Evaluation of the Local Agenda 21 Partnership
Aachen/Germany - Cape Town/South Africa
by Martin Streicher-Porte, Diploma Thesis, Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich

Local Agenda 21 and international co-operation, - a contradiction in itself? The mandate, given by the Agenda21 Commission of Sustainable Development, allows local authorities and civil societies of specific regions to begin a consultative process towards furthering sustainable development, and recognises them as the key actors in such a process. The past five years has witnessed the continual engagement of citizens, officials, political parties and organisations towards building the Aachen-Cape Town Local Agenda 21 partnership, with the intention of promoting Local Agenda 21.
This thesis investigates the strengthens and weaknesses of the partnership, and draws conclusions from the ensuing results.

Methods:
Various components contributed to the method framework of this thesis. Interviews were held with the main actors of the LAP, research of the LAP documentation was undertaken and a computer-supported analysis of the key variables was performed. The results of this process were gathered in each city, standardised, and condensed into a single set of research results. All three methods were dependent upon a previously established set of criteria, acting as parameters against which the different methods could be controlled. Experts on Local Agenda 21 processes and international partnerships were asked to produce relevant criteria for the evaluation of a Local Agenda 21 international partnership. The main bodies of the LAP amended and supplemented the list, after which a final set of criteria was added, gained from relevant literary sources.

Results:
Both cities show, within the LAP bodies, an exceptional level of organisation. Long established relations upon all levels have been achieved. The Memorandum of Understanding is a particularly effective means through which official connections are maintained and ensured. Direct contacts between individuals, and between partnered LAP projects, strengthen partnership ties. The roots of the partnership may be found in civil society, which still exercises a profound influence upon LAP related matters. The partnership is also embedded in the administative and political structures of the two cities (the latter being particularly the case in Aachen). This three-fold presence within society provides a broad foundation, allowing a more efficient management of long-distance relations and partnership conflicts. The participation of various funding agencies provides the LAP with essential resources. The support of student and official exchange programmes results in an increase of LAP related exchanges. The sponsoring of external LAP monitoring provides the partnership with a professional documentation of LAP activities, this is especially the case in Cape Town. English, as the communicative language, poses few problems for the partnership. There is, however, a considerable lack of relevant translated documents. The growing network between non-governmental organisations and various administrative departments should be utilised to the upmost by both cities.
The sharing of Local Agenda 21 techniques and the implementation of joint partnership projects (two goals set down in the Memorandum of Understanding) have, as yet, been poorly achieved. This exercises a negative influence upon the partnership, in that the low number of LAP projects and infrequency of joint project implementation limits the LAP bodies in their knowledge of LA21 implementation techniques. The exposure of the LAP to a wider public and more varied set of technical tools (such as a joint internet platform; or English information brochures) could help the LAP to receive the degree of recognition it aspires to.
Not only has the Cape Town Local Agenda 21 benefited considerably from the presence of the partnershaft, numerous organisations and institutions in each of the two cities have profited and learned their from their exposure to the LAP. Although extremely individual in nature, reflecting the unique characteristics of its participants and location, the partnership may be seen to contain numerous elements essential to the establishment of an international Local Agenda Partnership:

• Equal contributions of partners
• Multi- institutional and -disciplinary advisory bodies
• Efficient co-ordination
• Appropriate communication structures
• Regular visits and exchanges
• Political commitment and participation in the LAP
• Monitoring of LAP activities
• Key projects

Recommendations:
A growth of the LAP would require a similar expansion within the co-ordination and advisory bodies. A careful balance and distribution of volunteer and professional input would also have to be achieved. A second co-ordinator in Cape Town is urgently needed.
Communication between partners is in need of an organisational and technical upgrade. International communication between corresponding projects should be increased and noted by the co-ordinating bodies. The excessive amount of international correspondence currently dealt with by the co-ordinating bodies, could be somewhat alleviated by a commonly shared LAP internet address.
An increase in short- and long-term LAP project related exchanges would be desirable. The abundance of knowledge concerning the needs of organisations, projects and institutions should make it easy to establish a project related exchange policy. Technical and organisational know-how of universities and technical colleges should also be tapped towards this end. The involvement of the funding and development agency InWEnt would be essential for the setting up and establishment of such a process.
The monitoring in both cities should be maintained and developed. A systematic structure of the exchange of best practices also needs to be established. This would involve the editing, translation and compiling of LAP experiences, as well as the further development of the partnership’s marketing and communication strategies.