Press Releases
Croatian Officials in U.S. to Discuss Local Government
For Immediate Release
March 3, 2005
Zagreb, March 2, 2005 - Istrian city officials from Buzet, Labin, and Pazin are in the United States from February 25 to March 5, visiting their counterparts from the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District, an association including the cities of La Grande and Pendleton as well as Union County in Oregon.
Istrian mayors and local officials are working together with their Oregon counterparts to develop public administration skills and strategies to improve their local economies, focusing on agro-tourism. Draft strategic plans for each of the three Croatian cities and the cities of La Grande and Pendleton will be developed, capitalizing on their regions' advantages, assets, and resources in order to retain populations and improve quality of life.
This is the second time Istrian and American officials have exchanged ideas about city governance. In October 2004, representatives from the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District visited Buzet, Labin, and Pazin. More exchange visits are planned.
These visits are part of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Local Government Reform Project, administered in Croatia by the Urban Institute. Pairing cities to work together on common issues is known as "twinning". The pairing of U.S. Northeast Oregon Economic Development District with the Istrian cities of Buzet, Labin, and Pazin is the second such Croatian-U.S. partnership.
The first twinning partnership was established between the Istrian coastal cities of Poreč, Rovinj, and Umag and the American city of Port Townsend, Washington. The City of Karlovac has forged a sound partnership with Kansas City, Kansas, to improve public services and local government reform efforts. Dubrovnik will soon be linked with the City of Monterey in California.
"Twinning" is part of USAID's $19 million Local Government Reform Project, which provides technical assistance to strengthen local governments' ability to address citizens' needs more efficiently and provide more transparency and accountability in local affairs. It is a multi-year effort to introduce modern public administration practices to most of Croatia's 565 local governments and to assist with policy reform to strengthen the local government sector.
USAID is the primary assistance organization of the United States Government. Since 1992, the United States has provided over $407 million to Croatia (much of it through USAID programs) to strengthen democratic institutions and assist in postwar reconstruction and the return of refugees, to support de-mining and economic development, and to provide educational and training opportunities. The U.S. has also provided humanitarian assistance, and guidance and support to the Croatian judicial and military sectors to further Croatia's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions.