The potentials and limitations of partnerships for sustainable cities

This paper discusses the experience with partnerships between municipal authorities and NGOs, community organizations and the private sector, drawing on case studies from Leicester, Pune, Buenos Aires, Nakuru, Benin City and Surabaya. It identifies the factors that help partnerships to succeed. The case studies include some successes, as partnerships allowed more to be done because each partner contributed resources and as synergies between sectors were exploited. Some partnerships also provided low income groups with more influence on government or private enterprise programmes. The case studies highlight how successful partnerships need "good government" as the institutional and political framework within which privatization and municipal/NGO/community organization partnerships can work best. Successful partnerships usually imply that the stronger partners pass some decision making powers to the others. Successful partnerships also need access to resources.