FOCUS AREAS

Municipalities must embrace collaborative models of partnerships with the private sector to ease the burden of service delivery and enhance delivery methods. It is crucial for municipalities to understand the diverse partnership models and effectively apply them to identify the active role the private sector can play in supporting urban development efforts at local level. Furthermore, the development of policies and regulations governing the relationship between municipal bodies and the private sector is of paramount importance. This ensures the highest level of transparency in operations and promotes competition in service provision to ensure high quality of work.

The municipal digital transition demands a range of practices centered around utilizing information technology to improve municipal management and service delivery. This encompasses tasks like collecting, organizing, storing, and analyzing data, incorporating diverse technologies such as artificial intelligence. Beyond the technical aspects, adopting digital transformation practices requires a shift in the institutional practices of municipalities. AUDI pays special attention to aligning with the era of information and technology that has significantly enhanced various municipal services with less time and effort.

As the demand for infrastructure and urban services continues to rise, municipalities are confronted with increasing challenges, particularly regarding financial resource shortages. Despite this, many municipalities have assets that can be utilized to enhance their financial situation. These assets include real estate and municipal facilities like parking lots, parks, and strategically positioned sites along main roads. AUDI places emphasis on best practices for evaluating and investing in municipal assets, aligning them with the city's strategic plan.

Municipalities stand out as institutions in great need of ongoing development for the governance of their institutional procedures. In recent years, there has been a restructuring of many local institutional systems and municipalities with the goal of boosting performance efficiency and enhancing municipal services. AUDI aims to analyze urban governance practices, evaluate the methods and tools adopted by Arab municipalities in management, and capacity development. This focus encompasses topics such as the transition towards decentralization, the development of participatory approaches in municipal decision-making through councils and relevant committees, as well as collaboration between municipalities in delivering services to the population.