Kyrgyzstan—Community and Municipal Governance Initiative (CAMI)

After emerging from ethnic conflict and political upheaval in 2010, the Kyrgyz Republic has experienced a period of renewed political stability and stronger public institutions. At the national level, the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches is now firmly established in a new constitution, and a competitive democratic system is taking root. However, weak accountability and pervasive corruption continue to detract from citizen confidence in government institutions and inhibit the successful movement toward decentralization of government services. Ultimately, the country’s democratic reforms will not be sustainable until its citizens begin to experience them in their daily lives through an increased voice, improved services, and a stronger feeling of connectedness with their government.

The Community and Municipal Governance Initiative (CAMI) project supported the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to strengthen this vital relationship between local governing bodies and the public they serve. CAMI worked with municipal governments to help them more effectively respond to citizens’ needs and deliver services, thereby strengthening trust in government institutions and fortifying the Kyrgyz Republic’s recent democratic gains.

DAI’s approach focused on service delivery improvements that were highly visible to the public with immediate positive impacts, such as solid waste management, water, lighting, transportation, and local economic development, while concurrently building the capacity of partner local governments across all service areas for which they are responsible.

CAMI improved service delivery and strengthened government legitimacy across 50 local municipalities, which resulted in 15,636 residents with improved access to clean drinking water, 53,245 citizens benefitting from improved garbage collection, and 590 public dialogue sessions with citizen participation.

Sample Activities

• Work with local governments to develop effective public outreach strategies that address key citizen grievances identified in an initial rapid survey.
• Support locally elected council members through training on topics such as conducting public hearings and budget and planning oversight.
• Assist in developing and disseminating a local council member code of ethics.
• Utilize mobile phone-based surveys to help local governments monitor citizen feedback, address concerns in a timely manner, and foster greater public participation in the delivery of government services.

Select Results

• Established partnerships with 32 municipalities to help launch services in water supply, waste management, agriculture, and other areas.
• Trained 1,126 municipality staff and technical experts.
• Arranged 62 public hearings on local services, budget execution, and development of citizen charters and supported six municipalities in launching priority services.
• Organized the Forum of Aimaks that brought together 133 representatives from state and municipal governments and community organizations to discuss strategies to enhance regional development within the country.
• Helped the village of Kok-Jar find a durable solution for clean water.