[{"bbox": [96, 151, 1136, 391], "category": "Text", "text": "205,000 Gambians (10% of the population) living abroad, mostly in the USA and UK. During the Jammeh regime, a large Gambian diaspora emerged, actively involved in supporting the economy through their remittances, whilst trying to dislodge the dictatorship through democratic advocacy. The diaspora's contribution to national development is well articulated in the Gambian Diaspora Strategy (incorporated in the National Development Plan 2018-2022) and through the establishment of The Gambia Diaspora Directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad. In 2020, official remittances accounted for 22.29% of gross domestic product (GDP) (World Bank), and according to the Central Bank of The Gambia, in 2021, diaspora remittances increased to an unprecedented level of USD 773.7 million, from USD 589.81 million in 2020 (a record 31.3% increase)."}, {"bbox": [96, 416, 1136, 578], "category": "Text", "text": "The implementation of decentralization at initial stage was robust and some gains have been made in strengthening democratic engagement and broader participation of communities in decision-making. However, capacities at local government remains inadequate with only skeletal staff having the needed qualification and competencies to perform devolved functions, ensure service delivery and accountability. Additionally, there is no human resource development plan at the central and local levels. Inadequate financial resources are also critical due to insufficient revenue collection, as well as poor financial management and control. Similarly, citizen engagement is weak."}, {"bbox": [96, 602, 1136, 975], "category": "Text", "text": "The slow pace of decentralization is affected by the central government not fully devolving the required funding and functional competencies, which all local government authorities need to improve the efficiency of municipal management and administration, and insufficient engagement of the public and civil society in local governance. For instance, although section 128 of the Local Government, 2002 stipulates that \"The Central Government shall provide twenty-five% of the Councils' development budget\", these transfers are, however, not happening. Also, the Council's major revenue sources of fee collection are now allocated to newly created agencies such as The Gambia Tourism Board, Gambia Road Authority, Gambia Livestock Marketing Board. Additionally, the challenge of popular participation and accountability is widespread. The low level of participation is due to the low returns that local populations get from local governments in terms of development thus, resulting to their low interest, making it urgent to increase engagements between regional leaders and communities. The Action seeks to intervene at local level in all 7 regions by strengthening planning, budgeting, human resource management and other technical capabilities; promoting community awareness of rights and obligations; increasing community capacities to engage with local authorities; facilitating CSOs to demand implementation of legislation to ensure adequate resources are provided for local development; enhancing local development coordination efforts."}, {"bbox": [96, 975, 1073, 1029], "category": "Text", "text": "Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action:"}, {"bbox": [96, 1056, 1136, 1164], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Office of the President: as the primary organ directing the strategic affairs of government, this office has the role to ensure decentralization is implemented by all relevant parties. Particularly, it is responsible for facilitating and coordinating the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government, regional and local councils in concert with other sector ministries to ensure sufficient capacities to perform their functions."}, {"bbox": [96, 1190, 1136, 1324], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Ministry of Lands & Regional Government (MLRG): is the main department for local government planning and land development in The Gambia. Its main missions include equitable and efficient distribution of State land resources; ensuring the production of a development systems and control policy; properly structuring of local governance authorities (LGA) administrative systems; effective local government; and improving the capacities of local organisations and other groups safeguarding sustainable development."}, {"bbox": [96, 1351, 1059, 1380], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Ministry of Finance: is responsible for setting the Government's overall economic policy objectives."}, {"bbox": [96, 1404, 1136, 1487], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment is mandated to formulate and implement trade, investment and industrial policies. It also formulates and implements employment, competition and labour matters, promulgates national standards, and takes a lead role in trade negotiations."}, {"bbox": [96, 1512, 1136, 1594], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare: is mandated to coordinate and ensure gender equality and equity, promote the protection, and development of children, the vulnerable and excluded persons and integrate fulfillment of rights, empowerment and ensure full participation into national development."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1680, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 10 of 31"}]