Injaz Strategy
Strategy for the Five-Year Plans (2022-2026)
In the summer of 2021 INJAZ, the Center for Professional Arab Local Governance, began a process of reflection and planning to define the organization’s strategy for the next five years (2022-2026). This process is focused on strategy for action, planning and the organization’s structure in the light of the existing consensus between its members concerning the validity of its vision and purpose. The process was initiated after achieving consensus on objectives and shaping a plan of action for their realizations. At the launch meeting held in November 2020 it was resolved to conduct a learning process to formulate a snapshot of the organization’s current state. To this end, interviews were held with staff members at every level of the organization and its partners (the Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities, heads of authorities, senior local authority officials, board members, professionals and more) as the basis for a characterization of the organization’s sphere of operation.
Strategic decisions taken
INJAZ will undergo an organizational transformation, upgrade and make-over in order to become a player with a more significant impact on its sphere of operations. To achieve this end the organization must focus on two aspects:
Added Value:
INJAZ’s added value is the enhancement of Arab citizens’ standard of living by implementing models for socio-economic development within Arab local authorities; increasing the ability of Arab local authorities to conduct socio-economic development processes in a manner that is both compatible with these authorities’ specific requirements and also suitable for bridging the gap between currently existing economic opportunities and the authorities’ capabilities; and combining these activities with overcoming the blockages in government departments’ policies and operating methods that hamper Arab local authorities’ ability to conduct significant socio-economic development processes to enhance their residents’ standard of living and quality of life.
Operational Ability:
INJAZ must significantly improve its ability to implement its projects and assignments, as a high-quality one-stop shop capable of leading influential processes that realize its added value on a relatively rapid schedule from start to finish.
Principal Strategic Focuses
Internal focuses
i. Staff development and stability: full compatibility between clear job descriptions and the abilities of the team employed to fill them, job analysis and definition, distribution of jobs according to expertise, professional training programs for teams and individuals, formulation of a welfare plan for the staff and recruitment of suitable staff members.
ii. Strengthening links between INJAZ and the Committee of Heads of Local Authorities and Civil Society organizations: initiating joint projects, regular meetings, etc.
Focuses on Projects and Content
iii. Building up the INJAZ community: setting up four forums: local authority heads, treasurers, engineers and director general/secretaries. The purpose of these forums is to construct an action/work plan including the central issues of Government Resolution 550, monitoring the implementation of Resolution 550, increasing
INJAZ’s ability to influence by combined activities, and strengthening the voice of local governance in the Arab sector.
iv. Monitoring maximal implementation of Resolution 550 in INJAZ’s areas of activity: activating the forums described in paragraph i, as well as activating the committees run by INJAZ on behalf of the Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities on a regular basis: the committee will convene monthly or as needed, with representation of INJAZ’s committee chair, authority heads, professional staff of partnering civil society organizations (INJAZ runs four committees: Environment; Local Authorities; Formal and Informal Education; Business, Enterprise and Socio-Economic Infrastructure, and also Fire and Rescue), in order to monitor maximal implementation of Resolution 550.
v.Construction of implementation models for development and fostering of local authorities:
construction of two urban improvement divisions and one economic development and strategy division (initial pilot in the Arab sector) and economics companies. Formulation of a suitable model for Arab local authorities detailing the stages and resources required to set up divisions or units within local authorities for implementing a pilot and learning on the ground, distributing an updated model and encouraging the construction of models for local activity in the sphere of socio-economic development.
vi.Increasing local authorities’ income and enhancing the financial strength of Arab local authorities:
making the criteria and formulas for awarding the levelling-up grant and the fund for reducing inequality more understandable and accessible. Modifying the criteria for both of these and continuing to work on this issue with the Interior Ministry in partnership with the Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities and the Sikkuy association.
vii.Construction of a knowledge-base: Setting up a database as a basis for decisions and planning by INJAZ and the Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities:
gathering data, setting up a platform to make the data available and publishing annual professional and academic research papers based on the data.