Urban development, good governance

Urban development, good governance

Joris van Etten and Florian Steinberg, Institute for Housing
and Urban Development Studies, Jakarta Regional Office,
Ihsjro@pacific.net.id

Currently over 6,000 participants from 189 countries are
gathering in Bali to review the implementation of agreements made
ten years ago during the Sustainable Development Conference in
Rio de Janeiro. One of the most important documents agreed upon
at that time was the Local Agenda 21. Local Agenda 21 has evolved
into a dynamic and innovative phenomenon in many countries which
wants to make cities more livable.

The intention of the approach is to escape the deterioration
associated with rapid urbanization of poverty, social exclusion,
environmental degradation and control of climate change, requires
bold new action. Local Agenda 21 is projecting positive action
for the improvement of the quality of life through participatory
urban planning and management and urban demonstration projects.

While municipal development, urban planning and environmental
management have been in the shadow of official concern for a long
time, civil society and NGOs have stimulated a strong Local
Agenda 21 movement, the world over. From isolated environmental
concerns the notion of environmental planning and management has
become broad-based and cross-sectoral in order to secure better
coordination and management. In addition it has been acknowledged
that democratic debate and participatory decision-making are the
key to better urban governance. In some countries Local Agenda 21
and the urban governance process has become a movement that has
started to enroll an ever-growing number of cities.

In addition a large number of other programs and approaches
have been introduced in order for cities to better deal with the
social, economic and environmental challenges that they are
facing. Among others City Consultation Processes, Healthy Cities
program, The Urban Governance Initiative, Cities Development
Strategies and the Urban Management Program provide cities with
various approaches which help cities to work better.

Among the lessons learnt from these approaches are the need to
establish new governance systems that encourage participation
beyond democratic representation and involve local stakeholders
in (all) aspects of decision making and resource allocation; the
need to treat the private sector as partners in development based
on real win-win situations rather than conventional for-profit
and commercial interests which are balanced with broader public
interests within a broader framework for environmental
management, better public services and quality of life.

Other factors include the process of Local Agenda 21
consultations, the value of information sharing as a pre-
requisite for participatory decision making, the strategic value
of (small-scale) demonstration projects, particularly those which
can be funded through local resources right from the beginning.

Most participants of this process are aware of the fact that
introducing change is a longterm process which requires
flexibility in implementation and a systematic approach to
monitoring and back-up support.

Among the prominent lessons learnt, there figures also the
issue of capacity building. This was also confirmed by the
United Nations Conference on Habitat (Habitat II, Istanbul 1996
and 2001), the topic of Capacity Building for Local Governments
assumes a critical dimension if sustainable development and good
governance is to be achieved inadequate human and organizational
capacities and unfavorable institutional environments are seen to
be hindering factors for good urban governance.

What is required is a "two track approach" in addressing
institutional capabilities: Organizational systems and promotion
of professionalism through training of work units and
individuals, in managerial and technical skills.

The Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
has been involved with the development of this Capacity Building
approach in a variety of countries and projects. IHS has been
supporting cities and national governments in the execution of
concrete capacity building programs.

For instance, here in Indonesia -- where some 1.9 million
civil servants need to be introduced to principles and
experiences of good governance in the context of governmental
decentralization -- IHS is presently supporting the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Capacity building is more than a fashion. Capacity building is
a key to better management of cities. At the same time it needs
to be recognized capacity building for sustainable development is
a complex process which demands major efforts over extended
periods of time.

Quick and tangible results are difficult to achieve so
commitment and support of all those involved in the capacity
building process is of key importance in achieving results.