganization of province administration –Building budget capacities –Implementation of local tax system –Public relations  Outcomes –Transfer of competences and functions on districts –New democratic institutions

Decentralization Cambodia 14/15 Kerstin Lappe Pilot Projects - Institutions  One Window Service Office –Service for people “from one hand” –Open boards for fee system –Divided into front- and back-office –Services in culture, tourism, transport, industry, trade  Ombudsman –Mediator between people and administration  District Council –Control of administration  Job Placement Agency

Thank you for your attention! Decentralization Cambodia Kerstin Lappe 15/15