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6.2Challenges & Constraints for Strategy and Management

Within a relatively short time-span, the programme has also has absorbed some complex external consultancies whilst seeking to progress programme activities.

6.3Effectiveness and Sustainability

Whilst LUPP has been successful in its coordination of messages and activities, and has been able to undertake some unification of approaches, the lack of a single programme monitoring system and rigorous analysis of project monitoring has reduced the evidence available to articulate an integrated strategy for urban poverty reduction and to influence the sustainability or replication of models.

7Overall impact

The purpose indicators are:

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  Government policies are pro-poor and urban poverty reduction is prioritized
  
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  Impacts of government practices are equitable and inclusive
  
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  Increased allocation of resources to priority areas for poor people.
  
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  Replication of best practice methods and approaches to address urban poverty by GoA, civil society, administration and other key stakeholders.
  
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  Civil Society strengthened and empowered for collective action & to engage with Government around urban poverty issues
  
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  Increased use of participatory mechanisms for dialogue and action between state and citizens
  

Key challenges remaining for LUPP are to provide rigorous evidence-based analysis to inform strategic and comprehensive approaches to urban poverty.

8conclusions

The success of a deliberate influencing strategy has been based on the development and operation of credible models of service delivery in key areas of the livelihoods of the urban poor. The LUPP approaches to service delivery have also been based on empowering urban poor communities to access and manage urban basic services and to facilitate the spaces within which communities can support each other and demand accountability from public authorities. In this, networking and the development of forums within municipal administrations have been pioneering and influential. Empowerment of the poor has also included economic empowerment and the building of human and productive capital assets.

Despite the significant amount of influence and replication of model approaches, key elements of some interventions are not yet sustainable – either technically or financially. Key aspects of poverty focus and community management are not assured in replicated service delivery (e.g. community management and cost recovery of water) and some support networks (savings groups and RASME) are unlikely to survive without continuing support.

Key messages concerning pro-poor urban development have not been resolved within government or amongst donors (e.g. the contribution of urban poor communities to economic development, or the nature of community participation in local governance). LUPP has not yet had a defining influence on these strategic issues, and there is a risk that the pro-poor focus within these debates may be compromised.

There would be significant benefit if LUPP could articulate its strategic approach to urban poverty based on an assessment of the performance of its programme. Angola is at a momentous stage of its development in the run-up to national elections and with local elections planned for soon after. For the first time in recent history, the government of Angola is both able and willing to turn its attention to the development of its people, and there is a window of opportunity to influence the course of urban development and municipal governance.

In the light of this assessment, the following recommendations are made. A lasting contribution to Angolan urban poverty reduction can be made if LUPP can:

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  Complete a poverty impact assessment of current service delivery models
  
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  Based on experience, articulate more clearly the LUPP urban poverty reduction programme strategy
  
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  Identify gaps in the current programme strategy
  
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  Assess & define financial/institutional sustainability of current interventions
  
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  Define options to assure sustainability of existing interventions and to influence future pro-poor urban development.