ABSTRACT

It has long been recognized by aid agencies that assistance to construct major capital projects in some countries of the South may be of little long-term benefit if there is a lack of capacity on the part of the recipient to operate and maintain the new infrastructure. This principle applies in particular to urban projects where local governments in many countries may have inadequate capacity to design and implement sustainability programmes. Many aid programmes have been redesigned in recent years to emphasize capacity building, to ensure that there is a long-term ability to maintain programmes that may have been designed as part of an aid project. This book proposes that one of the best ways to promote capacity building in cities is through international municipal collaboration through which local officials can exchange experiences and techniques for dealing with the very practical issues faced by local governments in different countries.