Ammon News - The Ministry of Local Administration and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) launched a social communication platform for municipalities, which is part of the Norway-funded Network of Local Governments project.

The project aims to create a nationwide platform to more effectively link national decision-makers with municipalities and local communities to promote regular public consultation and participation. It targets 45 municipalities in 6 governorates (Irbid, Ajloun, Balqa, Madaba, Aqaba, and Tafileh), covering Jordan's northern, central, and southern regions.

In remarks during the launching ceremony, the ministry's Secretary-General Hussein Mhaidat said the platform would guide local communities to municipalities' electronic services, develop new or enhanced means and quality services, and allow the public to propose solutions and partake in decision-making.

Norway's Ambassador Espen Lindbeck said the project ensures the growth of new technologies, thus enabling administrations and the public to expand their participation by empowering their local administrative bodies.

He stressed the importance of transparency and boosting the contribution of vulnerable and marginalized segments in decision-making, which the project promotes by using digital transformation tools and enhancing institutional accountability.

For his part, Baker Hiyari, head of the government and peacebuilding team at UNDP Jordan, underscored government-UN organizations-donors cooperation to support local administrations' efforts to communicate with their communities and come up with solutions for development challenges.