Conflict & Collaboration for Water in Angola’s Post-War Cities

This chapter in Post-Conflict Natural Resource Water Management begins by outlining the structure of water services in Angola after more than forty years of conflict and then, focusing on Luanda in particular, discusses the importance of the informal water market, the main water provider for most of the urban poor. Based on the knowledge gathered by the Development Workshop, the chapter examines Luanda’s peri-urban water value chain and uses value chain analysis to assess Luanda’s water economy. Several factors affecting success in promoting post-conflict access to water are highlighted, including the need for cooperation with informal water service providers, addressing unresolved issues with those providers, and the importance of social capital in the informal water sector. The chapter examines key elements of community-based water management, particularly robust and low-cost technology, sustainability strategies, and water committees and associations, and concludes with recommendations for national post-war strategies.