Beneficiary and Key Stakeholders

	The Beneficiary of the Project is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Directorate for EU Affairs (DEUA).The Directorate has the overall coordination role for Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU and functions as National IPA Coordinator for EU pre-accession assistance to Turkey. DEUA has been established in accordance with Presidential Decree No.4 published at Official Letter No.30479 on July 15, 2018. For more information: www.ab.gov.tr
	As one of the three key stakeholders of the Project, the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) is one of the primary institutions implementing and supporting town twinning projects in Turkey. UMT has acquired a vast experience in town twinning projects via directly implementing relevant projects or supporting the respective initiatives of its members. In order to support its member municipalities in town twinning activities and to strengthen their capacities also in the EU accession process, UMT continues to deliver trainings on relevant topics. Some of the projects implemented by the UMT have included town twinning components: The Turkish Swedish Municipal Partnerships Network Project (TUSENET), Turkish-Swedish Partnership for Local Governance (TUSELOG), and Local Governments East (LOGO-EAST) Turkey Programme. UMT have organized international conferences to bring local authorities from EU and Turkey together so that these municipalities will develop partnerships. For more information: www.tbb.gov.tr
	As another key stakeholder of the Project, the Union of Provinces (UP), it functions at the national level as the formal representative of the Special Provincial Administrations (SPAs) currently operational in 51 provinces (all provinces in Turkey other than the 30 provinces where Metropolitan Municipalities exist). One of the main EU-related objectives of UP is to support its member local authorities (SPAs) to benefit from EU grants and contribute to the development of their institutional capacities through trainings, technical assistance and twinning programmes. For more information: www.vilayetler.gov.tr
	As the third key stakeholder of the Project, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) is the principal central authority with regard to the local authorities in general, exercising the administrative tutelage of the central administration over all local authorities pursuant to its specific duties and responsibilities in relation to the regulation of general administration of the provinces and districts and local authorities, and their relations with the central administration. For more information: www.mia.gov.tr
	Another key stakeholder of the Project, General Directorate for Local Authorities, was established within Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation with Presidential Decree No. 1 on Organisation of the Presidency published in Official Gazette No. 30474, dated 10.07.2018. The General Directorate is responsible for performing, following, completing and developing tasks and services assigned to it by legislation concerning works and actions of local authorities; ensuring that investments and services of local authorities are developed in accordance with development plans and annual programmes; conducting research in order to develop local authorities; collecting assess and publish statistical data. For further information: www.yerelyonetimler.csb.gov.tr

Management and Coordination Structure

The Directorate for European Union Affairs (DEUA) is responsible for the technical implementation and management of the Project.

As the Contracting Authority, the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU) is the implementing agency and is responsible for all procedural aspects of the tendering process, contracting, administration, overall project supervision, review and final approval of the reports, financial management including payments of the project activities.

The Delegation of the European Union to Turkey (EUD) will play an advisory role and will also attend to the Steering Committee meetings as observer.

Stakeholders will work in close cooperation with the Beneficiary to ensure the complete and timely implementation of all activities and preparation of all technical, financial and administrative deliverables.

The overall management, coordination and implementation of the project and its timely execution will be ensured and facilitated by the Technical Assistance Team (TAT).