MASAR for Local Governments is a program funded by the EU MADAD trust fund. 
The overall aim of the program is to strengthen the long-term resilience of targeted subnational governments and their host, refugee and IDP populations to deal with displacement.
Specifically, MASAR focuses on the urban setting, which is the background of processes of displacement, investment, employment and service delivery.
In Lebanon, the program aims to assist the governorates of: i) Baalbek- Hermel; ii) Akkar; and iii) coastal plain north of Tripoli and their respective Unions of Municipalities to deal with accelerated urbanization caused by the crisis.

Overall Objectives: 
MASAR has three specific objectives: Specific Objective 1: To improve the capacities of subnational governments to engage in holistic, area-based planning and consider different scenarios that responds to the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations. Specific Objective 2: To improve service delivery to generate greater social stability outcomes based on the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations. Specific Objective 3: To empower subnational governments and service providers to create economic opportunities through better access of municipal investment that benefit host, refugee and IDP populations.
Activities: 
MASAR will mobilize municipal experts from Lebanon and Europe to contribute to build the capacity of subnational governments. This will include, among others, provision of technical advice; training; coaching and mentoring addressed to municipal Planning Units or Service Departments. Capacity building activities will be complemented by concrete pilot quick impact projects aiming to, for instance, designing an urban layout to improve an existing network of streets and roads to better accommodate a higher influx of traffic, or to set up a municipal solid waste sorting plant to better cope with increasing volumes of litter.
Results: 
It is expected that MASAR interventions will lead to the following results: Output 1.1 Local governments’ capacities to engage in holistic, area-based planning and consider different scenarios that respond to the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations will improve. Output 1.2 Local governments will design spatial scenarios that provide concrete logic for sustainable municipal services and municipal investment. Output 2.1 Local governments and service providers will have the capacity to deliver water supply, waste water treatment, solid waste, sewage, mobility, public space and/or or civil protection in a more efficient and responsive manner. Output 2.2 Local governments and service providers will implement municipal service projects in a more efficient and responsive manner, in line with longer-term scenarios and with involvement of displaced and host communities Output 2.3 Host, refugee and IDP populations will be more aware about municipal service delivery. Output 3.1 Local governments’ capacity to influence investment project pipelining will be strengthened, in order to generate projects beneficial to both host community and refugees. Output 3.2 Local governments will identify and formulate projects to fund municipal public services and to create economic opportunities for host communities and refugees. Output 3.3 The project will promote more economic growth potential and resilience of the local economy.
Start Date
Wed, 19/12/2018 - 9:00am to Sat, 31/12/2022 - 12:00pm
Project Status
Started/Ongoing
Project Timeframe
36 Months
Intervention Sector(s):
Development, Environment, Good governance and transparency, Infrastructure & Services Rehabilitation, Labor & Livelihoods
Project Location:
Jana Residence/ 3B
Dam and Farez Street
Tripoli , North Lebanon
Lebanon
Phone: 9613466322
North Lebanon LB
Collaboration with Other Organisations
MASAR project is being implemented by a consortium of European entities: VNG International (the association of municipalities of the Netherlands), the Polish Center for International Aid (Polish acronym PCPM), the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (Catalan acronym ACCD), and Local Government Denmark (Danish acronym KL).