The transformation and modernization of the State at the territorial level involves great challenges for rural municipalities and category 6 municipalities in Colombia, which are mostly characterized by “average” municipal performance and institutions with a low response capacity to efficiently meet public management requirements.

This is reflected in difficulties to adequately respond to the needs in the provision of services that contribute to closing gaps and improving the well-being of their citizens. In addition to this scenario, there is a political context of regional elections, in which, on the one hand, municipal mayors’ offices are closing their governments with public management activities that require greater effort given their legal responsibilities in terms of accountability and the process of joining incoming governments, and, on the other hand, territorial political campaigns and dynamics pose challenges for the institutional framework and the citizenry’s perception of governance.

Against this backdrop, in the framework of USAID’s Responsible Governance RG program USAID’S RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE PROGRAMprogram, Rimisp is advancing a project that will be carried out around the fulfillment of three specific objectives:

I) The creation of a learning community that manages knowledge in the public management cycle among public servants, civil society organizations, young people and other local actors such as departmental governments.

II) Increase capacities with a focus on sustainability in planning, budgeting, tax management, social investment projects and process assurance processes, within the framework of Technical Assistance Plans (TAP) agreed with each of the municipal mayors’ offices.

III) conduct knowledge management to identify lessons learned, best practices and barriers and then socialize the experience and a set of recommendations for strengthening the public management cycle. The municipalities where these activities will take place are Belén de los Andaquíes, El Paujil, Puerto Rico and San José del Fragua in the department of Caquetá, and Puerto Concordia, Mapiripan and Puerto Lleras in the department of Meta. These municipalities are part of the Territorially Focused Development Programs (PDET), so the project will contribute to the priority and faster implementation of sectoral plans and programs within the framework of the Comprehensive Rural Reform (RRI) and the relevant measures established in the Final Peace Agreement.