USAID's Civic Engagement Project - Quarterly Report #18 - January 1 – March 31, 2021

Key highlights of outputs and outcomes for the reporting period include the Center for Civil Communications' 34th monitoring report on public procurements, which attracted strong media attention and highlighted the institutions' failure to consult businesses in tenders, resulting in over 11 million euros procured in direct negotiations. The report also noted that the "lowest price" was used as a criteria in 96% of public procurements, jeopardizing the principles of efficiency and effectiveness of public funds spending. The Center for Civil Communications' advocacy efforts resulted in a decision by the Government to review financial statements submitted for approval only after 22 binding information and documents are published on the institutions' websites, following the Government's Transparency Strategy. Additionally, the NGO Info-Center raised public awareness about the significance of the Census 2021 through a dedicated website and organized a workshop for 26 journalists from local, regional, and national media. The National Youth Council of Macedonia implemented the LEAD MK Master Class Academy, engaging a total of 28 participants. A survey conducted by CEP with 19 LEAD MK Fellows showed that 71.05% of LEAD Fellows remained active in public life six months beyond the initial CEP support. The National Youth Council of Macedonia also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of North Macedonia Agency for Youth and Sports, ensuring the sustainability of the Youth Policy Labs. CEP's expert James Moliterno finalized the new integrity tests and methodology for evaluation of publicly appointed officials, defining categories of integrity for over 300 public officials. CEP's expert Chris Henshaw assisted the Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister for Anticorruption, Sustainable Development, and Human Resources to identify their priorities and designed a public opinion exercise to ascertain citizen's views on corruption and anti-corruption practices. The five local integrity plans developed by CEP are in the process of adoption in five targeted municipalities and serve as a tool to establish and verify the integrity of local government units, enhancing their resilience to corruption and reducing the risk of corrupt behavior by employees. The project aims to achieve two objectives: strengthen the constructive engagement by civil society organizations on policies and issues of public concern, and improve the rule of law, transparency, and anti-corruption practices in North Macedonia. The Civic Engagement Project is a five-year USAID-funded program that strives to achieve these objectives through various activities, including technical assistance to selected government entities and judicial sector, capacity building of civil society organizations, and public outreach and awareness campaigns. The project's activities are designed to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in North Macedonia, ultimately contributing to the country's development and stability. The project's technical assistance activities focused on strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to engage in constructive dialogue with government institutions and promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions. The project also supported the development of local integrity plans in five targeted municipalities, which aim to establish and verify the integrity of local government units and reduce the risk of corrupt behavior by employees. The project's public outreach and awareness campaigns aimed to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions and raise public awareness about the significance of the Census 2021. The project also supported the development of a new integrity test and methodology for evaluation of publicly appointed officials, which defines categories of integrity for over 300 public officials. The project's activities were implemented in partnership with various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, government institutions, and international organizations. The project's progress was monitored and evaluated through regular reporting and assessment of its activities and outcomes.