Municipal Development Partnership Eastern and Southern Africa

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Municipal Development Partnership Eastern and
Southern Africa

•  (5th Urban and City Management Course for
  Africa, Face to Face and Distance Learning
  version)
• Course module- 5
•  Networking as a Component of Urban Management.
• By Eyob Dolicho (M.A), MoFA 
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Table of contents

• 1. Introduction and background
• Background
• Content of the Paper
• 2. Decentralization and the Concept of Urban Net
  working
• Decentralization and the concept of Urban
  Governance
• The Concept of Urban Net working
• 3. Countries and Institutions Experience on Urban
  Net working
• Institutions Involved in Urban Net working
• The Baltic Sea Countries Urban Networking
• 4. Decentralization and Urban Net Working
  Practice in Ethiopia.
• Background
• Major Common Problems Faced by Municipalities.
• The Intergovernmental and municipal Relations.
• Deepening Decentralization and Urban Net working.
• 5. Conclusive Remarks.

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Chapter one

• Since the last many decades, the world has passed
  through different eras.
• Agricultural era,
• Industrial era
• Service era,
• Communication era and now we are in the
• Information era.
• Decentralization
• Urban Management
• Net working

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• Ideological
• -   Distrust or lack of confidence in central
  government
• -   Belief in value of individual and local
  responsibility and autonomy
• -   Reaction against centralist or Authoritarian
  forms of government
• b)      Political
• -    Autonomy or representation
• -    Democratization ( political Participation)
• -    Central Government or offloading of
  expensive or politically troublesome functions
• c)      Efficient and effective provision of
  public service and Infrastructure
• -    Optimizing hierarchy of service
  delivery
• -     Tailoring services to local needs and
  conditions
• -      Improving infrastructure maintenance.
• -    Increasing competitiveness in service
  provision among government units and
• between government and private sectors.
• -      Make bureaucracies more customer oriented

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Decentralization

• Political Decentralization,
• Administrative decentralization,
• Fiscal Decentralization
• Economic Decentralization.

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The Urban management program

• UMP was launched in 1986 as an initiative of
  UNDP, UN UN-Habitat, the World Bank and several
  bilateral partners(UK, Sweden, Switzerland, the
  Netherlands and Germany).
• It is one of the largest Urban Global technical
  assistance programmes of the UN systems.
• UMP develops and applies urban management
  knowledge in the fields of
• Participatory urban governance,
• alleviation of urban poverty
• urban environmental management and
• Urban infrastructure management
• Municipal Finance Management
• Urban Net-working

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• The program works in 120cities in 57 in Africa,
  the Arab states, Asia, Latin America and the
  Caribbean developing countries
• Net working is a relationship established by
  two individuals or certain groups of people or
  institutions for attaining a certain objective or
  purpose.
• The overall aim of urban networking is to achieve
  synergistic advantages by way of developing
  co-operation and division of labor between cities
  or urban regions.
• The cities or urban agglomerations are seen as
  administrative organizers in a networked system
  of co-operation, whereas the actual actors in
  networking are not just the institutions of the
  local administration, but also firms,
  universities and other educational
  establishments, local government offices, NGOs,
  etc.

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Cont.

• Urban networking is therefore understood as both,
  a way of arranging strategic development within
  the urban region and as away of organizing
  co-operation between urban regions. These view
  points emphasize the (pro)active nature of
  networking.
•  Networking is using your creative talents to
  help others achieve their goals as you cultivate
  a network of people strategically positioned to
  support you in your goals. expecting nothing in
  return!.
• Urban net working is a relation ship established
  by urban practitioners and urban leaders who are
  well concerned for their urban centers to
  exchange experiences and create areas of
  co-operation.

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Basic Principles to be followed in Urban Net
Working

• The top ten Hot ideas or Net working Principles
  are
• Have a plan
• Develop a good self-introduction a) your
  name. b) The name of your business. c)
  Specifically what you do. d) What kind of
  business leads you are looking for.
• Carry lots of business cards  
• Have fun!  
• Pay attention!
• Be the host!
• Ask for what you want!
• Say, "Thank you!"
• Avoid common crutches!
• Follow-up!

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3. Countries Experience On Urban Net Working

• Institutions Involved in Urban Networking
• Many countries have started initiating the urban
  net working
• Such approach is not broadly practiced in many
  developing countries.
• The current worlds globalization trend,
  decentralization of urban governance and service
  delivery, and promoting of urban management
  introducing the urban net working has become very
  important and inevitable both for developing and
  developed countries urban governments.
•  

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Cont.

• The Urban Issues of developing countries some
  international institutions have tried to give
  attentions, specifically for the urban centers of
  the developing countries.
• These training and experience sharing
  institutions have played significant roles in
  creating awareness and political commitment among
  the participants, political leaders and Municipal
  leaders of the respective countries.
• The contributions of IHS of the Netherlands,
  which is 40 years old, has played a very
  significant role in providing medium term, short
  term and long term training programs for housing
  and urban development experts, municipal
  officials and others who are involved in urban
  affairs.

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Cont.

• IHS, which is now jointly operating with Erasmus
  University in the Netherlands, initially it
  started its program with five months short term
  training focusing on housing, planning and
  building.
• Since 1990, the institution has changed its
  approach and has broaden its scope by
  incorporating long term MA and MSC on urban
  Environmental Management, Urban Housing and Urban
  Management.
• The contribution of IHS for the current urban
  development and networking is highly remarkable
  and has impacted much in bringing changes in
  urban centers of developing countries.
• The involvement of IHS in urban and housing
  related research activities has enabled the
  training institution to adopt an integrated
  training approach to integrate theory with
  practice.
•  

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Cont.

• SINA (Settlement Information Network Africa) news
  letter, is another important publication that has
  been playing important role in urban net working
  by creating forums where by the urban
  practitioners exchange their experiences and come
  together for their future further communication.
• The Habitat debate, which is also an
  international and UN publication, is an important
  publication which is of a high quality and holds
  important articles, is delivered free of charge
  for Africans practitioners and who are members.
• Some countries have already started developing
  the net working with their adjacent urban
  centers.
• Initiatives made by the Baltic Sea Countries is a
  good beginning.

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The Baltic Sea Countries Urban Networking

• The overall aim of urban networking is to achieve
  synergistic advantages by way of developing
  co-operation and division of labour between
  cities or urban regions.
• The cities or urban agglomerations are seen as
  administrative organizers in a networked system
  of co-operation, whereas the actual actors in
  networking are not just the institutions of the
  local administration, but also firms,
  universities and other educational
  establishments, local government offices, NGOs,
  etc.
• Urban networking is therefore understood as both,
  a way of arranging strategic development within
  the urban region and as a way of organizing
  co-operation between urban regions.
•  

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Change in the logic of space

• The traditional way of articulating space as
  places, is being complemented by a new dynamic
  which centers on interactions and communication,
  a space of flows.
• This results in two-tiered system with the space
  of flows dominating in economic and public
  spheres, and the space of places still holding
  the upper hand in the sphere of social
  interaction.
• Striking difference is the change in dependence
  from physical distance and hierarchical orders.
• Urban interregional co-operation has profound
  implications to both policy-making and mobilizing
  regional resources. While solid economic base is
  fostering increasing interregional networking

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Cont.

• City networks are increasingly becoming
  instruments and mechanisms of promotion of urban
  centers by exposing them into new, dense areas of
  relationships.
• Networks also break the rigid model of regional
  and state aid to potentially empower new
  constellations, and help to get acknowledgement
  to particular interests in various regional
  spheres.
• Networking in general also identifies the cities
  and the regions as active players in the
  construction of an internationalized space with a
  networking logic instead of a hierarchy.
• The superimposition of the networks adds to the
  emerging territorial organization based on flows
  and defined by actors of the cities.

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Organizing capacity

• The organizing capacity of a city or an urban
  region means "the ability to enlist all actors
  involved, and with their help generate new ideas
  and develop and implement a policy designed to
  respond to fundamental developments and create
  conditions for sustainable development" within an
  urban region
• The most articulated internationalization
  strategies are
• Increasing involvement in international projects
• Improving relations with potential and existing
  partners
• Increasing direct business-to-business and
  individual contacts
• Increasing partnerships in international networks
• Increasing partners' knowledge about the city's
  strengths
• Developing new spheres and new forms of
  co-operation. 

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Cont.

• Cities have pointed out that new
  networking-oriented internationalization is a
  novel experience to the administrators.
• Many people lack the skills
• Many have not acquired the attitude
• Education and awareness-rising are becoming
  increasingly important tools
• In Baltic states the twin city agreements are
  often considered strategies as well as concrete
  actions.
• Many small and medium-sized towns in the Nordic
  countries and Germany seem to have taken on to
  concentrate some of their internationalization
  resources in the direction of their Baltic twins.

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• Networking in the urban administration may be
  seen as a shift in three possible conceptual
  levels.
• The simplest explanation presents networking as a
  new tool for administrative action.
• A way of organizing urban activities,
• A break with the hierarchic nature of
  "traditional" urban governance within the
  administration.
• Orientation towards networking activities means
  creating and participating in cooperation which
  is from the start structured according to
  networking principles.

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Cont.

• Active networking seems to help in counteracting
  and complementing increased competition between
  cities globally and regionally.
• Competition is an unavoidable counterpart of
  cooperation.
• Competition brings about proactive measures, so
  it may and regularly does - also boost
  networking.
• Networking serves the smooth balancing between
  the two.
• The cities who are best net workers are on many
  occasions also in competition with each others,
  but at the same time emphasize the co-operative
  nature of their mutual relations.
• The system of networking cities is forming its
  own typologies.

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4. Decentralization and Urban Networking
Practice in Ethiopia

• Back Ground
• Ethiopia is a predominantly agrarian country.
• About (16?) of its population lives in urban
  areas (more than 900 urban areas.
• 302 of these have municipal status.
• The urbanization level of Ethiopia is low
  compared to the urbanization level of developing
  countries, which is 30.
• Out of the total urban population 33 is below
  poverty level .
• infrastructure and service level, rural-urban
  interactions and exchanges are low.
• the overall productivity is low.
• Most of the urban settlements are administrative
  or Market centers, which provide services to
  their surroundings agricultural communities.

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• Both the country and the urban centers are under
  many challenges. Currently the country is facing
  
• Rapid urban growth (6).
• Population in small and medium centers will
  double in ten years time.
• Low level of education and Health Services.
• In adequate solid waste and collection and
  disposal.
• Inadequate access to safe water and toilet
  facilities.
• Serious shortage of housing which has resulted
  overcrowding
• The increasingly growing unemployment, juvenile
  delinquency, crime and violence, homelessness
• The previous centralized governance system had
  placed problems that are not easily reparable.
•  

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The Inter Governmental and Municipal Relations.

• In the time of Haileselasie all powers were
  concentrated in the hands of the Emperor.
• The decree No.1/1942 and proclamation 74/1945
  were drafted in such a way to place
  municipalities under the direct control of the
  central government.
• Municipalities didnt have legal personality
  (except AA)
• The emperor appointed the town officer who was
  the leader of council and the chief executive.
• The council functions under the direct control
  and command of the Ministry of Interior and the
  Governor general.
• Municipalities were not authorized to borrow.
• didnt have any say over urban planning.

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• Since 1991, central governance system was
  replaced by decentralized governance system.
• The new constitution of federal system has put an
  end to the age old arrangement ,
• To day the constitution rests on the fundamental
  principle of self government by the people.
• In order to change the bad images of
  municipalities and to improve their inefficiency
  and ineffectiveness in all types of service
  delivery, now Ethiopia has adopted a new
  constitution, which is profoundly progressive.
• Self-rule has become the bed-rock of the
  political philosophy of the federal as well as
  the regional governments.

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Deepening Decentralization and Urban net working

• In Ethiopia, although decentralization is a new
  phenomena, government has established Ministry of
  Capacity Building (MCB) for deepening
  decentralization.
• In particular to deepen decentralization process
  in urban center, UDCBO which operates in
  collaboration with MCB and the World Bank is
  established under MoFA.

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• To insure the deepening of decentralization,
  technical assistances are rendered for regional
  states. This involves the following major points,
  such as
• Review current policy, laws, institutional,
  regulatory framework
• Complete a process of developing policies and
  legislation
• Develop regulations make ULGA legislation
  effective eg. Political/administrative structure
  functions, institutional roles
  responsibilities, financial regulations,
  personnel regulations
• Facilitate workshops, study tours and seminars
• Carry out analytic/ diagnostic studies
• Develop regional policies critical for DD
• Facilitate a process of review and
  decision-making, plus Regional training.

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• To be eligible for receiving technical assistance
  deepening decentralization certain preconditions
  are set by UDCBO of MoFA. Some of these are
• Agree to implement federal framework
• Demonstrate commitment
• Insure qualified and experienced urban local
  government administration (ULGA) staff
• Appoint a regional bureau head
• Sign RELG DD Participation agreement. (Ibid)

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The Need for Net Working

• In the past few decades because of the low
  attentions given for urban development, leave
  alone the urban net working even the urban
  centers had no a say on their own affairs. In
  actual sense practical interventions are in
  support of urban activities is a matter of two to
  three years.
• In these short period of time highly remarkable
  measures have been taken to improve the
  functioning of urban administration. The idea of
  cities co-operation and the need for net working
  is also part of the measures. In this regard the
  role played by UDCBO is remarkable.
•  

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• UDCBO is building the capacity of urban centers
  and the sector,
• Through the forums that are organized by MFA-
  UDCBO, urban centers get opportunities for
  establishing the urban net working systems.
• Such national workshops and conferences have
  created opportunities for exchange of address for
  further communications and sharing of
  experiences.
• Regional governments have also organized and
  launched different kinds regional workshops and
  conferences for experience sharing and to get
  inputs for what they have planned.
• These national and workshops and conferences have
  given opportunities for creation of urban net
  working systems.
• In the coming few years time the urban net
  working will be materialized.
• The needs are adequately created.
• The current decentralization has placed ground
  for such co-operation both technically,
  financially and administratively.
•  

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5. Conclusive Remarks

• The need for net working is increasingly growing.
  
• Decentralization is also another factor that is
  influencing urban governments to look for net
  working.
• Developed countries particularly the USA, west
  European countries and others have already
  advanced the approach.
• Baltic sea countries have established a strong
  net working forum.
• The current information technology advancement
  and globalization
• Developing countries are required to get aware of
  the net working as part of their Urban management
  program.

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Cont.

• The organizing capacity of a city or an urban
  region means "the ability to enlist all actors
  involved, and with their help generate new ideas
  and develop and implement a policy designed to
  respond to fundamental developments and create
  conditions for sustainable development"
• The urban governments of developing countries
  have already established fertile grounds that
  enables to organize and create urban net working
  systems.
• Ethiopia is one of those countries, which is
  thinking and prepared to establish the urban net
  working.
• The establishment of legal and institutional
  frame work for urban administrations also has
  given a good ground for the majority of urban
  governments.

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Cont.

• The strong political willingness and governments
  commitment to bring changes in the urban centers
  is another good opportunity to establish and
  realize the urban net working.
• The good leadership of the MFA and the existence
  of UDCBO will facilitate the implementation of
  the concept.
• Therefore, it is hoped that with in a shorter
  period of time the Urban Centers are expected to
  establish urban net working system and
  incorporate as part of urban management program.

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