Central Asia Regional Assessment on Decentralization

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Central Asia Regional Assessment on
Decentralization

• Glen Wright
• FDI Workshop
• Istanbul
• November 29-30, 2006

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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators
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Governance Indicators

• Bertelsmann Transformation Index
• Ranking Ranking
• 2003 2006
•  
• Kazakhstan 61 66
• Kyrgyzstan 69 78
• Tajikistan 100 102
• Uzbekistan 93 103

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Obstacles to Decentralized System

• Legacy of Soviet Communist Party System
• Sudden Soviet Collapse
• Rising Nationalism/Ethnic/Religious
  Fundamentalism
  
• Local Loyalties/Clans/Ethnic Mix

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Legal Frameworks

• Kyrgyzstan
• Basic Framework with contradictions
• Failure to Implement
• New effort/State Commissions
• New Budget Structure Proposed 2007
• Issues
• Admin-Territorial Division
• Functional Assignments
• Intergovernmental Transfer Formula

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Legal Frameworks

• Tajikistan
• Outdated legal framework from 1990s
• Public Administration Reform Strategy
• Presidential Working Groups
• Issues
• Role of Jamoat
• Law on Local Government

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Legal Frameworks

• Kazakhstan
• Framework from Early 1990s
• Power of Akim
• Weak Maslihkat Councils
• Issues
• Transformation of Central Apparatus
• Drafting of New Local Government Framework

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Legal Frameworks

• Uzbekistan
• Framework from Early 1990s
• Strong Central Apparatus
• Khokim Control
• Role of Mahallas
• Issues
• Transformation of Central Apparatus

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Functional Assignments

• Common Problems of the CA Countries
• Dichotomy of Laws and Realities
• Confused Assignments to Each Tier
• Size of Local Units
• Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan
• Some Progress Through Donor Support
• Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan
• Little Progress or Interest

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Financial Resources

• Common Problems of the CA Countries
• Many Sources/Little Fiscal Capacity
• Central Control Over Tax Rates and Base
• Reliance on Shared Taxes
• Unstable Revenue Allocations
• Poor Tax Administration Capacity
• Little Progress in Any of the CA Countries

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Intergovernmental Transfers

• Common Problems of the CA Countries
• Continued System of Bargaining/Negotiation
• Budget Balancing Main Objective
• No Objective or Equalizing Formula Criteria
• Some Progress in Kyrgyzstan

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Local Government Associations

• Kyrgyzstan
• Association from Mid-1990s
• 2 Main Associations Presently
• Active in Policy Development
• Tajikistan
• Association of Small Cities
• Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan
• Difficult Environment for NGOs
• Strength of Akims

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FDI Potential Support Areas

• Support for Policy Analysis Development
• Local Government Professional Associations