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Mexico
>> Regional Overview >> Mexico Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: Mexico
TITLE AND NUMBER: More Democratic Processes Adopted in Key Government Institutions, 523-003
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $700,000 (DA); $6,178,000 (ESF)
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $700,000 (DA); $10,000,000 (ESF)
STATUS: Continuing
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2003Summary: Mexico's traditional political structures are undergoing a rapid transformation to a more open and participatory government under President Vicente Fox. The victory of the opposition in state and federal elections energized all sectors of Mexican society and generated widespread support for major reforms in many areas of government. President Fox has also proposed bold initiatives to fight official corruption. USAID supports the Fox administration's commitment to democratic institutions including local government, civil society organizations, the National Congress, and state and federal courts. Mexican initiatives in these areas will receive support to develop models and policies to demonstrate more effective and transparent governance. USAID assistance will provide expert advice for Fox's national anti-corruption plan and build Mexican capacity to administer anti-corruption and government innovation programs at the Secretariat of Comptrollership and Administrative Development. In this way, USAID will help frame anti-corruption policies and innovative programs at the federal executive level.
In his economic development plan, President Fox reiterated his commitment to further decentralization and increased local autonomy. The success of his economic plan requires increased municipal administrative capacity and more effective and transparent decentralization policies. USAID will continue to provide technical assistance to improve municipal administration and service delivery and increase transparency and citizen participation in local decision making. USAID will support the Fox administration in its efforts to develop more effective decentralization policies, increase transparency of revenue transfers to states and municipalities, and increase access to private financing mechanisms for municipal infrastructure.
The pluralistic National Congress has demonstrated its commitment to streamline its administration, develop a career civil service of professional technical staff, and strengthen its ability to legislate independently and oversee the executive branch. At the request of the National Congress, USAID is providing technical assistance to the Mexican Congressional Budget Office, the Legislative Research Service, and the Congress' Training Office to strengthen these institutions.
Since 1993, increased reforms have strengthened the judicial branch and set the stage for future change. The Mexican justice sector has demonstrated its commitment to reform and is highly receptive to improvement, contributing its own substantial financial and personnel resources. Modest support and targeted USAID assistance have generated momentum for Mexican initiatives, including improved judicial education and training for state and federal judges. In FY 2002, USAID will implement a model court administration activity to demonstrate increased efficiency and transparency in court proceedings, and will support the implementation of models to increase access to justice through court-sponsored mediation centers.
Key Results: In 2002, USAID, in collaboration with its Mexican partners, will replicate the successful pilot programs for more effective local governance. Enhanced legislative functions of the National Congress will be achieved through stronger permanent institutions and a trained professional staff. Technical assistance to Mexican state and federal courts will contribute to more efficient, effective, transparent, and accessible administration of justice. USAID technical assistance to the federal executive branch will lead to more effective decentralization policies and increased transparency and accountability.
Performance and Prospects: Through FY 2001, USAID worked with the Federal Municipal Development Office and a group of key states and cities to promote decentralization and increase local government effectiveness through increased local authority, increased access to municipal finance, improved service delivery, and increased citizen participation. USAID also supported training for citizens' organizations in effective participation in local decision making. Replication of these programs will continue in 2002. USAID will also increase technical assistance to the Fox administration for decentralization and municipal capacity building.
In FY 2002, USAID will continue to work with the Chamber of Deputies' Budget Analysis Unit and the Mexican General Accounting Office to strengthen congressional oversight. USAID will provide further assistance to the Legislative Research Service to improve its capacity for legislative research, bill drafting, and analysis. USAID will continue to assist the congress' staff training office as it develops career civil service staff. In addition, USAID will expand its training activities to the national senate and to state legislatures through distance learning technology.
USAID's judicial education activities include a judicial masters program cited by Fox's transition team as a model for judicial education initiatives, and judicial exchanges in which U.S. and Mexican judges discuss bi-lateral legal and administrative issues. USAID's court-sponsored mediation activities demonstrate how mediation can increase access to justice. Political parties and legal professionals are learning to more effectively adjudicate post-electoral disputes and advocate more effectively for state electoral reforms through a USAID-sponsored electoral justice activity.
In FY 2002, USAID will extend the judicial masters program to at least one additional university and expand cooperation with the federal court to include continuing judicial education. USAID will continue to provide technical assistance to court-sponsored mediation activities in at least three states and continue the model court administration activity with at least one federal and two state courts through FY 2002.
President Fox proposed new initiatives to increase the effectiveness and accountability of Government of Mexico (GOM) institutions. In support of these initiatives, USAID will provide assistance in two areas: 1) building Mexican capacity to develop and administer effective anti-corruption programs through technical assistance to and training for the federal comptroller's office and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and 2) strengthening the capacity of GOM officials to effectively implement policy reform and develop strategic management skills in support of government innovation efforts.
In FY 2002, USAID assistance will provide expert advice to develop anti-corruption programs, train Mexican federal comptroller's agency and public ministry staff to improve official corruption investigation and fraud-detection, support the creation of a National Citizens' Anti-Corruption Commission, and help develop and enact freedom of information policies and laws.
Of the FY 2001 ESF funds, approximately $1,800,000 will be used to increase the capacity of local governments and advance decentralization; $1,500,000 will support rule of law activities; approximately $1,200,000 will support legislative strengthening; $1,200,000 will fund anti-corruption activities; and $500,000 will support institutional reform and policy change. The $700,000 DA will fund program management and staff contracts.
Of the FY 2002 ESF funds, $2,400,000 will be used for municipal governance and decentralization; approximately $1,650,000 will be used to support rule of law activities; $1,500,000 will be used for legislative strengthening; policy change and institutional reform activities will be funded with $1,000,000; and anti-corruption activities will be supported with $1,500,000 ESF. Two new initiatives, the Southern States Democracy and Development Initiative and Plan Puebla-Panama, will be funded with $1,750,000 ESF. The remaining ESF ($200,000) and DA ($700,000) will fund program management and staff contracts.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: ESF levels for FY 2001 were increased significantly over FY 2000, enabling USAID to respond to Mexico's historic democratic opening by assisting the new Mexican president with anti-corruption and decentralization initiatives. Given recent ESF increases planned for FY 2002, USAID proposes to use the additional resources to expand existing democracy activities to the southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero, linking to President Fox's "March to the South" initiative to support democratic and economic development in this region. These three states are Mexico's poorest, most rural, and most conflictive, with the largest indigenous populations. Programs will be implemented through partnerships and small grants to Mexican and U.S. NGOs to provide technical assistance to Mexican state and local government entities. This activity will support decentralization, fair and transparent electoral processes, human rights protection, enhanced rule of law, more democratic and accountable local and state governance, economic development promotion, and reduced migration. This activity will also support President Fox's "Plan Puebla-Panama" for strengthened Mexico-Central America cooperation and development, linking activities in southern Mexico to similar Central American development activities.
Other Donor Programs: USAID's expanded local governance objectives are advanced by the Ford Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank. Congressional strengthening results are complemented by grants to local NGOs from the Ford Foundation, the National Democratic Institute, and the National Endowment for Democracy. Rule of law objectives are expected to be supported by future funding from the World Bank and the IDB, utilizing USAID's diagnostic of Mexican courts in development of their programs. The U.S. Department of Justice and State Department train Mexican prosecutors and police. Many private international foundations support increased access to human rights.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: U.S. organizations include the International City/ County Management Association, National Center for State Courts, State University of New York, and the University of New Hampshire. Mexican partners include National University of Mexico, Monterrey Institute of Technology, Center for Attention to Victims of Crime, the Citizen's Movement for Democracy, the Mexican Association of Municipalities, and the National Federation of Mexican Municipalities.
Mexico 523-003
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97
(Actual)FY98
(Actual)FY99
(Actual)FY00
(Actual)FY00
(Plan)FY01
(Plan)FY02
(Plan)Indicator 1: Percent of cases successfully mediated in target mediation centers NA NA 33.8 41.7 37.5 45 53.3 Indicator 2: Percent of municipalities in other states of Mexico that requested information from USAID target municipalities* NA NA 2.9 7.5 10 12.5 25 Indicator 3: Rating on the effective local government component of the Local Governance Milestone Index NA 0.4524 1.2619 1.2381 1.5 1.3 2 Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S)or(IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: IR Percent of cases successfully mediated in target mediation centers Center for Attention to Victims of Crime Mediation Registries "Successful" means that the parties agree to a resolution of their dispute which is recorded in a document signed by both parties. Target mediation centers are operated by the Center for Attention to Victims of Crime and the state of Jalisco public defenders office. Indicator 2: SO Percent of municipalities that implemented projects (out of the number of municipalities that requested information). The numbers will be cumulative over time. International City/County Management Association (ICMA) reports and records Projects implemented must be in the area of treasury, citizens' outreach, utilities/water, public lighting, solid waste or community policing. Implemented projects are actions undertaken due to what the municipalities' representatives learn and apply from their interactions with the target municipalities and/or ICMA. Target municipalities are the six municipalities in the state of Jalisco receiving USAID assistance through ICMA. The activity teams up with state governments, municipal associations and universities to promote municipal participation in information sharing events and distance learning programs. *This indicator has been added to reflect replication of local government best practices models.
Indicator 3: IR Number which reflects the average score of 6 target municipalities on a scale from 0-3 International City/County Management Association reports The scale measures local government effectiveness in seven areas: response to citizen requests for information; availability of public information; incorporation of input from citizen committees; budget approval process; raising of operating revenues from local sources; inter-municipal cooperation; and service coverage including potable water, sewer, lighting, paved streets and garbage collection. Scores are determined annually by a panel of city management experts. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 1,325 DA 1,325 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 3,200 ESF 3,200 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 1,500 INL 1,500 INL 0 INL 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 725 DA 500 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 3,136 ESF 1,700 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 INL 0 INL 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 2,050 DA 1,825 DA 225 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 6,336 ESF 4,900 ESF 1,436 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 1,500 INL 1,500 INL 0 INL 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 INL 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 700 DA 0 CSD 6,178 ESF 0 SEED 0 INL 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 700 DA 0 CSD 6,178 ESF 0 SEED 0 INL 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 700 DA 2,000 DA 5,450 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 10,000 ESF 7,000 ESF 29,514 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 INL 0 INL 1,500 INL 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
