Investment planning for three years in the municipalities of Bethlehem area

Developing municipal sector in Palestine was his special attention and high priority by the Ministry of local government, as well as by donors who worked on infrastructure projects and modernization of institutional capacity. The Bethlehem 2000 project financed by the World Bank was also a contributor in these projects through investment development plans for the next three years for the municipalities of Bethlehem area comprised of the municipality of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahur, Doha, and Khader. Where the Bank has contracted with the IDMC in December 2002 to implement these projects. What distinguishes this project is that the first draft of the strategic development lltkhtat in Palestine, where she built the first methodology for development planning in cooperation with the World Bank.

Proposed vision for this project emphasized a comprehensive developmental investment plans Bethlehem area, through the joint efforts of participating municipalities and local community. Public participation and stakeholders form key tool in the success of this project. Accordingly, the project team carried out interviews and multiple workshops and awareness ratings depending on the style of collective participation.Once the project team established a group of professionals of the municipalities and IDMC consultants, the Group began conducting stakeholder analysis to identify challenges, opportunities and priorities. So count on qualitative and quantitative data analysis: geographic, economic, and demographic, taking political constraints and human resource capacities in municipal participation into account. This analysis has led to the definition of priorities and specific areas addressed in developmental evolution.

Through the exchange of effective meetings and discussions, develop a common vision for the municipalities of Bethlehem and formed the basis of strategic objectives and action programmes. For example, three of these basic goals: develop the youth sector, tourism recovery, maintaining healthy environmental conditions. Accordingly, one of the programmes of action aimed at developing sports facilities in the area, another program included promotion of local traditional industries, while a third joint programme designed to increase the effectiveness of the disposal of solids.

Building on work programmes, the project team to identify and formulate project proposals led to the formation of investment plans. These projects included joint programmes in 5 municipalities, individual projects, projects profitable, long term projects.

As a result it was preparing a 10 million dollar projects, formulated for the development of the entire region in various sectors such as entertainment, environment, trade, and transportation.