A number of strategies, including development of websites, organization of internet access, creation of Citizen Reception Offices, and publication of citizen guides are being utilized to enhance transparency and accountability, facilitating at the same time better municipal relations with citizens.

Citizen Reception Offices, modern facilities staff by properly trained employees, have been opened in more than 26 locations throughout the country. Organized in part to eliminate the need for multiple visits to different offices to complete transactions, the Citizen Reception Offices have enabled municipalities to improve the quality of services provided to citizens, positively impacting public perceptions of local government.

Municipal citizen guides were published in order to increase citizen awareness regarding municipal procedures, application forms, applicable fees, documents required, estimated processing times, and the complaint process. Thirty-five thousand copies of the general guide were published and distributed to the municipalities to be made available to the public at the Citizen Reception Offices. In response to the particular municipal rules and procedures in several large municipalities, separate guides for Beit Meri, Choueifat, Jounieh, Sidon, and Tripoli were developed. (link to Publications)

  Internet access has been organized for 618 municipalities throughout Lebanon as part of the assistance program. In addition to the general benefits to municipalities from enhanced communication capabilities and expanded access to information, municipal work has been facilitated in particular through access to the website for the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities (MOIM) www.moim.gov.lb created by the Center. User names and passwords were created to enable each municipality to submit and update the required Municipal Information Form online. The MOIM website contains information useful to municipalities including all municipal transaction forms, laws and decrees governing municipal work, a list of publications developed by the Center for local governments in Lebanon, general historical and tourist information for each municipal area, and answers to frequently asked questions. If the information needed is not found on the website, an inquiry can be automatically sent by a municipal official or staff member to the MOIM from the website with responses published online in order to further standardization in the work of local government institutions.

Municipal websites are being developed as part of a comprehensive strategy to increase the quality of local government services and enhance citizen awareness of municipal work. Documents required for processing, applicable fees, estimated processing times, and other general information can be found on the websites. Applications can be tracked online in Jounieh and Tripoli using a designated user name and password received at the time an application is submitted. Citizens can also send comments or complaints to the appropriate municipality via e-mail, feedback that can then be recorded for follow-up and evaluation purposes.