Helping African cities

Abstract
While African urban populations have been expanding rapidly, there has been a general decline in the availability of resources for essential urban services and facilities. Consequently, African cities have turned from a ‘statist’ model of service delivery to the ‘privatization’ of urban services, including effective local participation. To maximize benefits and reduce the potential problems associated with privatization, African urban policy‐makers should attempt to improve two‐way flows of communication, public sector/private sector coordination, and community participation in the financing and managing of local services. This article is extracted from Dr. Stren's (1989) presentation ‘Institutional arrangements’, to two workshops held in Poretta Terme, Italy, March 5–17, 1989, available as the ED1 Policy Seminar Report, No. 21. This was prepared jointly by the World Bank and the Istituto Italo‐Africano, under the title, Strengthening Local Governments in Sub‐Saharan Africa. World Bank EDI, Washington, D.C.

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