In its fifth and final year the program has achieved several significant successes and reached its key planned results, and some very positive developments in the cooperation with the local government structures. The improved cooperation between DW and the Ministries of Urbanism and MAT (Administration and Territory) has opened up new levels of engagement between the Government of Angola (GoA) and DW and partner CSOs, leading to positive actions to improve living conditions in the musseques of Luanda. This a major result as we now have direct access to ministers and national directors to advocate, together with the citizens of Luanda, to influence the plans, budgets and activities. DW and its Partner Organizations are considered as serious (technical) partners in planning and executing urban improvements. We are invited and present in meetings on the highest level, and DW together with our partner base has unprecedented access to the decisions makers and service providers.
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ANNEXES
GD Final Report 5 Annexes
Abbreviations Used
Timeline and Milestones Year 5
Executive Summary
In the fifth year of the program:
• Significant progress has been made through the project to ensure that Municipal Forums are held regularly and annual plans and budgetary consultations include civil society and incorporate their recommendations. The forums are a force taken serious by the governmental structures and a good step towards the CACS reinforcement.
• DW organized an International Workshop with Cities Alliance, the Ministries of Urbanism and Administration and Territory.
• As we wrote in the last three annual reports: The government continues to reaffirm its intentions to move toward the creation of a new level of Municipal Governance (at least in Luanda) by restructuring administrative divisions of the city, arguing that this will facilitate elected “autarquias”. The delay in fully implementing the decentralization program is continuing to hamper the scope for this project to fully achieve Objective 2: to promote the use of community monitored poverty indicators as a tool for the preparation of annual municipal plans and budgets. However the decision to give Luanda’s municipalities enhanced budgeting powers is finally implemented in 2015. The ruling party received the majority of the votes in the last elections, but a significant support for opposition parties was seen in the urban areas. The delay in announcing municipal elections, especially in the urbanized areas, is the perceived result of this. And as administrators continue to be appointed, they tend to report to higher levels of government rather that answer down to their constituents. The level of independence that municipal administrations presently have (especially with respect to the management of funds and control over formulation of major municipal development plans) is not expected to change until after these local elections are held. But from 2015 several municipalities are now independent financial units, with their own budgets and funds available. The government is taking active steps to move toward the system of ‘autarquias’
• DW has continued to grow its online presence using social media (on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube) and the DW website. Any and all activities get shared as widely as possible on the website and via social media. As the coverage, especially in the urban area, of smart phones and internet access continues to grow, and the costs of going online decrease, this continues to be our key strategy to reach the most people.
• The online Municipal Atlases and Municipal Forums created by the current project are now all up and running, using the social media-linked platforms where the general public can find data on core poverty indicators. The online portals created serve as public debating spaces for the voices of the urban citizens and the voices of the local administrations to dialogue. Urban civil society has become again more articulate and effective in making their voices heard, through these municipal forums, community and social media channels and demands for more accountability on how public investments are developed and spent.
• DW continues to be part of many networks and gives technical assistance to the Ministry or Urbanism, MAT, the training institute IFAL, and the different CACS and Urban Forums.
• The MOGECA book is a manual on Community Water Management, developed by DW, which is now the Angolan National Policy on sustainable water management. DW continues to work closely with the government and the support of all DW donors to implement the MOGECA method not only in Luanda but in municipalities across the country.
• DW WATSAN team continues to support EPAL and the water and sanitation committees at 244 public stand posts. Some significant improvements to water coverage have resulted from the project’s partnership with the Luanda Water Company EPAL and the National Water & Sanitation Directorate (DNA) in urban bairros.
• The preliminary results of the Census will be made available late 2015 (they keep being delayed). After promises of October 2014, we are still waiting. But more and more data is posted on the Census website.
• Luanda continues to develop at a rapid rate. New roads are build, new requalification housing projects are reaching completion, new schools, new hospitals, new shopping centres, street signs, traffic lights, improved water and electricity delivery. However, as a result of the serious economic crisis, following the global economic crisis, and burdened with the recent drop in oil prices, the speed is slowing down. Some government and commercial projects have been frozen, pending funds availability.