EMBARQ Andino celebrates signing of Peru’s Municipal Management and Modernization Plan

In a victory for EMBARQ Andino and the team led by Jorge Jara and Sybil Settlemyre, Peru’s legislature passed the 2013 Municipal Management and Modernization Plan, continuing a 2012 initiative to motivate and reward local governments for taking steps toward improved road safety, public spaces, and non-motorized transport. This national policy offers financial recompense to the local governments that successfully complete the 2013 goals.

On January 14th, the Peruvian Ministry of Economy and Finances (MEF) announced - with EMBARQ Andino in the room - the two principal goals of the plan: first, identify risk zones for traffic crashes, with the creation of a database, and the publication of a three-year analysis (2010-2012) of traffic crash data; the second goal is to implement public spaces for physical activity and non-motorized transport, through the closure of 1 to 3 kilometers of streets per district for a 5-hour period of time on one day, at least 6 times this year. This builds on the success and experience of the 2012 National Incentive Plan goals identifying risk zones and implementing Sunday Recreational Bike Paths. Both 2012 goals had a high participation rate, with 245 local governments participating in the identification of risk zones, and 240 participating in the bike path initiative.

The Peruvian Ministry of Health, with technical support from EMBARQ Andino, proposed these two goals to be included in the National Incentive Plan in order to promote non-motorized transport and physical activity and to reduce traffic crashes and save lives. This is a prime example of how EMBARQ Andino has scaled up its impact in promoting real change and sustainable transport, road safety and health, and public space solutions at the city level. Local governments which successfully complete these goals will receive financial incentives from the national budget in the following year.

As many as 249 local Peruvian governments are eligible to participate, and EMBARQ Andino, together with the Ministry of Health, is already at work on the tools and methodologies to be employed by individual municipalities. In addition, EMBARQ Andino is assisting in propelling the goals of the Incentive Plan into broader national policy and participates in training sessions to build capacity at the national and local levels of government. The first goal's deadline is July 31, 2013, and the second goal's deadline is December 31, 2013.

For more information you can contact Jorge Jara and Sybil Settlemyre at EMBARQ Andino.