RAMP UP North Monthly Report, February 2014

The program aims to increase the capacity of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) municipal officials, improve the delivery of municipal services to citizens, and increase municipal capacity to enable, support, and sustain economic growth. RAMP UP North's activities promote sustainable service delivery by providing seed money to support small-scale, Sustainable Service Delivery Improvement Projects (SSDIPs). These projects provide a platform for the delivery of iterative, project-based functional training related to key municipal functions and responsibilities, such as project management, procurement, budget preparation, and revenue generation. The program emphasizes an experiential, "learning-by-doing" approach to capacity building, with the SSDIPs serving as the primary training platform. In February 2014, RAMP UP North held its final municipal conference, gathering all the municipalities with which it worked to date. Attendees included Mayors and municipal officials from Andkhoy, Aqcha, Aybak, Faizabad, Khulm, Kunduz, Maymana, Mazar-e-Sharif, Pul-e-Khumri, Sar-e-Pul, Sheberghan, Taloqan, Khuja Sabzposh, Dawlat Abad, Shirin Tagab, Doshi, and Khenjan. Participant comments included praise for the improvements visible throughout Mazar-e-Sharif, with one Mayor stating that "the image of the city has changed." RAMP UP North's embedded advisors facilitated project opening ceremonies for several projects, including the Aybak R4 Mini-Football Field Construction project and the R5 Bus Terminal Construction project. These events were attended by representatives of the Governor's office, civil society organizations, and citizens, and were credited with improving the delivery of municipal services. The program also facilitated the R5 Grain Market Improvement Phase II opening ceremony in Maymana, which was attended by representatives of the Governor's office, Municipal Advisory Board members, community elders, municipal officials, and citizens. A Governor's office representative and the head of the Municipal Advisory Board spoke about the significance of the improvement of the market for Faryab residents and emphasized the importance of sustaining and maintaining the project. RAMP UP North's activities have promoted sustainable service delivery and improved the delivery of municipal services to citizens in the target municipalities. The program has increased municipal capacity to enable, support, and sustain economic growth, and has created a platform for the delivery of iterative, project-based functional training related to key municipal functions and responsibilities. The program has also facilitated the transfer of assets to municipalities, including the transfer of assets to Aybak on February 18, 2014. RAMP UP North's embedded advisor and the Mayor completed project hand-over documents in Aybak on February 5, 2014, and the exit interview and Strategic Communication Plan endorsement meeting with the Mayor in Aybak was held on February 24, 2014.