The ART Dominican Republic (DR) Programme was born in December 2007 with the signing of the Programme Document and started its operational activities in August 2008. The Programme is aligned with the strategies promoted by the Government for local development, poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, as well as the implementation of the National Law for the Territorial Planning and Decentralisation. The Programme is also part of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2007-2011) and the UNDP Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP).

The programme represents for the Government and UNDP a tool to guide in an articulated manner the international cooperation initiatives towards the territorial development strategies and the strengthening of local communities. Similarly, it promotes initiatives on the border with the Republic of Haiti, involving both populations. The geographic areas of intervention of the Programme include the border with the Republic of Haiti: Valverde, Monte Cristi, Dajabón, Elías Piña, Pedernales, Independencia and Bahoruco; the Millennium Provinces: Monte Plata and El Seibo; and the Hermanas Mirabal Province; involving a total of 40 municipalities and 770,000 inhabitants. In these territories ART RD accompanies the local development processes agreed by the local interest groups and open to the participation of various decentralised cooperation donors and actors, both from the North and the South.

 

Resource Mobilisation and Execution

 

INSTITUTION	AMOUNT IN USD
a. National Counterpart
Directorate General for International Cooperation (to be executed in 2010)	500,000
b. Bilateral Cooperation
Italian cooperation, Spanish International Development Cooperation Agency (AECID) (mobilised through the Trust Fund UNDP/HUB/ART in Geneva)	1,675,000
c. Decentralised Cooperation partners
Commune of Milan (Italy) (to be executed in 2010 and mobilised through RD CO)	225,000
d. UNS Agencies
UNDP TRAC II	300,000
Total Mobilized	3,000,000
Total Executed	1,257,000

 

Programme at a Glance

Duration	August 2008 – September 2012
Projects	Democratic Governance and Local Development; local economic development; innovation for development. Support for the development of public-private cooperation networks, participatory strategic planning and programming, capacity building of local government management, capacity building of civil society participation; local economic development agencies. Haitian Dominican Border (Dajabón and Elias Pina Provinces), Provinces of Valverde, Monte Plata, El Seibo, Bahoruco, Hermanas Mirabal
Donors and partners	Dominican Republic Government; bilateral Italian cooperation; multilateral Spanish cooperation; Italian decentralised cooperation (Commune of Milan). UNS Agencies: UND; FAO; UNFPA; UNOPS.
Budget	Funds Mobilised in 2009: 3 million USD Funds Executed in 2009: 1,257,000 USD.
National Management	The Programme’s national counterpart is the Directorate General for Multilateral Cooperation (DIGECOOM) in the area of the State Secretary for Planning, Economy and Development (SEEPYD). Its role is institutional coordination and resource mobilisation. Members of the National Coordination Committee (NCC): National Directorate for Territorial Planning; Vice Ministry for Planning; Vice Ministry for Multilateral Cooperation; National Directorate for Multilateral Cooperation, local governments, the national network of LEDAs. The Chief Technical Assistant (ATP) of the Programme is the secretary of the NCC and contributes to its activities.
Regional/Local Management	The role of the local governments and networks is the local management of the Programme, the definition of annual programmatic lines through the concerted action plans, domestic resource mobilisation and the management of international alliances. The composition of the Local Working Groups (LWG): local governments, the LEDAs, NGO, other civil society organisations, local business sector, educational institutions.
Specific  Aspects	In light of the new UNDP corporate guidelines on monitoring and evaluation, planning is based on the lines of the new Results Based Management. The rationalisation of the Programme resources based on the focus on pilot provinces facilitates its replication and the visibility of the reached impact. Programme ownership by local stakeholders makes dialogue with national authorities viable, without losing the local-national link. The LED component facilitates the dialectics for local governance and the LEDAs are more effective than municipal/provincial working groups: the LED component should trigger the process of local governance.

 

Results and Activities at the Local Level

 

Ownership

► All Programme activities are implemented through the Municipal and Provincial Working Groups, as well as the Local Development Agencies as dynamic agents that bring together the territorial forces, i.e. through the coordination and alignment between local governments, society local civil and the business sector. Both senators and deputies facilitate the management of policies that support the planned activities.

 

Dajabón Province

 

The Dajabón Province is the pilot territory for the integral action of the Programme, the main objective of which is to consolidate the ART methodology through the rational use of available resources, avoiding the fragmentation of efforts and results. The pilot experience has obtained a set of experiences and practices that facilitate the impact analysis and the replicability of the Programme in other provinces.

 

Local Governance

► Constitution and strengthening of the five Municipal Working Groups (MWG) and the Provincial Working Group (PWG), concerted identification of the development objectives and strategies of the Province, of the inter-municipal articulated programmes and of the impact projects. ► Creation of the Provincial Management Committee of Dajabón and agreement of a Provincial and Inter-municipal Agenda that articulates the substantive issues for action in the Province. ► Identification and implementation of 10 impact projects prioritized by each municipality, articulated at the level of the Provincial Committee and aimed at social inclusion and territorial competitiveness, such as: - Implementation of an initiative for community participation in inclusive basic education in the municipalities of Loma de Cabrera and Dajabón cabecera (Churches, Mother’s Centres, Neighbour Associations, among others). - Creation of employment through strengthening the value chain of wood, agro-food and tourism. - Implementation of a peace building project on the northern border through activities of training, multicultural, human rights protection, modification of exclusion, xenophobic and racist patterns. (Border Solidarity Foundation). - Support for opening a Victim Service Unit (Network for the Integrated care to Family Violence Victims of Dajabón). - Implementation of an initiative of integrated natural resource management, renewable energy, environmental and gender education (Renewable Energy Programme of UNDP, Secretary of Environment, Technological Institute of San Ignacio de Loyola Dajabón - ITESIL). - Promotion and dissemination of a culture of territorial, concerted and sustainable development through the media, undertaking of pilot programmes on Human Development and Territorial Competitiveness and organization in 2010 of a series of eight programmes on decentralization and local power, equity for sustainable development, social inclusion and human rights, media and human development, international cooperation for human development, etc. (Human Development Office, ODH UNDP; Radio Marien).

 

Local Economic Development (LED)

► Strengthening the Local Economic Development Agency of Dajabón through the development of a LED strategy for the Province. ► Developing of a Competitiveness Study of the Province on the basis of territorial potentials and the identification of value chains. ► Creation of a Territorial Development Forum, organization of meetings with members of the Dairy, Fruit, Wood and Honey Value Chains. ► Development of the Training, Employment and Territory Strategy of the ITESIL, for the relationship between demand and supply of technicians for the territory, the coordination with economic and productive partners of the territory, the creation of a small technological park for innovation of the regional value chains (ITESIL; Commune of Milan, University of Studies of Milan; Colombia and Dominican Network of LEDAs). ► Drafting of a labor market study of young people between 16 and 24 years in the provinces of Dajabón and Samana in the context of the support to the inter-institutional commission against the abuse and commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the DR (UNICEF, UNDP, Ministry of Labour).

 

Elías Piña Province

 

Governance

► Training and technical assistance for strengthening the technical capacities of the local administration and the Municipal and Provincial Working Groups. ► Organization and promotion of exchanges with other provinces for the cross-border inter-municipality and establishment of a Cross-border Inter-municipal Alliance. ► Organization of cross-border workshops and meetings to disseminate ART, with the participation of Trustees of the Elías Piña Province, the Central Department of Haiti and the Italian Cooperation. ► Undertaking of workshops with sectorial public and civil society organizations from Comendador, Hondo Valle, El Llano, Banica and Pedro Santana. ► Support for the establishment and ongoing support of the Inter-municipal and Inter-municipal Consortium Technical Office. ► Promotion and strengthening of exchanges with the Dajabón Province for the formation of the Provincial Steering Committee and the planning of the training of technicians of the Inter-municipal Office.

 

Hermanas Mirabal Province

 

The intervention in this province is focused on the systematization and dissemination of territorial planning practices and initiatives against social exclusion, for the benefit of the other provinces of intervention, through an exchange strategy and the establishment of regional synergies.

 

Exchange of experiences

► Dissemination and exchange of experience in territorial planning and integrated and sustainable social inclusion among the Provinces Hermanas Mirabal and Dajabón: organization of exchange meetings to Hermanas Mirabal to know the Prison Reform Program, the Schools of Fine Arts and Support for Diversity, the Community Centre for Children, the Provincial Office for Women's Development, the Centre for Attention to Victims and the Legal Centre for Women. ► Consolidation of the provincial development strategy, systematization and communication of the experience.

 

El Seibo Province

 

Local Economic Development (LED)

► Legal constitution of the Territorial Economic Development Agency of El Seibo (ADETSEIBO, created in 2008) following the approval of the statutes, the election of the Board (composed of 15 partner institutions) and the development of the Business Plan. Strengthening it through technical assistance, territorial missions, education and training, consultation meetings, participation in national and international LEDA meetings and technical missions decentralized and South-South cooperation. ► Undertaking of a mission to the Coffee Axe of Colombia (Department of Quindío) with the participation of a delegation of 23 farmers, producers and representatives of institutions to transfer their knowledge and experience in agro-tourism (University of Quindío; Governorate of Quindío). ► Support the community in developing the Action Plan for the District of Pedro Sanchez and the agenda for sustainable tourism development in the context of a major seminar supported by ART (CIELO Committee; ADETSEIBO). ► Support the Cuey Association for the construction of the cold chain for milk.

 

Monteplata Province

 

Local Economic Development (LED)

► Support for the reformulation of the statute, the expansion of the Board and the drafting of the new Business Plan of the Local Economic Development Agency of Monteplata (ADELMOPLA.) ► Implementation of the following projects: strengthening the Beekeeping Chain with support from UNDP through the Small Grants Programme; development of rural water supply systems with support from the National Institute of Water and Sewing (INAPA); strengthening the management of the LEDA with resources from the National Government; establishment of a permanent forum for dialogue via meetings among local actors. ► Under the agreement between ART and ADELMOPLA, definition of the joint methodology for the establishment of the Municipal (MWG) and Provincial (GTP) Working Groups and the creation of the territorial administration technical unit. ► Capacity building of the Community of Municipalities (Mancomunidad) Esmeralda, strategic partner and member of the ADELMOPLA Board.

 

Valverde Province

 

Local Economic Development (LED)

► Development of the new statute, renewal of the Board, drafting of the Business Plan and improvement of the credit fund management of the Agency for Local Economic Development Valverde (ADELVA). ► Launching and promotion of the value chain of vegetables through the creation of a District (120 members) with production and marketing of cucumber, okra, and squash. ► Drafting of a greenhouse construction project. ► Strengthening of the banana value chain through an agreement for the creation of a Technology Innovation Centre (University ISA of Santiago RD; UNDP/ Special Fund for production development, Spain).

 

Bahoruco Province

 

Local Economic Development (LED)

► Restatement of the statutes and the Business Plan of the Local Economic Development Agency of Bahoruco (ADELBAHO). Strengthening it through technical assistance, support and training. ► Implementation of a beekeeping development project in order to strengthen the value chain of coffee and others. ► Support for the formulation of a project in winemaking for the production of fertilizers from grape waste (USAID). ► Creation of a cheese factory and dairy processing (Cattlemen's Association - ASOGANE).

 

Results and Activities at the National Level

 

The National Government has defined as a counterpart of the Programme the Directorate General for Multilateral Cooperation (DIGECOOM) which is part of Secretary of State for Planning, Economy and Development (SEEPYD.) Currently, the National Coordination Committee is led by DIGECOOM and has the participation of key sectorial agents. The process of strengthening the Programme relations with partners of the intervention areas (working groups, ADEL, deputies and senators) has resulted in the fulfilment of the Government’s commitment in relation to the funds for its implementation, 7.9 million USD to be executed during the period 2010-2011.

 

Ownership

► DIGECOOM assumes the ART DR as a tool for the implementation of the National System of Public Investment, for the implementation of national funds in the commonly programmed implementation projects in the intervention areas. ► The Sub-Secretariat of Planning, agent of the implementation of the Law on Territorial Planning and Decentralisation Program uses the Programme’s methodology for the implementation of the Law.

 

Governance

► Coordination of the Programme with the Sub-Secretariat of State for Planning of the SEEPYD and the National Directorate of Territorial Planning, being a methodological support reference for the implementation of the National Law on Territorial Planning and Decentralisation. ► In coordination with the National Commission for State Reform, technical assistance for the development and implementation of the regulations of the Law of the National District and Municipalities, and strengthening of participatory mechanisms for local programming. ► Creation of a coordination platform for the organisation of the Public Policy Forum in 2010, and in this context support for the definition of priorities, drafting of a legal framework and implementation of activities to promote the local economic development.

 

Local Economic Development

► Enhancing LEDAs methodological and content alignment, identification of value chains and the "territorial markings' specific to each province and participatory construction of a "territorial classification”. ► Creation of the National Network of Dominican LEDAs, definition of its Action Plan, prioritising the undertaking of territorial meetings, the strengthening of local dynamics and the implementation of actions with the decentralised cooperation. ► Support for project management and for the network dynamic: carrying out of interaction workshops between the LEDA, organisation of the mission of the Morazan LEDA (El Salvador) and creation of the Common Investment Fund. ► Participation of representatives of the 5 Provinces with LEDA to the International Meeting of Local Economic Development Agencies (Río Negro - Antioquia, Colombia in May 2009).

 

Environment

► Definition of the priorities and strategies for the preparation of the Regional Energy Plans of the Provinces of Valverde, El Seibo, Monteplata and Bahoruco, in line with the national policy of energy diversification and sustainability (Rural Electrification National Unit - UERS; LEDA El Seibo and Monteplata; Centre for Technical and Technological Training; ITESIL from the Dajabón Province; Province of Bolzano - Italy).

 

Monitoring and evaluation

► Design and implementation of a system for participatory monitoring, evaluation and systematisation of the Programme impact, based on indicators for human empowerment. The construction of the system has involved three stages: immersion through the exchange of experiences with other countries and actors, the systematisation of experiences and the system design.

BEST PRACTICES ► The Local Economic Development Agency (LEDA) as an instrument of democratic governance: the process of formation and consolidation of the LEDA has created an instrument of participatory management of concerted development strategies, social dialogue and public - private consensus. ► The practices of cultural integration, peace promotion, intercultural tolerance and dialogue, and respect for human rights developed in the Dominican-Haitian border through the bi-national project Border Solidarity. ► Development of the strategic axis for the valorisation of the endogenous potential of the territory and orienting the technical training offer to promote local employment ► Designing and implementing a system for the participatory monitoring, evaluation and systematization of the impact of ART GOLD RD Programme, based on human empowerment indicators.

 

Results and Activities at the International

 

Level

 

The Programme activities at the global level are defined and planned to facilitate and promote the establishment of decentralised South-South cooperation partnerships and the exchange of best practices and experiences in the territories. In this sense, the decentralised cooperation demand matrix was developed in a participatory manner and there was a joint effort with the ART offices in Seville and Rome for the identification of new partners.

 

Local Economic Development

► LED specialised technical assistance to define the strategic direction and lines of action of the National Network of Dominican LEDAs and the Latin American Network of LEDAs.

 

Identification and Exchange of Innovations

► Definition of programmatic lines in terms of innovation for development around the following themes: renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, democratic governance and sustainable tourism. ► Identification of the first initiatives for the production of the National Catalogue of Innovation and creation of a panel of experts to validate the identified innovations, composed by the Institute for Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry, the Rural and Suburban Electrification Unit, the UNDP Renewable Energy Programme, the Botanical Garden, INTEC University and the Dominican Network of LEDAs. ► Undertaking of exchange missions with the Bolzano Province (Italy), preparation of technical assistance for the implementation of the Regional Energy Plans in the pilot provinces of El Seibo and Dajabón. ► Technical Assistance from the Lazio Region (Italy) for the design of the plan for the development of sustainable tourism and the implementation of the innovation “Albergo Diffuso” in the provinces of Monteplata and El Seibo. ► Strengthening the tourism sector through a seminar on tourism in Pedro Sánchez - El Seibo and promoting innovative concept of “Hotel Difundido”.

 

South-South Cooperation

► Technical Assistance of the Local Economic Development Agency of Monteplata (ADELMOPLA) to CENSA-CUBA for the national, provincial, and local development of the dairy chain backed by national entities dedicated to the regulation of the dairy chain.

 

Programmes Challenges for 2010

 

The main challenges for 2010 are the strengthening of the instruments for promoting the ownership of the programme and of the ART programmatic tools, and the strengthening of the coordination with the SEEPYD and the current territorial partners. Similarly, it will seek to identify new cooperation partners and allies and to ensure additional financial resources.

Finally, it is expected to further improve the systematisation of experiences and initiatives, and the development of a communication strategy of the Programme, which will allow to further strengthened its position and working instruments (Working Groups and LEDAs) nationally and internationally.

 

Contacts

 

Mr. Mauricio Ramirez Villegas, UNDP Resident Representative a.i mauricio.ramirez@undp.org