Jordan Times
Friday, August 6, 2004
Establishment of 'Challenge
Fund' announced
By Rami Abdelrahman
AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Prince Faisal, the government on Thursday
announced the establishment of the “Challenge Fund,” to act as a key financial
resource mechanism for implementing specific actions related to public sector
reforms.
During the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Faisal Fayez said the fund would
contribute to reinforcing good governance in ministries, departments and other
governmental agencies.
The fund programme is directed to address needs in those organisations where
independent interventions can make an appreciable and measurable improvements in
public service in the short term, whilst also realising long-term and more
widely reaching systematic reform within the government.
Establishing this fund, according to the premier, is an important step in the
governmental reform programme.
“Our reform programme focuses on reinforcing central policies and decision
making tools. The Prime Ministry is implementing this programme, not because
reform should start at the centre, but because we want the Prime Ministry to
become a centre of distinction and a role model for others to follow,” Fayez
said.
The premier indicated that his government is serious about reforms, and warned
that any reform agenda may well encounter opposition from those with a vested
interest in opposing the reform process.
In this context, he added, we will establish governmental performance evaluation
units to help enhance social services, human resource policies, and reform of
the public sector.
Fayez linked this to the fund, saying “this initiative, like other previous
initiatives, adds to Jordan's reputation at both the regional and international
levels as a leader in the reform efforts.”
Run by the Ministry of Administrative Development, the fund provides financial
support for technical assistance with the planning, implementation and
evaluation of reform projects (including training when required).
In addition, it makes available limited financial support for purchases of items
required to support implementation on a cost-sharing basis with the organisation.
According to the ministry, priority will be given to projects that focus on
issues that can be addressed at the organisational level. The second criteria
will focus on projects that will have a positive impact on service delivery,
demonstrated through defined project-level performance indicators.
According to the fund's booklet, published by the ministry, the main
beneficiaries of this fund, besides the participating organisations, are the
citizens who will benefit from improvements in service delivery, while other
governmental institutions would benefit through the dissemination of good
practice case studies from the programme, and the opportunity to attend
networking events with participants.
“International examples indicate that countries were able to achieve best reform
outcomes by similar creative initiatives. The fund's importance is that it
encourages organisations to come up with creative ideas and initiatives to take
governmental work to new and developed horizons,” Fayez said.
His Majesty King Abdullah has repeatedly urged the government to focus on and to
accelerate the national reform programme.