Support to municipal development and management in the gaza middle area

The SMDM project financed by the Danish international Development Assistance (DANIDA) started its activities in the Gaza Middle area three municipalities of Nuseirat, Bureij and Maghazi as phase 1 at the beginning of 1999. The majority of residents of these three municipalities are refugees(over 90% ) living in bad environmental conditions, sewerage water was flowing in open channels all over the streets and alleys spreading ill-smelling every where, roads were dusty and muddy when rain falls.

The municipalities were suffering shortage of funds needed for development projects, municipal staff efficiency and competency was poor , non governmental organizations (NGOs) were functioning with low level capabilities ,the local community relationship with municipalities was confused.
The SMDM understood this miserable municipal situation and compassed the problems to be dealt with in its project document ( PD ) and the endorsed project agreement between Danish representative office (DRO) in Palestinian territories and the Palestinian national authority(PNA).
The PD categorized the project activities into four output

• capacity building

• social infrastructure projects

• physical infrastructure projects

• maintenance organization

The SMDM phase 1 budget was 67.5 million Danish koroner DKK (8.5 million USD ) as prevailing exchange rate at that period, the project activities were completed at the end of 2002.

The Danish Government after noticing the project success extended the project to new phase ( phase 2 ) adding municipality of Zawaida to the previous three municipalities with a budget of 50.6 million DKK ( 7.99 million USD) as prevailing exchange rate at the project period , the project started at beginning of 2003 and extended to be completed at the middle of 2006,the outputs are the same as SMDM phase 1.

The Danish Government agreed to expand the project (SMDM2 expansion ) to include another new six municipalities ( Deir Elbalah , Wadi Essalqa , Almosadar , Wadi Gaza , Almoghraqa and Azzahra ) with extra budget of 34.85 million DKK (5.59 million USD ) for a period starting from November 2004 to end of 2007.

During this period of SMDM activities in the Gaza Middle Area a noticeable improvement occurred in the residents life condition where hundreds of kilometers of underground sewerage pipes ,asphalt and tile roads, side walks , water pipes have been constructed , tens of community and income generating projects have been implemented in close coordination between municipalities and NGOs ,numerous training courses in different fields have been held for municipal staff members , and the municipalities were supplied with useful office equipments and heavy duty machines , and a number of worn roads have been repaired. The Danish Government is preparing to extend the SMDM project in the Gaza Middle Area in SMDM phase 3 which expected to start at middle of 2007 with new budget.

The SMDM management recognizes the collaborative efforts of middle area municipal mayors and staff and appreciates the cooperation of related Palestinian ministries and institutions and the sincere inputs of the SMDM local staff.

Finally it is essential to present our deep gratitude to DRO, the Danish Annual Review Mission,the Danish Government and the Danish people for their generous support to Palestinian people.