(2022) USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report

USAID/Haiti Improving Governance in Haiti Initiative (IGHI)—Semi-Annual Report February 20– June 30, 2019 iii Semiannual Report USAID/Haiti Improving Governance in Haiti Initiative (IGHI) Project Year 1: 2019–2020 Time Period: February 20–June 30, 2019 Final Report USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources/Projet d'Appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’Etat (GERÉ) (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. 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. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report iii 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) iv Final Report 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) Final Report v 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) vi Final Report 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 a nd 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) Final Report vii 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 1 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 t o 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) 2 Final Report [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 audit s 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) Final Report 3 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 citizens often incorrectly attribute responsibilities to communes that are not within their roles and responsibilities, one Advertisement for 8844 Information Line. Photo credit: Viamo USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 4 Final Report 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) Final Report 5 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 GERÉ Pillars The following GERÉ approaches, or pillars, served as the foundation of the project by which GERÉ was implemented. Figure 1. GERÉ final results USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 6 Final Report • 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) Final Report 7 Figure 3. GERÉ Results Framework USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 8 Final Report 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) Final Report 9 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. 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, Mr. Fritz Robert Saint Paul, the President of CSCCA. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 10 Final Report 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 p ublic 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 M odernization 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. 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 M anual procedures in public institutions. Economist Kesner Pharel presenting at the OMRH symposium. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 11 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 t o 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 t he servers were not working. • Some computer equipment was broken. Based on these findings, GERÉ and the target co mmunes 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. GERÉ IT Specialist demonstrates using equipment in Pignon. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 12 Final Report 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 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). Improved CIVITAX application. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 13 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. 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. Figure 4. Participants in remote trainings citizen curriculum, 186 authority curriculum, 117 both, 49 “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) 14 Final Report 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 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. Training SMS-GL users within the DCT. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 15 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.” Alt hough 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) 16 Final Report 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 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. Municipal agents conduct building assessments to inform tax lines for FY2022. Photo credit: RTI International/GER É USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 17 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 Following the fiscal potential assessment, GERÉ focused on domestic r esource 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 Fi scal Services. This process began in April 2021 with meetings to gather information in all seven communes, including an evaluat ion 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 Municipal officials conduct the toponymic survey in Caracol in June 2021. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 18 Final Report of the GERÉ project, each commune approved their capacity reinforcement plan and budget and committed to their implementation for FY2022. Toponymic Survey. Next, each commune conducted a toponymic survey, which is a mapping of the streets and counting of the houses . This identification process enables the issuing of accurate tax invoices. As part of this process, GERÉ supported the integration of the toponymic data into the CIVITAX database, following improvements to CIVITAX (described in Section 3.1.2, IR 1.2). Census Assessment. The third phase was the census assessment of buildings and business. In collaboration with the fiscal department of each targeted commune, GERÉ, through partner IFOS, completed the detailed calculation for each for type of tax. The main tax types or lines are the Contribution Foncière de la Propriété Bâti (CFPB; property tax), which is calculated through the assessment of existing buildings and the patent and publishing rights (a payment from business to display street banners for advertising), which is calculated through the assessment of existing businesses. All the data was consolidated into a database with in CIVITAX. In October 2021, communes began issu ing tax invoices to citizens and business. These steps to improve the quality and accessibility of information related to taxes in the database inside CIVITAX will facilitate the follow- up for the payment of the CFPB and the patent and publishing taxes. By improving these revenue collection processes, GERÉ’s partner communes are better able to mobilize local resources for improved service delivery. To support the revenue mobilization process in Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, and Caracol, GERÉ trained 23 fiscal agents (18 men and 5 women) working for DGI in the ALIs to increase their ability to fulfill their tax collection duties. Given the high revenue mobilization target for 2022 in these three communes, this training was an important part of the plan to increase the agents’ ability to manage the tax collection process. Table 6 shows the status of each step in the revenue mobilization process by commune. DGI fiscal agent training. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 19 Table 6. Revenue mobilization process status Commune Evaluation of the fiscal potential Diagnosis of tax and finance services Toponymic survey Communication plan to support fiscal mobilization Property census Implement collection of communal taxes (issue vouchers, collect taxes, etc.) Cap-Haïtien Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Ongoing Caracol Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Ongoing Carrefour Complete Complete Complete Planned Complete Ongoing Ouanaminthe Complete Complete Stopped Complete Complete Ongoing Pignon Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Ongoing Saint- Raphaël Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Ongoing Tabarre Complete Complete Stopped Stopped Stopped Not applicable Communications in support of resource mobilization in communes As part of the collaboration between the GERÉ project, the MICT, and target communes to support communal tax mobilization, the project facilitated the development of communication plans (Figure 5) for the target communes of Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, Caracol, Ouanaminthe, and Cap-Haïtien. The communication plans sought to help the communes inform the population about the importance of paying taxes and motivate potential taxpayers to fulfill their legal obligation. Greater tax- paying compliance will enable the communes to generate the resources necessary to provide and improve services to the population. Mayor of Saint Raphael (right) and GERÉ staff (left) discuss communications plan for revenue mobilization. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 20 Final Report The messages were based on the following assertion, “w ithout tax payment no public service is possible.” Using a variety of tactics, such as sound trucks, street banners, websites, social media, and meetings , the communes communicated with their citizens from August to November 2021 as a prelude to FY2022. The communication plans were designed using a participatory approach, adapted to the specificity of each commune, and implemented by each commune. GERÉ provided coaching to increase the capacity of each municipality to successfully design and implement a communication strategy and to replicate the process in future years. Figure 5. Communication products to support tax mobilization, by commune Notable early successes in the resource mobilization process • GERÉ successfully advocated for the transfer of Pignon revenues from the DGI to Pignon commune during the last two fiscal years, i.e., FY2020 and FY2021. For about two years, the Pignon municipality had not received the revenues collected by the DGI on its behalf. • In Pignon and Caracol, the project supported the communes to identify new areas that can help increase communal revenues. For example, Caracol is investigating the potential for taxation mechanisms for businesses that work in the salt marshes. DGI will study the taxation mechanisms for new opportunities and will support the communes in this process. • Mayors and municipal officials have become very actively involved in the fiscal potential evaluation, diagnostic of tax and finance services, and toponymic surveys. 8 4 5 3 3 1 1 1 1 24 16 24 12 12 8 8 8 8 Cap-Haïtien Caracol Ouanaminthe Pignon Saint-Raphaël Communication Products to Support Tax Mobilization, by Commune Banners and Poster Twitter, Facebook or Website DJ Sound Truck (# of outings) Radio Airtime (# of hours) Billboard to support tax collection in Cap-Haïtien. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 21 This promotes sustainability and increases effectiveness of the communes’ ability to engage with taxpayers and mobilize resources. • In part due to advocacy from GERÉ, in August 2021 the new MICT M inister launched efforts with the MEF that encouraged the payment of the 1.6 billion gourdes in salary arrears to the communes. Initial feedback is that the government will start paying salary arrears in February 2022. 2.1.5 IR 1.5: Improved decision-making process through a reliable and sound information system on foreign governance financing and programming GERÉ established a partnership with the Ministère de la Planification et de la Coopération Externe (MPCE; Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation) to introduce the governance module in the Module de Gestion de l’Aide Externe (MGAE; External Assistance Management Module). This was a key component of improving information on governance programming financed by financial partners. MCPE developed the MGAE software in 2014 to facilitate coordination across donors and programs. GERÉ completed the orientation on methods and finalized a work plan with the MCPE Cadre de Coordination de l’Aide Externe au Développement d’Haïti (CAED; Framework for the Coordination of External Aid for Development in Haiti) department. GERÉ also developed a technical note on the characteristics of governance projects. Changes in leadership within MPCE and the challenging security circumstances in Haiti stalled further progress on the technical note. At the close of the project, GERÉ encouraged MPCE and CAED to continue implementing the plan so that the module could facilitate improved decision- making processes using a reliable and robust information system on the financing and programming of governance activities in Haiti. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 22 Final Report 2.2 Objective 2 * PREPOC = Plan de relance économique post-COVID-19 (Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan) 2.2.1 IR 2.1: Implementation, strengthening, and accessibility of accountability and transparency mechanisms Public hearings strengthening citizen participation and transparency With the support of GERÉ, the three communes of Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, and Carrefour held public hearings on June 16, June 17 , and August 26, 2021, respectively. These hearings were spaces for constructive and transparent exchange, public deliberation, and negotiation on local public policies and resource allocation. They facilitated citizen input in decisions related to local development priorities, service delivery, the communal budget, and other strategic topics . The three sessions were focused on the theme “The importance of t ax mobilization in the i mplementation of communal public investments in the context of the communal development plan.” Participants included state actors; communal officials; civil servants; and non-state actors, including civil society organizations, community-based organizations, youth organizations, women's organizations, and local leaders (Table 7 and Figure 6) . The GERÉ project ensured the public hearings purposefully included diverse participants (see Table 7 for data on participants). USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 23 At the end of the meetings, the commune authorities and citizens reached a consensus on a set of priority communal projects for implementation during FY2022, including construction of markets; a public square; sanitation and waste management; construction of canal, road and hospital; water supply; and electricity. Table 7. Participant details from public hearings in three communes Commune Total participants Men/women participants State/non- state participants Pignon 35 25/10 15/20 Saint-Raphaël 58 42/16 21/37 Carrefour 79 56/23 20/59 Citizens from the three communes shared with GERÉ staff their perspectives on the importance of these exchanges, noting that they allow citizens the opportunity to make proposals for priority projects in their community. The other five target GERÉ communes were not able to conduct public hearings for several reasons—most of the communes were experiencing difficulties related to salary arrears while others were dealing with socioeconomic and security issues. Citizen participation in the state budget and PREPOC GERÉ engaged the consortium of Papyrus/Groupe Croissance to support MEF on a participatory process to prepare the state budget and the PREPOC. MEF gained insights into citizen perspectives through 10 focus groups held in March – June 2021 on the budget processes, specifically the PREPOC, so that the MEF can encourage greater citizen participation. The focus groups were held with representatives from the private sector, women's groups, university, agriculture, private sector, women who are former ministers and secretaries of state, persons with reduced mobility, and the construction sector. Although participants noted that they appreciated MEF's efforts, their comments reflected a sense of dissatisfaction with the government's approach, which they believed was not participatory. Participants expressed their willingness to engage in the process but felt that MEF should adopt a technical approach to budget preparation based on the real needs of the population and on well- defined public policies. Through the GERÉ project, the Papyrus/Groupe Croissance consortium used the recommendations from these discussions to inform MEF's future approach to budget preparation. The end goal was to enable transparency in government transactions and consideration of all sector needs for an inclusive development approach and better governance. Carrefour public hearing on August 26, 2021. Photo credit: RTI International/GERÉ 10 focus groups 134 participants USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 24 Final Report Given the extensive interest in budget participation and PREPOC processes, the consortium dedicated an entire edition of the DevHaiti magazine (Volume #22), to the PREPOC. Finally, the consortium produced three high quality videos : one on the budget preparation process, a second on the participatory approach to budget preparation, and a third on public procurement. The videos were published on Papyrus and partners ’ websites, social media, and the MEF website. 2.2.2 IR 2.2: Increased involvement of civil society, the private sector, and citizens in local development Sharing results and recommendations of the COVIGILANCE evaluation Under the objective of strengthening the capacity of civil society to participate in anti- corruption efforts, the GERÉ project supported the COVIGILANCE platform, composed of five recognized civil society associations, to evaluate the government's action in response to COVID-19. The project also facilitated the development of a communications plan to increase awareness of the findings and recommendations in the report. These actions raised awareness among central, departmental, and local government actors of their responsibility to provide an effective and efficient response to pandemics and other natural disasters, accompanied by sound and transparent management of public funds that benefit the population. The evaluation was completed in quarter 1 FY2021, after which GERÉ and the COVIGILANCE platform focused on communicating the findings to the concerned institutions and interested third parties. Communication included distributing professionally printed reports, conducting interviews on radio programs with large audiences, posting interviews on the COVIGILANCE platform website and Facebook page, and publishing articles on the report’s findings and recommendations in local newspapers. These actions raised awareness among central, departmental, and local government actors of their responsibility to provide an effective and efficient response to health emergencies/pandemics and natural disasters, accompanied by sound and transparent management of public funds that benefit the population. GERÉ expects that the COVIGILANCE partners will continue to promote the report, its findings, and recommendations. Video still on participatory budgeting approach, produced by Papyrus and Group Croissance consortium. Photo credit: Papyrus/Groupe Croissance consortium Leader of the COVIGILANCE platform, Professor Desroches discussing the COVIGILANCE report on "Le Point" program USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 25 Understanding citizen satisfaction Because citizen satisfaction is an important indication of a local government's ability to provide services to citizens, GERÉ conducted a survey, through Viamo, asking the question, What percentage of citizens in the targeted communes are satisfied with the work of communal authorities in coordinating and delivering services? The survey was implemented from May to November 2021 and a total of 159 citizens completed it (Figure 7). The results indicate most of the respondents were “not satisfied at all” with communal services (56%). When asked which services they were most dissatisfied with, respondents said trash removal (60%), health services (20%), education (11%), and potable water (9%). The data provide important information for communes to understand their citizens’ perspectives and analyze opportunities for improvement. 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 Central government representatives’ participation in a GESI workshop and discussions on ways to concretely integrate the approach for policies and programs that ultimately lead to more inclusive service delivery To promote the enhanced inclusive participation of citizens (particularly, women, youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups) in the development planning of their communities, the GERÉ project organized a GESI workshop in April 2021 for central government counterparts. The workshop focused on understanding and using the GESI approach in the development of public policies and programs Figure 6. Results of citizen satisfaction survey on communal services GERÉ Chief of Party, Uder Antoine, presents opening remarks at the GESI workshop. Photo credit: RTI International/GER É Trash removal 60% Potable water 9% Health 20% Education 11% Which services are you most dissatisfied with? USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 26 Final Report that will ultimately impact service delivery to the population. The workshop included 34 executives (19 women, 15 men, 10 youth, and 4 people with a disability) from 8 ministries and government institutions. The workshop also included distinguished guests, including Prime Minister Jouthe Joseph, the Minister of the Interior, the General Coordinator of OMRH, the MPCE Minister, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Public Health, the Secretary of State for Persons with Disabilities, the Minister of Women's Affairs and Women's Rights, and high- level officials from other relevant ministries. Following the workshop, GERÉ staff supported central government counterparts to develop a progress report card and action plan to promote inclusion in their work. For example, following the workshop, the MPCE’s Gender Focal Point sent the GERÉ project its report card indicating the progress made and requesting technical support, particularly in training and document writing. 2.2.4 IR 2.4: Increased media interest on governance issues and reliability of published information GERÉ had planned to organize a workshop with journalists on key governance topics, followed by a scoring competition to recognize the best articles. However, due to the difficult sociopolitical and security context, USAID encouraged GERÉ to streamline its work plan and this activity was dropped. 2.3 Objective 3 Given the lack of a functioning parliament , 2 many of the activities originally planned under this objective were dropped as GERÉ prioritized work in the other two objectives. Those activities that moved forward are discussed below. 2 In January 2020, the mandate of almost all Haitian parliamentarians came to an end. Although the number of senators still in office today is debated on the Haitian political scene, the mandate of all “Députés” has come to an end. The legislative and communal elections that should have been held in November 2019 did not take place because, among other reasons, the framework law for the organization of elections was not passed. As a result, parliament is not operational. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 27 2.3.1 IR 3.1: Strengthened coordination mechanisms at local and national levels on sectoral public policies With the goal to improve the coordination of public services delivery, GERÉ supported central government actors and local authorities to update the MICT Recueil de textes normatifs annotés entourant l’action locale (Collection of Annotated Normative Texts Surrounding Local Action). These include an inventory of texts and analysis of the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, deconcentrated government services, and central services. GERÉ hired two junior jurists to support updating MICT’s Collection of Annotated Normative Texts. The jurists collected nearly 30 texts related to local governance, submitted them to the MICT–GERÉ revision committee, and provided th e final version to MICT for publishing. The revised Collection of Annotated Normative Texts related to Local Action will enable local authorities to better understand their roles and those of the various state entities. The goal is to strengthen coordination between local and central actors on public policies and the delivery of public services. 2.3.2 IR 3.2: Improved mechanisms for communication and collaboration between different levels of government and with parliament Given the lack of a functioning parliament , activities under this IR were dropped. A ctivities related to the other parts of the government are reported under the other IRs. 2.3.3 IR 3.3: Development, testing, and implementation of learning and exchange mechanisms between communes To support exchange and learning between communes, GERÉ provided technical assistance and support to MICT to create a legal and administrative framework for intercommunal cooperation. As a first step, GERÉ supported MICT to organize a workshop to collect good practices and support a study conducted by the firm, Unité Caribbean, on intercommunal experiences in Haiti. MICT’s Recueil de textes normatifs annotés entourant l’action locale USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 28 Final Report The workshop was held November 12– 13, 2020 using a hybrid format with online and in - person participants and stakeholders. Representatives of communes, especially those with intercommunal experiences; the MICT; the Unité Caribbean firm; and experts from countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean shared their experiences with Haitian actors. Overall, the exchanges focused on the following points: • Intercommunality and its characteristics • A presentation on initial results from a study on the modalities of intercommunal cooperation and intercommunal dynamics in Haiti • Different forms and financing of intercommunality • Challenges and impacts of intercommunal dynamics on local development. Following the workshop, GERÉ prepared a report for MICT on the highlights and resolutions adopted during the workshop. It focused on the different forms of inter-communality that exist in Haiti, including the Agences Techniques de Développement Territoriales (Technical Agencies for Territorial Development), project structures, associative structures, and urbanization, as well as the steps to improve the structure, operating methods, governance, and financing. MICT distributed the report to its stakeholders, including UNDP, mayors’ offices, and state entities. The report will help MICT to finalize the study on intercommunal experiences in Haiti and the regulatory framework for intercommunal cooperation in the country. The ultimate objective is to spread lessons learned and best practices on service delivery, as well as introduce cooperation on specific service provisions that support service improvement for Haitian citizens. 2.4 MEL Report prepared by GERÉ for MICT on intercommunality. Photo credit: RTI International/ GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 29 Adaptive MEL system The GERÉ project implemented an adaptive MEL system, regularly collecting quantitative and qualitative data, with a focus on beneficiary feedback and perspectives. Baseline survey details are available in the lo cal and central baseline report submitted to USAID in 2020. GERÉ’s electronic database facilitate d reporting for the project and provided secure and high-quality data management. The GERÉ team organized f requent learning events that facilitated learning and adaptation. This included quarterly internal pause-and-reflect sessions to discuss activity progress and needed adaptations. One session each year included a rapid internal performance evaluation and preparation of the following year’s work plan. During these sessions, the staff analyzed successes and challenges to determine lessons learned and developed specific actions to improve future implementation. The team also made recommendations for ways to adapt future activities. GERÉ also developed a learning agenda to facilitate the project’s adaptive management. This agenda was designed to ask questions that accounted for gaps in information in routine monitoring and data collection and find opportunities to implement learning activities to obtain data on these questions. These sessions also promoted ways to use these data, make project adaptations, and share the lessons and findings from the studies. Learning questions and subsequent activities were developed in collaboration with project staff and core partners In FY 2020, the project answered the first learning question: How did the conclusions and recommended actions in the rapid baseline PEA during the inception period affect the project design and planning of Year 1 activities? The overall finding for this learning question was that the PEA- GESI evaluation had a considerable impact on the planning of activities for the first year. It effectively enabled the selection of 10 communes according to the pre-established criteria. The data obtained during this evaluation also informed most of the activities in the work plan for the first year of implementation. Furthermore, this evaluation helped the project refine the focus of interventions while emphasizing cohesion and social inclusion. The FY 2021 GERÉ learning question was based on the project’s COVID-19 response plans: How has GERÉ contributed to the strengthening of government response efforts to COVID-19 at the local and central levels? This learning question resulted in feedback that citizens lacked trust in the mobile survey process and interest in anything related to the Haitian State as they believed no improvements would result from their engagement. Participants , especially after seeing the way other countries handled COVID-19, were largely unsatisfied with the GOH 's response. At the central level, MICT respondents celebrated the usefulness of the new SMS-GL monitoring application while the COVIGILANCE consortium stated that it was grateful for GERÉ's contribution to its evaluation report on the GOH response to COVID-19 work. The representatives of the COVIGILANCE consortium appreciated the important role that civil society played in highlighting the fiscal management of the response to COVID-19. Papyrus respondents stated that GERÉ's work made PREPOC more transparent and participatory and supported MEF's commitment to regularly consult citizens on the decisions that mattered to them. Papyrus representatives believed that this work could serve as an example for other jurisdictions, saying “ all levels of government, central and local, can benefit from being more transparent with their citizens in order to gather more information to improve services, which is the first duty of any government body.” USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 30 Final Report Participants also provided insights into the way these COVID-19 response activities have made notable contributions to anti- corruption, transparency, citizen participation, social inclusion, and capacity building for stakeholders at the local and central levels. More details are available in the two learning question reports that were submitted to USAID. Performance Indicators The final data on GERÉ’s indicators are summarized in table 8. Table 8. Final Summary of Performance Indicators Code Title Data Explanation PL1 Number of targeted entities that have implemented and applied internal audit procedures 1 The audit unit is established, and capacity- strengthening activities are complete . CNMP plans to go to the GERÉ target communes in early 2022 to implement internal audit procedures. PL3 Percentage change in target communes’ own- source revenue n/a GERÉ supported target communes to begin implementing revenue generation activities at the start of FY 2022. Given the reduced funding and unexpected closure of the project, as well as the complex security situation, GERÉ was unable to re-assess own- source revenue totals to calculate a change over time. PL4 Percentage of citizens in targeted communes who are satisfied with the work of communal authorities to coordinate and provide services 20% Only 20% of citizens in the 7 targeted communes were satisfied with municipalities' service delivery. PL5 Number of mechanisms that exist and are operational to encourage resource mobilization 32 Resource mobilization mechanisms were operational in all 7 communes. This included 6 studies of fiscal potential, 7 diagnostics of tax and finance services, 6 toponymic surveys, 6 inventories of buildings and properties, and 7 communications plans. PL6 Number of public hearings conducted in target communes on priorities, budget, or annual plans 3 Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, and Carrefour held public hearings. DR 2.4-2 Number of mechanisms for external oversight of public resource use supported by U.S. Government (USG) assistance 3 The project supported the COVIGILANCE platform to study the quality of the GOH COVID- 19 response. The project also completed the first draft of the Procedures Manual for CSCCA oversight. Finally, GERÉ supported the OMRH in the publication and dissemination of the manual on the management of the state's assets. PL7 Number of organizations representing marginalized groups involved in budgeting processes and/or advocacy for public service delivery 5 GERÉ supported the involvement of 2 women’s groups and 2 youth groups in Saint-Raphaël and 1 youth group in Pignon in public hearings and civil society platform capacity-building activities. DR.4- 1 (F 2.4-6) Number of USG-supported activities designed to promote or strengthen the civic participation of women 4 GERÉ implemented 4 activities to promote or strengthen the civic participation of women. This included a central-level GESI workshop and 3 public hearings that promoted the civic participation of women. PL8 Number of articles published, or reports made on local governance following project interventions 30 GERÉ published 30 pieces covering communal partnerships, GOVIGILANCE report, GESI workshop, and public participation and awareness on budget processes. PL11 Number of intercommunal initiatives aimed to help communes solve common problems 1 The project supported a workshop on intercommunality that involved 121 participants. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 31 Code Title Data Explanation PL12 Number of actions implemented to improve accountability of COVID-19 funding 7 This included a satisfaction survey regarding government interventions on COVID-19; technical support to 3 communes (response planning and communication equipment) and support to the COVIGILANCE platform for the evaluation of government expenditures; development of the COVID tracking application with MICT; and citizen engagement in PREPOC with Papyrus. 3. Lessons Learned and Recommendations Below are the key lessons learned and recommendations gathered from the GERÉ team and key local partners. 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. In short, the extremely challenging context-built resilience in the GERÉ team, partner s, and stakeholders 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. Although a challenging experience, the resulting work plans were more realistic given the context challenges in Haiti. 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. One example is the advocacy that the GERÉ team undertook on behalf of the Pignon commune, which resulted in DGI sending two years’ worth of revenue to the commune. 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. Many of the essential duties of government are interconnected between central and local levels and lasting change will require efforts on both fronts. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 32 Final Report Annex 1. Financial Management [REDACTED] USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 33 Annex 2. Learning Brief: GERÉ Contributions to the Government of Haiti COVID-19 Response Learning Brief: GERÉ Contributions to the Government of Haiti COVID-19 Response January 2022 USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources/ Projet d'Appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État (GERÉ) USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 34 Final Report 1. CONTEXT This learning brief is a summary of the results of the learning agenda for USAID/Haiti’s project, Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources known, known in French as Projet d’Appuil a la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État or simply GERÉ. GERÉ was a three-year project to assist the Government of Haiti (GOH), both at the central and local levels, to improve good governance, transparency, accountability, and citizen participation. As part of its Collaborat ing, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach, GERÉ dedicated its fiscal year ( FY) 2021 learning agenda to the question: How has GERÉ contributed to the strengthening of response efforts to COVID-19 by government authorities at the local and central levels? FY 2021 was marked by the COVID-19 health crisis and GERÉ conducted several activities to support the GOH’s response efforts to the crisis at both local and national levels. Specifically, GERÉ • Conducted a citizen satisfaction survey on the GOH’s management of COVID-19 funds; • Distributed communication materials in three target communes (Caracol, Pignon and Saint-Raphael); • Supported civil society, through COVIGILANCE, via an evaluation of the use of COVID-19 funds by the GOH; • Enabled the development of a monitoring and evaluation application for the evolution of COVID-19 for the Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Collectivités Territoriales (MICT; Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities); and • Contributed to the promotion of the Plan de relance économique post -COVID-19 (PREPOC; Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan) from support provided to the Ministère de l'Economie et des Finances (MEF; Ministry of Economy and Finance). 2. METHODOLOGY To answer this learning question, GERÉ collected qualitative data through key informant interviews and focus groups with stakeholders at the local and central level, including 3 mayors and 10 managers/employees in the town halls, 23 members of civil society, and 6 representatives of central- level partners from COVIGILANCE consortium and Papyrus. The GERÉ team used semi-structured questionnaires to solicit information from the stakeholders on the implementation of activities, perspectives on the contributions of project activities, and recommendations for the future. 3. KEY FINDINGS Communication equipment was appreciated, but functioning electricity and Internet are necessary for the equipment to make an impact. All three partner communes believed the equipment would enable them work remotely and maintain a functioning commune, yet a lack of power, operational Internet, or even the right equipment (batteries) to make the solar panel system function necessitated further support. Demonstrating its adaptive approach, GERÉ responded to this need by working with communes to identify outstanding requirements and then support the provision of solar panels, batteries, or an inverter generator to facilitate the office functioning. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 35 Respondents fear the citizen- satisfaction survey on the GOH COVID response will not lead to government action. Among both citizens and municipal government employees, the majority of respondents were glad to share their dissatisfaction, although a few shared their perspective that the COVID-response issues were not the most pressing, especially given there are more important problems facing citizens, in their view. A clear trend among responses was a belief that the survey results would not lead to concrete actions from GOH. One commune employee said, “even after receiving the results, we do not expect any follow-up or improvement.” GOH did make contributions to local communes, but the impact was minimal. The three partner communes received a grant of 250,000 gourdes from the Haitian state, which they used to provide families with cleaning kits, install handwashing buckets, and spread awareness messages about COVID-19 throughout the commune. However, municipal employees felt this was insufficient to reach their citizens. Civil society respondents were unaware of the role of the GOH and the local authorities in these actions and lamented that these “small efforts” had not reached many people in the commune. The COVIGILENCE evaluation of the government's response to the coronavirus was a successful and widely disseminated effort. In reviewing the evaluation results and consulting stakeholders, we found the evaluation was well conducted and distributed broadly to civil society organizations and institutions at both the central and departmental levels, shared with USAID partners, and disseminated through radio/television broadcasts and newspaper articles. The Ministry of Health also expressed intentions to use this evaluation as part of its work. The Initiative de Société Civile (ISC; Civil Society Initiative) consortium credited GERÉ with significant contributions to its success by noting, “in addition to the funding, GERÉ initiated contact with the heads of state institutions and made suggestions that helped improve the final evaluation.” The new COVID-19 monitoring and evaluation application for the MICT is useful now and in the future. The Système de Monitoring et de Suivi de la Gouvernance Locale (SMS-GL; Monitoring and Local Governance System), an electronic platform for monitoring and coordinating local authorities, allows the MICT to fulfill its mission of evaluating the administrative acts of communities and support local governance. The 11 MICT employees trained to use the platform thought the application had wide applicability with one user saying, “ 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 also 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. PREPOC is more transparent with greater participation and supported MEF's commitment to regularly consult the public on decisions. The involvement of 134 citizen and civil society participants created greater transparency and participation in the budget and PREPOC processes. This work also helped fulfill MEF's commitment to regularly consult the public on the decisions that matter to them and that have important and far-reaching consequences for communities around the country. GERÉ’s partner, the Papyrus-Groupe Croissance, believes this work can serve as an example to other institutions: “ all central and local authorities can benefit from more openness towards their citizens in order to gather more information for the improvement of services, which is the first duty of any government authority.” USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 36 Final Report Conclusion The activities implemented by GERÉ to support the COVID-19 response efforts also had significant contributions to anti-corruption, transparency, citizen participation, social inclusion and capacity building of stakeholders at the local and central levels. As authorities in Haiti begin to look beyond the COVID-19 crisis, these efforts can serve as examples for good governance practices for Haitian institutions and future programs. 4. IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE PROGRAMMING Recommendations for future programs targeting communes and central authorities • Ensure that municipalities find the necessary materials to ensure the proper functioning of provided equipment and build the capacity of executives or managers in the maintenance and sustainability of equipment. Following this finding, GERÉ began this support to communes in October and November 2021. • Promote the features of the new monitoring application so that central authorities beyond the MICT can use it in the design, provision, and monitoring of services to the population. • In all activities, involve diverse citizens, such as groups of youth, women, and people with reduced mobility. This approach increases diversity and inclusion in activities and promotes local ownership and sustainability. • Encourage communities and municipal authorities to engage and provide feedback on interventions. This builds trust and enhances sustainability. USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 37 Annex 3. Success Story: Tax Mobilization USAID helps boost tax revenues in target communes to provide services to the population Most communes in Haiti have very few resources 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, such as insufficient financial means, poor fiscal education, or a lack of trust in local authorities to effectively manage communal funds. The Carrefour commune, for instance, is only able to collect property taxes on roughly 6,000 out of 150,000 eligible properties, according to the general director, Carl-Henry Chery. This results in very low revenues and insufficient means to execute projects to improve the quality of life through improved services in these communes. When the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)- funded Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources ( GERÉ; Projet d’appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État) 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 to a lack of necessary materials to effectively carry out its mandate. This is particularly true for our communications department, which must continually sensitize the population to paying their taxes and support the vision for the commune,” explained Yvrose Pierre, Haiti’s first elected female mayor. In other words, a good number of citizens and businesses do not know about their obligation to pay taxes on properties, businesses, or professional licenses. “Most of our revenues come from property taxes,” said Mr. Chery, the fiscal manager in the Carrefour commune. “There isn’t enough information out there on the many different taxes that must be paid.” Town hall agents in the Caracol commune 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: 1. Conduct a diagnosis of the town hall fiscal services (tax department) to identify shortcomings and train commune agents on toponymic surveying to identify streets USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 38 Final Report and properties for the census of taxable properties and businesses in target communes. 2. Conduct a fiscal potential assessment to identify the various potential sources of tax revenue within the commune, outside of the traditional taxes. 3. Assist town halls in holding public hearings to open channels of communication with the population and report to taxpayers in total transparency. 4. Conduct communications campaigns to sensitize the population to their obligation to pay taxes to generate enough revenues to provide services. In terms of feedback, Faustin Joseph, General Director at the town hall of Saint-Raphaël stated, “The GERÉ project has brought about great changes in the functioning of local government by building the capacity of the commune in tax mobilization through the training of our agents to carry out the census of properties,”. Mayor Pierre added, “The real change has come inside the fiscal services of the commune. 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. ” Empowered fiscal agents and galvanizing messages are breathing new life into the communes. “GERÉ’s actions will allow the commune of Saint-Raphaël to increase its tax base and make several investments in the municipality,” explained Mr. Joseph. “It will show the taxpayers that their contributions are not lost and that they have a return on their investments.” GERÉ was a three-year project funded by USAID/Haiti and implemented by RTI International. Local partner Institut de Formation et de Services (IFOS; Institute for Training and Services) implemented the fiscal mobilization component of the project. GERÉ operated in seven target communes: Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, Caracol, Ouanaminthe, Cap -Haïtien, Tabarre, and Carrefour. Vice Mayor of Cap-Haïtien , Patrick Almonor, is happy with the communications support offered by GERÉ, showcasing here one of the beautification projects for the city. Photo credit: RTI International/ GERÉ USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) Final Report 39 Annex 4. Success Story: Remote training for communal authorities Building local authorities’ capacity to better serve communes It’s Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM and Jean Emmanuel Calixte, General Director of Pignon commune, rushes to answer the phone. It is his weekly rendezvous with a new module on local governance offered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ; Projet d’appui à la Gestion Efficace des Ressources de l’État) project. Mr. Calixte does not want to miss this call because the training he receives helps him perform his job better and has made him more aware of his responsibilities toward the people of his commune. Local authorities in Haiti’s communes are often ill- equipped to carry out the mission for which they have been elected or appointed, making local governance a complicated, challenging issue. These include mayors, general managers, delegates, and members of the Administrative Councils of Communal Section (CASEC) and of the Communal Section Assembly (ASEC). Appointed officials are often not aware of the responsibilities of their positions, some having been moved into these positions without prior experience, training, or support. These shortcomings result in weak capacity, inefficient institutions, and poor local services to the local population. To provide these local authorities with the knowledge they need to be affective administrators, GERÉ partnered with Viamo. First, GERÉ and Viamo conducted a series of focus groups with stakeholder groups and experts to determine gaps in knowledge, establish best practices, and facilitate learning among the authorities and citizens. Viamo developed eight modules based on the identified themes of local governance capacities, including good governance, the duties of communal authorities, budget preparation, and the importance of being responsive to the local population. Originally planned as in- person training sessions, GERÉ had to adapt the plan in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic to offer the sessions remotely to communal leaders. Overall, 159 out of the 326 individuals who participated in the remote training program were local authorities. GERÉ registered them through the 8844 information line, launched in partnership with Viamo. “I’ve worked nine years as General Manager of [the] Saint-Raphaël commune and I’ve served under four councils. Working with them was hard,” stated Faustin Joseph, General Manager at the town hall of Saint-Raphaël. “The GERÉ project helped me to understand my responsibilities and that of the mayors’, and how we should work together. Today, I work in harmony with the mayor and I’m a better manager for it.” A module focusing on the collaborative relationship that must exist between the authorities and the population inspired the Mayor of Saint-Raphaë l to hold public hearings to better inform citizens of town hall activities. Another module on budget preparation enabled Reginald Pierre, an ASEC member charged with controlling CASEC activity in Tabarre commune, to improve his ability to track the budget. “This allows us to better monitor the Advertisement for 8844 Information Line. Photo credit: Viamo USAID/Haiti Project Supporting the Efficient Management of State Resources (GERÉ) 40 Final Report implementation of activities within the financial resources allocated to the 1st Bellevue section,” he stated. Ridore Peterson, delegate for the Carrefour commune and another beneficiary of the training declared, “It has strengthened my commitment to the population, and allows me to better collaborate with the commune and be more effective in my position.” GERÉ was a three-year project funded by USAID/Haiti and implemented by RTI International. GERÉ operated in seven target communes: Pignon, Saint-Raphaël, Caracol, Ouanaminthe, Cap- Haïtien, Tabarre, and Carrefour.