The Inter-American Development Bank today announced the approval of a $7 million loan to Peru to strengthen Congress and improve its responsiveness to the needs of civil society.
The resources will enable Congress to acquire the technical, administrative and information tools to improve its ability to design and draft legislation, enhance the technical and conceptual content of its activities and facilitate interaction and exchange of information with average citizens.
An overall objective is to strengthen Peru’s democratic institutions, promoting overall government technical efficiency and deepening the channels of representation for ordinary citizens.
A comprehensive Parliamentary Advisory and Information Services System will be established, which will include the existing parliamentary library and the Parliamentary Research System – two institutions that will be strengthened by the program.
New rules and procedures will be adopted to modernize and streamline the legislative and oversight processes of Congress*, and new technologies will be applied to administrative management and automated procedures.
A citizen participation plan will be drafted and carried out to encourage flows of information between Congress and ordinary citizens and civil society, developing a parliamentary system that is more responsive to the needs to all Peruvians.
The project is consistent with the Bank’s strategy of supporting modernization of the state and the strengthening of democracy, two objectives that also are expected to result in an improved overall investment climate. The IDB has financed similar projects in about 12 other Latin American countries.
The loan is for a 20-year term, with a five-year grace period, at the variable annual interest, now 5.80 percent. Local counterpart funds total $3 million.