The delegation of Mongolia learns the experience of Kyrgyz NGO in civil participatory budgeting

May 26, 2016 in Bishkek a meeting of delegations from Mongolia with the Strengthening Voice and Accountability of Citizens’ Participation and Oversight of Budget Processes Project in the Kyrgyz Republic (VAP) funded by Swiss Government and implemented by the Development Policy Institute.

The meeting was held with the aim to learn the experience of the Project to strengthen citizen participation in the budget process at the local level and accountability of local government to the local community.

Project representatives shared with the guests from Mongolia on the Project goals and objectives and the results of its implementation in the Kyrgyz Republic. “The overall objective of the VAP is that the public finances are managed by LSGs in a more transparent and effective mode through greatly increased accountability and citizen participation in decision making process. To achieve this goal within the VAP framework we train the LSG bodies to identify the needs of the local community with the participation of citizens and take them into account when making decisions that can improve the accountability of LSG bodies under the population", - shared information about the Project Bekbolot Bekiev, Team Leader of VAP.

During the meeting the parts also discussed the current situation in the sphere of transparency and citizen participation in decision-making process at the local level. Head of the delegation of Mongolia represented by Deputy Head of Presidential Administration of Mongolia Banzaaray Nerguim noted: “During our visit we learn the experience of Kyrgyzstan in the sphere of the legal basis of direct democracy and citizen participation in decision-making process. By the initiative of the President of Mongolia, our country adopted laws aimed at increasing the accountability of government to the people and the realization of the rights of citizens to participate in decision-making and local people's rule-making”.

The visit took place within the framework of the assistance by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to the Government of Mongolia in the process of reforms of decentralization and democratization.