Projet USAID/Haïti d'appui à la gestion efficace des ressources de l'État (GERÉ) - Rapport final

Final Report Semiannual Report USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State USAID/Haiti Improving Governance in Haiti Initiative (IGHI) Resources/Projet d'Appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’Etat (GERÉ) Project Year 1: 2019–2020 Time Period: February 20–June 30, 2019 (previously known as USAID/Haiti Improving Governance in Haiti Initiative [IGHI]) Reporting Period: February 20, 2019–February 19, 2022 Submission Date: January 21, 2022 Contract Number: 72052119C00001 Project Start Date and End Date: February 20, 2019–February 19, 2022 COR Name: Regine Dupuy Submitted by: Uder Antoine, Chief of Party RTI International 5A, Rue Metreaux Petion-Ville, Haiti Cells: 509 3171-4444; 509 3701-8961 Email: uantoine@ht.GERÉ.rti.org Submitted to: Regine Dupuy, COR Democracy, Rights and Governance Office U.S. Agency for International Development-Haiti Phone: +509 2229-8343 redupuy@usaid.gov January 2022 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by RTI International in collaboration with IFOS and CFET. USAID/Haiti Improving Governance in Haiti Initiative (IGHI)—Semi-Annual Report February 20–June 30, 2019 iii Final Report USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources/Projet d'Appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État (GERÉ) Reporting Period: February 20, 2019–February 19, 2022 Contract No. 72052119C900001 RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering, and international development. We believe in the promise of science, and we are inspired every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses around the world. For more information, visit www.rti.org. RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute. RTI and the RTI logo are U.S. registered trademarks of Research Triangle Institute. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Table of Contents List of Figures .............................................................................................................. v List of Tables ............................................................................................................... v Acronyms and Abbreviations........................................................................................vi Executive Summary .....................................................................................................1 1. Overview of GERÉ ...........................................................................................5 2. Key Results ......................................................................................................8 2.1 Objective 1............................................................................................8 2.1.1 IR 1.1: Strengthened capacity of selected central government institutions to improve internal control systems and accountability at the local government level............................... 8 2.1.2 IR 1.2: Improvement of the management capacity and accountability of the administrations of the selected communes ................................................................................................ 11 2.1.3 IR 1.3: Improvement in selected government authorities’ capacity to coordinate and deliver targeted, high-quality, and more inclusive public services ................................................. 14 2.1.4 IR 1.4: Improvement in selected government authorities’ capacity to mobilize resources................................................. 16 2.1.5 IR 1.5: Improved decision-making process through a reliable and sound information system on foreign governance financing and programming .................................................................... 21 2.2 Objective 2.......................................................................................... 22 2.2.1 IR 2.1: Implementation, strengthening, and accessibility of accountability and transparency mechanisms ......................... 22 2.2.2 IR 2.2: Increased involvement of civil society, the private sector, and citizens in local development ............................................ 24 2.2.3 IR 2.3: Increased inclusive participation of citizens (women, youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups) in planning for the development of their community..................... 25 2.2.4 IR 2.4: Increased media interest on governance issues and reliability of published information............................................ 26 2.3 Objective 3.......................................................................................... 26 2.3.1 IR 3.1: Strengthened coordination mechanisms at local and national levels on sectoral public policies ................................ 27 2.3.2 IR 3.2: Improved mechanisms for communication and collaboration between different levels of government and with parliament ............................................................................... 27 2.3.3 IR 3.3: Development, testing, and implementation of learning and exchange mechanisms between communes .................... 27 2.4 MEL .................................................................................................... 28 USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report iii 3. Lessons Learned and Recommendations....................................................... 31 Annex 1. Financial Management................................................................................ 32 Annex 2. Learning Brief: GERÉ Contributions to the Government of Haiti COVID-19 Response ....................................................................................................... 33 Annex 3. Success Story: Tax Mobilization.................................................................. 37 Annex 4. Success Story: Remote training for communal authorities........................... 39 USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) iv Final Report List of Figures Figure 1. GERÉ final results.......................................................................................... 5 Figure 2. TOC............................................................................................................... 5 Figure 3. GERÉ Results Framework ............................................................................. 7 Figure 4. Participants in remote trainings .................................................................... 13 Figure 5. Communication products to support tax mobilization, by commune ............. 20 Figure 6. Results of citizen satisfaction survey on communal services........................ 25 List of Tables Table 1. Highlights of GERÉ accomplishments............................................................ 1 Table 2. Challenges and responses............................................................................. 4 Table 3. Training themes for authorities on good governance.................................... 12 Table 4. Training themes for citizens on good governance ........................................ 13 Table 5. Fiscal assessment results ............................................................................ 17 Table 6. Revenue mobilization process status........................................................... 19 Table 7. Participant details from public hearings in three communes......................... 23 Table 8. Final Summary of Performance Indicators ................................................... 30 USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report v Acronyms and Abbreviations ALI Agence Locale d’Impôts (Local Tax Agency) ASEC Communal Section Assembly BBGLH Baromètre de la Bonne Gouvernance Locale Haïtienne (Barometer of Good Local Governance in Haiti) CAED Cadre de Coordination de l’Aide Externe au Développement d’Haïti (Framework for the Coordination of External Aid for Development in Haiti) CASEC Administrative Council of Communal Sections CFET Centre de Formation et d'Encadrement Technique (Center for Training and Technical Coaching) CFPB Contribution Foncière de la Propriété Bâti (Property Tax) CIVITAX Tax and Budgeting Software CLA Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting CNMP Commission Nationale des Marchés Publics (National Public Procurement Commission) COVID-19 coronavirus disease 2019 CSCCA Cour Supérieure des Comptes et du Contentieux Administratif (Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Disputes) DCT Direction des Collectivités Territoriales (Directorate of Territorial Communities) DGI Direction Générales des Impôts (Directorate General of Taxes) DSI Direction des Systèmes d’Information (Directorate of Information Systems) FY fiscal year GERÉ Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (Projet d’appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État) GESI Gender Equity and Social Inclusion GOH Government of Haiti IFOS Institut de Formation et de Services (Institute for Training and Services) IR Intermediate Result ISC Initiative de Société Civile (Civil Society Initiative) IT Information Technology MEF Ministère del’Économie et des Finances (Ministry of Economy and Finance) MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning MGAE Module de Gestion de l’Aide Externe (External Assistance Management Module) MICT Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities) MPCE Ministère de la Planification et de la Cooperation Externe (Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation) OMRH Office de Management et des Ressources Humaines (Office of Management and Human Resources) PEA Political Economy Analysis PREPOC Plan de relance économique post-COVID-19 (Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan) SMS-GL Système de Monitoring de Suivi de la Gouvernance Locale (Local Governance Monitoring System) USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) vi Final Report TOC Theory of Change UNDP United Nations Development Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government UXP Unified Exchange Platform USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report vii Executive Summary This final report covers the entire implementation period for the USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ; Projet d’appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État). It includes summary information for February 2019 through February 2022. The report includes an Executive Summary; general information about GERÉ; description of progress by objective and intermediate result (IR); progress on cross-cutting communications and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL); and concludes with a summary of accomplishments and lessons learned. This executive summary includes key GERÉ accomplishments (Table 1) and challenges, including adaptive responses to those challenges (Table 2). Table 1. Highlights of GERÉ accomplishments Innovative Approaches • GERÉ was designed using innovative and relatively new approaches at USAID at the time, including a six-month inception period, applied political economy analysis (PEA), and a focus on adaptive management. • The GERÉ team was 100% Haitian with two Haitian subcontractor partners. The local team delivered a project that was highly tailored to the local context and driven by strong relationships with government, civil society, and private sector counterparts. • GERÉ’s successful inception phase included consultations with more than 75 government, community, civil society, and private sector leaders and citizen representatives; assessments of 50 potential communes as partners; and completion of a rapid applied PEA and Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) assessment. • Based on the above consultative and learning focused approaches, the GERÉ team recommended to USAID/Haiti potential target communes, organized into clusters, and innovative activities at the commune and central levels. Key Results: Enabling Service Delivery, Resource Mobilization, and Public Financial Management • GERÉ supported seven partner communes to engage in domestic resource mobilization activities to increase revenues and improve public services. Six communes are currently implementing their plan for fiscal year FY2022 to reach new targets. • In collaboration with the Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Collectivités Territoriales (MICT; Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities) GERÉ established a local governance monitoring system: Système de Monitoring et de Suivi de la Gouvernance Locale (SMS-GL) (Monitoring and Local Governance System). The SMS-GL Platform allows the Direction des Collectivités Territoriales (DCT; Directorate of Territorial Communities) to monitor the proper functioning of communes, the application of public policies, and the evolution of governance practices at the local level. • GERÉ supported 3 communes to organize public hearings with 167 citizens from the communes to engage in the public dialogue and civic participation. These hearings were spaces for constructive and transparent exchange, public deliberation, and negotiation on local public policies and resource allocation. • GERÉ supported the launch of an improved CIVITAX system in five communes: Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, Caracol, Cap-Haïtien, and Ouanaminthe. The goal was to increase the capacity of the fiscal department of the municipalities through information technology (IT) equipment and training. • With the Ministère de l’Économie et des Finances (MEF; Ministry of Economy and Finance), the GERÉ team facilitated improved coordination between the communes and the Direction Générales des Impôts (DGI; Directorate General of Taxes) and Agences Locales d’Impôts USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 1 [ALIs; local tax collection units) to encourage collaboration for the local tax collection effort. • GERÉ partnered with Viamo to engage communal authorities and citizens in remote trainings to improve their management capacity. A total of 352 participants enrolled in the remote training programs: 117 in the local authority curriculum,186 in the citizen curriculum, and 49 in both curriculums. Key Results: Anti-Corruption • GERÉ supported the establishment, recruitment, and training of a new audit unit in partnership with the Commission Nationale des Marchés Publics (CNMP; National Commission for Public Procurement) aimed at undertaking systematic audits of public procurements at local and central levels. The unit will systematically verify all public contracts, identify areas for improvement, make improvements, and provide technical assistance to other government institutions to strengthen accountability through more regular audits of government entities. • To increase mechanisms of control to prevent corruption, GERÉ supported the Cour Supérieure des Comptes et du Contentieux Administratif (CSCCA; Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Disputes) to finalize the Procedures Manual, which describes and formalizes all transactions related to the legal constitutional powers of CSCCA and the processes for exercising them. With this new manual, CSCCA will improve the quality of its audit process and related reporting. Key Results: Civil Society and Private Sector Engagement • GERÉ supported the COVIGILANCE effort, led by the Initiative de Société Civile (ISC; Civil Society Initiative) Consortium, to conduct an audit of government entities who managed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) fund, produce a report on the accountability of government actions, and communicate the report findings and recommendations. These actions raised awareness among government actors of their responsibility to provide an effective and efficient response to pandemics and other natural disasters, as well as the importance of sound and transparent management of public funds for the benefit of the population. • GERÉ, in partnership with Papyrus and Groupe Croissance, engaged civil society to increase their participation in the national budgeting process to assist MEF in improving citizen participation and transparency in government transactions. This included production of three videos—one each on the budget preparation process, public procurement, and participatory budget preparation, as well as an international virtual exchange on public finances to raise awareness and promote key processes and concepts to increase citizens’ participation in budgeting processes. Below are two highlights of GERÉ’s impact. A more complete version of these success stories is included in Annexes 3 and 4. Boosting tax revenues in target communes to enable service delivery Most communes in Haiti have very few resources to accomplish their mission to provide basic services, such as potable water, electricity, and efficient waste management to local populations. These resources are supposed to come primarily from the collection of taxes. However, most citizens do not pay their taxes for a variety of reasons, including a lack of financial means, poor fiscal education, and a lack of trust in local authorities to effectively manage communal funds. The Carrefour commune, for instance, is only able to collect taxes from about 6,000 properties out of 150,000 existing ones, according to the general director, Carl-Henry Chery. When the GERÉ project contacted Cap-Haïtien to support tax mobilization efforts in the commune, the mayor was ecstatic. “This project came about in a context where the commune administration finds it very difficult to pay its employees and provide services due USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 2 Final Report to a lack of necessary materials to effectively carry out its mandate,” stated Mayor of Cap Haïtien, Yvrose Pierre, Haiti’s first elected female mayor. Town hall agents in the commune of Caracol receive training to conduct toponymic surveys that allow the identification of streets to facilitate the census of taxable properties. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ The GERÉ project took the following multi-prong approach to fiscal mobilization: a diagnosis of the town hall fiscal services (tax department) and toponymic surveying to identify streets and properties for the census of taxable properties and businesses; a fiscal potential assessment to identify the potential sources of tax revenue; and support to the communes to hold public hearings. Mayor Pierre shared, “It will allow us [to] strengthen our administration to become more self-sufficient and to implement two major flagship projects: a new public market to decongest streets of our beautiful historic city and facilitate the rehabilitation of the Toussaint Louverture public square.” Pivoting GERE programming to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic Local authorities in Haiti’s communes are often not well equipped due to weak capacity, inefficient institutions, and poor local services to citizens. To respond, the GERÉ project partnered with Viamo to conduct a series of focus groups with stakeholder groups and experts to determine gaps in knowledge and best practices and to facilitate learning among the authorities and citizens. Originally planned as eight in-person sessions, GERÉ adapted the plan during the COVID 19 pandemic to remote sessions. The training focused on good governance, the duties of communal authorities, budget preparation, and the importance of being responsive to the local population. As Advertisement for 8844 Information Line. Photo credit: Viamo citizens often incorrectly attribute responsibilities to communes that are not within their roles and responsibilities, one USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 3 module focused on the importance of collaborative relationships between the authorities and the population. This inspired the Mayor of Saint-Raphael to hold public hearings to better inform citizens of town hall activities. Another module on budget preparation enabled Reginald Pierre, a member of the ASEC charged with controlling CASEC activity in Tabarre commune, to improve his ability to track the budget. “This allows us to better monitor the implementation of activities within the financial resources allocated to the first Bellevue section,” he stated. Table 2. Challenges and responses Key Challenges Response Measures Taken The erratic intergovernmental transfers, resulting in salary arrears of 12–17 months in the communes, had a significant impact on staff availability, commune operations, and the ability to provide services. The lack of elections to renew leadership and the absence of payment for local staff made communal staff less available and had a significant impact on the implementation of GERÉ activities. GERÉ raised the issues of salary arrears and elections with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), commune stakeholders, and central-level stakeholders, and developed recommended actions. Advocacy efforts by GERÉ encouraged discussions between the new MICT Minister and the Ministry of Economy and Finance encouraged the payment of salary arrears to the communes. Security concerns, kidnappings, fuel shortages, and COVID-19 were significant challenges throughout implementation. There was also an increase in the political instability in Haiti following the president’s assassination in July 2021. RTI hired a dedicated Haitian security officer and increased engagement of GardaWorld, RTI’s security firm, including regular security briefings and security escorts when necessary. Staff were also encouraged to work from home to reduce security risks, using Zoom for meetings. Below are the key lessons learned and recommendations gathered from the GERÉ team and key local partners, which may be valuable for future USAID programming in Haiti. Expect challenges. The GERÉ team has clearly learned that challenges may change over time, but they will always be present. Thus, the team continued to adapt working approaches and methods, strengthen collaboration with counterparts, and change schedules as needed to adapt to the ever-evolving context. Work plan adaptation is critical. When working in such a challenging environment, adaptive management of the work plan is essential. Several prioritization processes in partnership with USAID, helped the team to look carefully at activities, assess the ability to effectively implement them given the context, and focus project activities. Relationships are key. The focus early in the project of building and strengthening relationships over time helped improve project implementation and results. This includes strong communication and support from USAID counterparts. Prioritize a holistic, long term approach, including commune and central government. Future governance projects in Haiti should prioritize a holistic approach to implementation and a recognition that results in governance programming often take more time to achieve results. If the goal is to enable capacity and improvements at the commune level, then support and interventions with counterpart entities at the central government level are critical for success and sustainability. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 4 Final Report 1. Overview of GERÉ Funded by USAID, GERÉ was a 3- year, [REDACTED] project that was implemented from February 20, 2019 through February 19, 2022. RTI International was the lead implementer, in collaboration with the Institut de Formation et de Services (IFOS; Institute for Training and Services) and the Centre de Formation et d'Encadrement Technique (CFET; Center for Training and Technical Coaching). See Figure 1 for a results summary. Theory of Change (TOC) and objectives RTI and project partners developed a TOC (Figure 2) with the contribution of the Government of Haiti (GOH) counterparts, local partners, and other stakeholders. The TOC focused on the main governance challenges in Haiti, the operational environment, and promising entry points. The TOC contributed to USAID/Haiti’s Intermediate Outcome 1.1 in the USAID/Haiti Strategic Framework, "All branches of the GOH are more effectively executing their mandates.” Figure 2. TOC Figure 1. GERÉ final results GERÉ Pillars The following GERÉ approaches, or pillars, served as the foundation of the project by which GERÉ was implemented. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 5 • Ensure locally owned, locally led development through a participatory and inclusive consultative process at all levels. • Adapt innovative tools, activities, and approaches using past and current governance programming from Haiti and other countries. • Embed collaborating, learning, and adaptation (CLA) throughout the project’s lifecycle, with a strong focus on adaptive management. • Leverage USAID, GOH, and other donor governance programs and other sector development projects to enhance results and avoid duplication. • Incorporate lessons learned from the implementation of GERÉ activities and previous governance programming in Haiti. • Utilize traditional and new communication and media tools in GERÉ outreach and awareness raising that are adapted to fit the Haitian context. • Integrate GESI approaches and applied PEA into activity design and implementation. GERÉ’s three objectives are as follows: 1. Select government entities’ ability to manage and mobilize resources and deliver services to citizens improved 2. Greater engagement between citizens, civil society, the private sector, and government in defining and addressing development priorities 3. Improved communication, collaboration, and coordination across and between levels of government—and with parliament—on policy, budget, and service delivery issues. See Figure 3 for the GERÉ results framework. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 6 Final Report Figure 3. GERÉ Results Framework USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 7 2. Key Results 2.1 Objective 1 2.1.1 IR 1.1: Strengthened capacity of selected central government institutions to improve internal control systems and accountability at the local government level Working with three central level entities, CSCCA, CNMP, and Office de Management et des Ressources Humaines (OMRH; Office of Management and Human Resources), GERÉ increased internal control as a preventive approach to fight corruption. Strengthening internal controls and the management of public resources ultimately results in improved service delivery to the population. Improved internal control systems to strengthen the fight against corruption CSCCA plays a critical role in good governance and the fight against corruption in Haiti. For several years it has worked to institute reforms mostly based on the recommendations of the institutional diagnostic conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2005. In support of CSCCA’s endeavors, GERÉ provided the organization technical support for 11 months, from January 2021 to November 2021 to increase its capacity to fulfill its constitutional mandate and role in the prevention of corruption. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 8 Final Report Using a participatory approach, which also increases the sustainability of interventions, GERÉ supported CSCCA to make progress on its identified priorities in the fight against corruption. GERÉ and CSCCA finalized the Procedures Manual that describes and formalizes all transactions related to the legal constitutional powers of CSCCA and the processes for exercising them. These improvements seek to address questions by the media about the quality control measures utilized in CSCCA reporting. With this new manual, CSCCA will improve the quality of its audit process and the related reporting. Ultimately, better financial management will encourage more effective service provision at the central and local levels. In expressing his gratitude to the GERÉ project and USAID, Mr. Fritz Robert Saint Paul, President of CSCCA, shared the importance of this manual as a key tool in the improvement of CSCCA operations. Mr. Fritz Robert Saint Paul, the President of CSCCA. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ New internal audit unit at CNMP for better accountability GERÉ supported CNMP to establish an internal audit unit that can systematically verify all public contracts, identify areas for improvement, make improvements, and potentially provide technical assistance to other government institutions. The Petrocaribe case study identified public procurement as an area of high risk for corruption and CNMP determined internal controls and accountability as a priority. By methodically reviewing and providing oversight of financial management practices, the audit process improves transparency and reduces corruption by increasing compliance with internal controls and regulations. In 2021, GERÉ and CNMP representatives identified, hired, and trained six technical personnel. GERÉ provided equipment, such as office supplies, laptop, and printer, to help the unit function and covered the contractual fees of the auditors for eight months until the nomination process was completed with Ministry of Economy and Finance. In November 2021, with the support of GERÉ, the CMNP trained 20 representatives of public institutions in the requirements of the public procurement audit. Strengthening public financial management through the Unified Exchange Platform (UXP) and Integrated System for Public Finance Management GERÉ supported the MEF Direction des Systèmes d’Information (DSI; Directorate of Information Systems) to continue with the implementation of the UXP, a data exchange platform developed by MEF, to facilitate the interconnection of public institutions through real-time and secure data exchange. These data (e.g., identification, economic, commercial, USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 9 etc.) will be useful for collaboration, corroboration, oversight, and, ultimately, anti-corruption efforts. In February 2021, the GERÉ team delivered all the needed IT equipment to DSI to strengthen and extend the capacity of the platform to add two new public institutions: Archives Nationales D’Haiti (National Archives of Haiti) and the Institut Haïtien de Statistiques et d’Informatique (Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics). The technical configuration is complete, and the institutions are prepared to begin using the UXP in 2022. GERÉ also provided technical support and equipment to improve the Système Intégré de Gestion des Finances Publiques (Integrated System for Public Finance Management) to preserve data integrity for all MEF information systems. By activating a new contingency plan, MEF/DSI can utilize a reliable information system and provide data during any disaster to ensure the continuity of the state’s financial operations, which is a critical function for effective governance. Improved accountability in the government asset inventory system The OMRH, which is charged with coordinating government actions on the organization and the efficiency of public administration, identified the management of state assets as an area where major improvement is needed. Specifically, state assets are misused (i.e., used for purposes other than public utility needs.) Improving the management of state assets is an important feature in the State Modernization Program 2018–2023 and promotes a results oriented administration. To support OMRH in achieving this goal, GERÉ supported the production and launch of the State Asset Control Procedures Manual (State Asset Manual) using a participatory process aimed at improving the government asset inventory system and increasing GOH accountability. The State Asset Manual was finalized in September 2021 and in November 2021, OMRH and GERÉ organized a symposium to introduce it to the public administration. This included the participation of senior leaders and technicians of key GOH institutions, such as such as the Office the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Litigation (CSCCA), MEF, the General Finance Inspectorate, the Treasury Department, and DGI. A total of 214 people engaged in the symposium (105 in person and 109 remotely). GERÉ and OMRH distributed 600 physical copies of the State Asset Manual during the event and made available an electronic version to ensure a lager distribution. Economist Kesner Pharel presenting at the OMRH symposium. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ To promote the sustainability of these efforts, OMRH is supported by a committee with representatives of the key institutions (see above). OMRH has committed to organizing training sessions and coaching, funded by the GOH, to facilitate the implementation of the State Asset Manual procedures in public institutions. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 10 Final Report 2.1.2 IR 1.2: Improvement of the management capacity and accountability of the administrations of the selected communes Improvements to the CIVITAX system to strengthen revenue mobilization and management within communes Strengthening the CIVITAX system was a key part of improving the revenue mobilization and financial management capacity of communes. CIVITAX is a web application developed and introduced to municipalities by the USAID-funded Limiyè ak Òganizasyon pou Kolektivite yo Ale Lwen Plus (LOKAL+) project, a previous governance program, to support town halls in domestic resource mobilization. GERÉ capitalized on this successful experience to conduct a participatory diagnostic process with commune officials in the North and Northeast to determine needed improvements to increase the functionality of the system. The diagnosis revealed significant deficiencies in partner communes, which caused some to stop using CIVITAX. In particular, the challenges included the following: • Most of the town halls were using an outdated version of CIVITAX. • The workstation (physical and virtual working space) was insufficient. • The trained operators were no longer working for the commune, and the current operators could not use the basic functionalities of CIVITAX. • Insufficient electricity source at Pignon and Saint-Raphaël and no electricity source in Caracol and Ouanaminthe. • The existing databases were inaccessible in some municipalities because the servers were not working. • Some computer equipment was broken. GERÉ IT Specialist demonstrates using equipment in Pignon. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ Based on these findings, GERÉ and the target communes implemented two components to optimize the use of CIVITAX, as discussed below. 1) As part of the tax mobilization campaign in the five target communes in the North and Northeast Departments (Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, Cap-Haïtien, Caracol, and Ouanaminthe), GERÉ provided critical IT equipment, including servers, computers, tablets, and other accessories, as well as technical support to improve the functionality of the CIVITAX system. Additionally, GERÉ provided a solar power system to restore electricity in four municipalities: Ouanaminthe, Caracol, Saint Raphaël, and Pignon. Solar power is low cost, locally managed, and will help municipalities like Caracol that was removed from the national electricity network due to 24 months of unpaid bills. GERÉ and MICT completed the installation of equipment and assessed the functionality of the new electricity system in September 2021. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 11 2) The second component aimed to establish the interconnection between town halls and the DGI through CIVITAX via the UXP. The interconnection at this level will increase the coordination between town halls and the DGI in the tax collection process. This second component was mainly funded by the GOH through the MEF's Public Finance Reform Commission. GERÉ's support involved configuring UXP interfaces to facilitate interconnection and the dialogue between municipalities and MEF to launch the process. MEF's Public Finance Reform Commission is continuing with the installation of the necessary hardware and equipment in the municipalities of Carrefour and Tabarre. Communal authorities and citizens enrolled in remote trainings to improve their management capacity Training for communal/municipal leaders was a key strategy to improve the capacity and accountability of communal administrations. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Improved CIVITAX application. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ continued political instability, GERÉ adapted the plan to offer remote training for communal leaders. This training focused on good governance, the duties of communal authorities, and the importance of being responsive to the local population. GERÉ’s partner, Viamo, developed and rolled out the training via eight modules (Table 3) on the key governance themes using Haitian Creole. Table 3. Training themes for authorities on good governance At the end of the governance training, authorities should have the capacity to: • Understand the roles and responsibilities of each unit of government. • Know how the municipal council and its various services must be organized to give better results in the commune they lead. • Understand the central government budget, its importance, and how it is prepared. • Understand the term “inclusion” and how to promote inclusion within their commune. • Understand the relations that the communal authorities should have with MICT. • Know the relationship that must exist between the authorities and the population to allow civil society to participate in everything that is done in the community. • Have ideas on how the commune can carry out development activities and where the resources to carry out these activities can come from. • Understand the purpose and importance of a commune diagnostic assessment and prepare a summary of what is and is not working well in the commune. In parallel, GERÉ and Viamo designed distance learning for citizens on key good governance themes using six modules on national and local government and civil society roles as well as inclusion (Table 4). USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 12 Final Report Table 4. Training themes for citizens on good governance At the end of the training, citizens should have the capacity to: • Understand the role of citizens and the role of the state, including mayors and municipal council, senators, prime minister, and other ministers. • Know roles of local authorities (Kasek and Asek), their work, and who can become a member. • Understand the role of civil society, including the roles and responsibilities of citizens and the power of civil society when it is well organized. • Understand the term “inclusion,” the concept of valuing all people, and how to apply the term. The remote training concluded on November 30, 2021 with 352 participants: 117 in the local authority curriculum (mayors, technical managers of municipalities, members of ASECs, and Administrative Councils of Communal Section [CASECs], city delegates, etc.); 186 in the citizen curriculum; and 49 in both curriculums (Figure 4). The ultimate goal of strengthening the capacities of communal administrations and local citizens is to enable them to work more effectively together to improve the delivery of public services. Figure 4. Participants in remote trainings both, 49 citizen curriculum, 186 authority curriculum, 117 To understand how training participants were using the newly acquired skills and knowledge, the GERÉ MEL and Communications teams conducted follow-up visits with authority and citizen participants to learn more about the training results. In total, 97% of the participating citizens and 87% of the authorities declared the training “very useful” and the feedback also indicated that participants were using their new capacities to improve the implementation of public hearings, participatory budgeting, and resource mobilization. “This training has strengthened my commitment to the population and allows me to better collaborate with the town hall and be more effective in my position.” Ridore Peterson, city delegate for the commune of Carrefour and training participant USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 13 2.1.3 IR 1.3: Improvement in selected government authorities’ capacity to coordinate and deliver targeted, high-quality, and more inclusive public services Communal capacity assessments and action plans to improve service delivery in progress During FY 2020, the GERÉ team completed the revision and adaptation of the self assessment tool, Baromètre de la Bonne Gouvernance Locale Haïtienne (BBGLH; Barometer of Good Local Governance in Haiti) and carried out the first pilot test in Saint Raphaël in October 2020. This was followed by a second pilot test in Pignon during the same period. GERÉ developed a guide and trained facilitators on the BBGLH self assessment process and development of an action plan. The main objectives of this activity were to evaluate the functional capacity of the municipalities and its ability to apply and adhere to the principles of good governance. In early 2021, GERÉ undertook a comparative evaluation of the Évaluation des Capacités Fonctionnelles (Evaluation of Functional Capacities) and BBGLH tools to potentially merge them. The plan was to apply the merged tool to remaining communes. Unfortunately, this activity was cut during work plan activity prioritization with USAID. Ensure the proper implementation of public policies through the monitoring application—SMS-GL To help government bodies improve the management and delivery of services, GERÉ supported the MICT through the DCT, to develop and launch an IT system, the SMS-GL, that allowed the Ministry to monitor commune functioning. This activity helped to ensure the effective application of public policies, evolution of governance practices at the local level, and provision of services. It also facilitated communication between the Ministry and Training SMS-GL users within the DCT. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ local authorities, enabled stronger linkages, and reinforced oversight duties. Additionally, in the context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, SMS-GL facilitates the monitoring of the protocol adopted to prevent the spread of the virus while identifying the expectations of local authorities and providing them with appropriate support. It also enables the design and monitoring of specific public policies. GERÉ, MICT, DCT, and DocSolutions worked together to design and develop the SMS-GL to monitor and evaluate the local governance system. As of the close of the project, MICT had started to integrate the data generated by GERÉ into the system, such as the toponymic assessment and CIVITAX database. GERÉ provided and installed the needed equipment and materials at MICT to facilitate the use of the SMS-GL. DocSolutions carried out 4 capacity-building sessions on the SMS-GL platform for 11 executive users within the DCT, including 4 women and 7 men. The DCT has also selected and trained three administrators on SMS-GL’s management to ensure sustainable ownership of the system within MICT. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 14 Final Report In following up on the results of the new application, GERÉ found the SMS-GL system is useful now and in the future. One DCT user said, “practically all public institutions could use it, especially since the tool provides data from which analyses can be made. These analyses can help in the decision-making process in these institutions.” Although it was designed for monitoring COVID-19, MICT used the application to identify the damage after the earthquake in August 2021 in the South, demonstrating the broad usefulness of the application for the GOH. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 15 2.1.4 IR 1.4: Improvement in selected government authorities’ capacity to mobilize resources One of GERÉ’s greatest successes was making significant progress in the resource mobilization process. Starting with a tailored, evidence-based assessment process, six of GERÉ’s seven partner communes are now actively mobilizing resources.1 Below is an account of each of the detailed steps in this process. Evaluation of fiscal potential of targeted communes The resource mobilization process began with an evaluation of the fiscal potential of each commune (Table 5). Understanding the fiscal potential allowed communal authorities to anticipate the level of effort needed and the implementation steps and resources needed to reach their target. The participatory assessment, led by IFOS, included interviews with key stakeholders, including mayors, town hall representatives, General Directors, tax officials, members of Municipal agents conduct building assessments to inform tax lines for FY2022. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ civil society. This included a review of key administrative documents, such as revenue reports and administrative accounts, and site visit observations in the commune. GERÉ, led by IFOS, supported the fiscal potential assessments in successive stages in the targeted communes, starting in Pignon and Saint-Raphaël, followed by Caracol, Ouanaminthe, Cap-Haïtien, Tabarre, and, finally, Carrefour. Of note, GERÉ adapted the approaches for Carrefour due to the security situation by gathering key information remotely. To facilitate local ownership and a clear understating of the fiscal potential by authorities and executives of the town halls, GERÉ facilitated a dialog on the assessment results in all seven partner communes. 1 Tabarre was unable to make as much progress as the other communes due to programmatic issues at the town hall, a lack of engagement and motivation from communal staff and authorities, the security context in the commune related to the fuel crisis, and the reduced funding and unexpected closure of the project. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 16 Final Report Table 5. Fiscal assessment results Commune Baseline: 2020–2021 fiscal potential in gourdes Estimated annual fiscal potential (per year) 2021–2026 in gourdes % change in annual fiscal potential Pignon 200,000.00 (USD 2,000) 6,000,000.00 (USD 60,000) 2,900% Saint-Raphaël 500,000.00 (USD 5,000) 6,250,000.00 (USD 61,000) 1,150% Caracol 700,000.00 (USD 6,900) 3,000,000.00 (USD 30,000) 329% Ouanaminthe 5,000,000.00 (USD 50,000) 30,500,000.00 (USD 30,0000) 510% Tabarre 180,000,000.00 (USD 1,770,800) 235,500,000.00 (USD 2,316,800) 31% Carrefour 120,000,000.00 (USD 1,180,500) 375,000,000.00 (USD 3,689,200) 212% Resource mobilization progress in all seven communes Municipal officials conduct the toponymic survey in Caracol in June 2021. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ Following the fiscal potential assessment, GERÉ focused on domestic resource mobilization as a key activity, with a goal to provide essential resources to improve service delivery. The process included several important stages, starting with a diagnostic of the fiscal management and services of the communes followed by the toponymic survey and the census. Diagnosis of Fiscal Services. This process began in April 2021 with meetings to gather information in all seven communes, including an evaluation of the fiscal management structures to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. The results of the diagnostic directly fed into capacity reinforcement plans for each commune. Specific actions were tailored to the needs expressed by the authorities and town hall executives with a goal to improve the performance of the commune's fiscal services. Before the end USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 17 of the GERÉ project, each commune approved their capacity reinforcement plan and budget and committed to their implementation for FY2022. Toponymic Survey. Next, ea