Vol. 12, No. 10 December 1988 ISSN 0163-6510 Inside: The Urban Edge is published 10 times a year in English, Spanish , and French by the World Bank. It is concerned with practical approaches to urban prob- War reconstruction workshops convene 2 lems in developing countries. Views and interpreta- 3 tions contained in the newsletter are those of its Sri Lanka attempts to rebuild editors and contributors and should not be attributed Iran debates the reconstruction options 4 to the World Bank. Address correspondance to the World Bank, Room S-10-021 , Washington, D.C . 20433. Projects, conferences, training, resources 7,8 Telephone (202) 473-3948. Writer/editor: Barbara Koeppel. Wars' Aftermath Requires Quick Solutions hen the International Bank for In response, the United States created geria, which had just emerged from a W Reconstruction and Develop- ment was conceived at Bretton Woods the Marshall Plan to assist the financ- ing of European recovery. protracted civil war. Since then, the IBRD has made 60 in 1944, its mandate was straightfor- Thus, the IBRD turned to its other emergency loans, the bulk after natur- ward-indeed, embodied in its name. mandate, and in 1949, the Bank an- al disasters. First, it would provide the capital so nounced that "the reconstruction But as wars or civil strife contin- urgently needed to assist a war-tom phase of its activities were largely over ued-33 nations have been affected urope recover once the fighting end- and the development phase was under since the Algerian War, which ended ed. Afterwards, it would tum to eco- way." in 1960-the Bank also approved 10 nomic development around the globe. Directing its resources towards de- loans to reconstruct the physical en- As Edward Mason and Robert Ash- velopment, the Bank focused on large vironment and rebuild the shattered er note in their book, The World Bank infrastructure projects for the next economies. After wars or civil disturb- Since Bretton Woods, the second task two decades. ances in the 1980s, the Bank ap- was tabled in the short run because, In 1970, the World Bank once again proved emergency loans for Mozam- "as things worked out, the war-de- turned its sights to emergency recon- bique, Ghana, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, vastated countries needed funds not struction, approving three loans to Ni- Uganda, and, most recently, Sri Lan- merely for the reconstruction of capi- tal facilities, but what was more im- portant, for the restocking of invento- ries, for the import of foodstuffs, raw materials, and fuel and for other pur- poses that fall outside the purview of project financing." Responding to the call, the World Bank approved its first four loans in 1947 to finance badly needed imports: $250 million to France, $145 million to the Netherlands, $40 million to Den- mark, and $12 million to Luxem- bourg. But by 1949, according to the au- thors, "it was clear that the medium- term job of financing postwar recon- struction was beyond the capabilities of the organization," as it could not borrow the enormous funds needed. 2 the Urban Edge December 1988 ka. Following the pattern set four de- phase, which the Bank is not involved ters," adds that in either case, donor cades earlier, the majority financed a in, and then a recovery and recon- agencies must first assess what has range of urgent imports needed to struction phase, where the Bank can been destroyed, establish priorities get the economies moving again, but play an important role." and an overall strategy, and then de- some also funded the rebuilding of He notes that certain problems are termine the best way to restore the damaged infrastructure. common to both situations. For exam- country's lifelines (its water supply, According to John Blaxall, a World ple, information is scarce: in the case communications, and transportation Bank official who recently wrote a of natural disasters, there is obviously systems), basic social infrastructure report on Bank lending for emergen- no lead time in which to assemble (health, housing, and education), as cies, the conditions surrounding loans data. After wars, the institutions that well as production systems. after natural disasters are similar to collect and disseminate information Important differences between the those following wars. "The key point are in disarray. two types of disasters exist, and these is that in both situations, something Alcira Kreimer, an expert in disas- affect reconstruction efforts. "The must be done fast, which is why we ter mitigation, prevention, and recov- first," Ms. Kreimer notes, "involves process these loans on an accelerated ery at the World Bank, and author of the time dimension and its effect on a schedule. "Guidelines for Bank Participation in "You have an immediate relief Reconstruction Projects after Disas- (continued on page 6) Researchers Study the Issues analyze the problems of post- Towar reconstruction, researchers pie and communities at the local level. • Reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure must parallel the re- author observes that "the assumed need for urgency" often results in "a met at the Institute of Advanced Ar- suspension of popular participation." chitectural Studies, York University, building of social and community ser- But this, in turn, may provoke co U.K., in May 1988, for a two-day vices. flict. conference. Thirteen papers were pre- A few findings from two of the pa- Weighing the merits of centralized sented that dealt with various aspects pers presented are excerpted, below. or decentralized approaches, he notes of the issue. In a paper "Some Comparisons Af- that reconstruction is "highly popu- Some general conclusions were: ter Wars and Natural Disasters," Ian lar" with those involved in decision- • Wars are not comparable. World Davis, an architect and chair of the making (architects, urban designers, War II is a useful basis for study, Disaster Management Center at Ox- planners, and traffic engineers), who but was a quite different phenome- ford Polytechnic, U.K., lists five com- see the process as a "once-in-a-life- non from the current prolonged wars mon dilemmas in planning reconstruc- time opportunity to fulfill their past and terrorist attacks, such as in Leba- tion. dreams" of how cities should be struc- non, Angola, and Northern Ireland These include whether (1) cities tured. (where reconstruction takes place should be conserved and replicated or But, Mr. Davis warns that where amidst intermittant fighting). Thus, reshaped; (2) the emphasis should be decisions are centralized and regional methods of reconstruction must be on top-down professional input or traditions or variables ignored, results adapted to the new conditions, re- popular participation; (3) decision- are often questionable. building must occur while the strug- making should be . decentralized; (4) Conversely, local control of the gles continue, and the techniques the emphasis should be on physical planning will "improve public ac- adopted must conform to situations works or on economic, social, cultural, countability and strengthen local ca- where resources are scarce, rather and administrative recovery. pabilities." He adds that popular par- than where there is "a bounty of inter- The first issue, whether to replicate ticipation is vital, since it is unrealistic national aid after war." or change the urban environment, is to expect people "to fit in with prede- • Assistance is more readily avail- critical and, according to the author, it termined plans." able from the international and na- is important to find a balance between When defining priorities, Mr. Davis tional communities after natural dis- the two. He stresses that sensitive ar- cautions against a preoccupation with asters than after wars, which do not chitects can retain aspects of the envi- physical reconstruction. Rather, • end so abruptly. ronment, in order to preserve what is stresses that other issues, such as er • Reconstruction activ1ties are important to communities. ating credit systems for low-income more effective when they involve peo- With regard to the next point, the (continued on page 6) December 1988 the Urban Edge 3 Sri Lanka, Nicaragua Bank Lending for Urban Reconstruction ost of the World Bank's war re- and need new equipment to resume. out and a fifth of its 42,000 residents M construction loans are not spe- cifically urban, but one approved this The loan will provide $2 million to purchase different sorts of vehicles were killed, results were impressive. Flood drains and street lights were year to Sri Lanka has a large urban (tippers, front-end loaders, trash installed; municipal offices, a market component. Another, for Nicaragua trucks, and light vans) and 400 hand and firehouse, and kilometers of sew- in 1979, was to rebuild seven cities carts. ers, streets, and sidewalks were built; destroyed by bombings. Telecommunications were shat- and fire engines, ambulances, garbage After four years of intense civil tered, and under a $28 million com- trucks, and construction equipment strife, the government of Sri Lanka ponent, basic telephone service will be were purchased. and military groups signed a peace restored to Jaffna and Trincomalee, Where Bank funds fell short of accord in July 1987. Damage in the which are now totally without it. costs, money was raised locally. Vol- north and east of the country was At present, staff have been recruited unteers held dances, collecting enough severe, and the cities of Jafna and to begin work on infrastructure. Nev- to finish the firehouse dormitory and Trincomalee suffered enormous des- ertheless, only preliminary steps have hall, which is also used for community truction. Over 500,000 people lost been taken to begin reconstruction. meetings and social events. To raise their homes, most of which were in the The problem, according to Patrick resources in order to lay more streets urban areas. McCarthy, a financial analyst, and and sidewalks, the city contracted out After the fighting ended, the gov- Chandra Godavitarne, a municipal its construction equipment to build ernment invited the World Bank to engineer, both with the World Bank roads for private companies. assess the damage and coordinate and team that returned from a mission to In Masaya, a new market was mobilize aid from the international Sri Lanka in late October, is that the planned for 300 stalls, but as 878 aid community. effort cannot get under way until the venders applied for space, it was en- Following the mission in November political problems are resolved. And larged to 16,000 square meters. Be- 1987, the Bank arranged a meeting of these are so knotty that few will say sides the items included in the proj- a special aid group in Paris. As a when solutions might be found . ect, the local reconstruction board fi- result, donors pledged $500 million Some of the equipment for the cit- nanced others, like a day care center for reconstruction. ies, such as trash collection vehicles, for 250 children alongside the market, The Bank's pledge, a $78 million has been purchased. But they are since many of the venders were wom- IDA credit, will focus , among other being stored in Colombo, since the en who brought their young children aspects, on rebuilding the cities. The government fears they would be des- with them. six most heavily damaged will receive troyed if released to the areas where As in Esteli, funds that flowed into $8 million to rehabilitate roads, drain- unrest continues. Masaya were critical, providing 655 age, water supply, street lighting, pow- In Nicaragua, after the Sandinistas construction jobs and creating eco- er distribution systems, markets, and defeated General Anastasio Somoza nomic activity. civic buildings. in July 1979, large sections of urban In most of the cities, new bus termi- Planners will review the location of areas lay in ruins and unemployment, nals were built next to the markets, to infrastructure to determine if it should concentrated mostly in the cities, was offer easy access to peasants coming be moved. But residential areas will estimated at 60 percent. to town to buy and sell produce. remain in the same locales. In November, Bank staff identified For local residents who helped with A total of $3.5 million will be used a reconstruction project to rebuild the the general construction, municipal to reconstruct infrastructure in 11 most devastated cities and provide taxes were reduced. According to a other municipalities, as well as to re- jobs. By December, work was under Bank report, these sweat equity pro- air buildings and replace equipment. way. grams produced 25 percent more pav- Municipal services, such as trash In Esteli, for example, where one ing than had been planned for the collection, were halted during the war square mile in the center was wiped same cost. l!m 4 the Urban Edge December 1988 Iran: At the Threshold of Reconstruction he eight-year war between Iran of Urban Planning at Rutgers, has T and Iraq ended this year in late July, when the two countries agreed visited Iran several times in recent HA. Before plans can be developed, authorities want to know how many years, and lectured at the Ministry of people will return, so population pro- to a cease fire. In Iran, according to Plan and Budget last summer. He has jections are being developed. Hooshang Amirahmadi, director of written articles on war reconstruction Second, they are studying what the Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers in Iran and is the author of The Politi- various cities' functions should be, University in New Jersey, direct eco- cal Economy of Iran under the Islamic and not just assuming they will adopt nomic costs of the war are estimated Republic, which will be published by their previous roles. at $200 billion and indirect economic Routledge in 1989. His comments on Third, they have decided to take a costs at $400 billion. the debate and issues are as follows: regional view of development; in plan- Six cities were completely leveled ning the reconstruction, cities will be and another 14 sustained 30 to 80 Q. Where cities were leveled, will they seen as integral parts of regions, and percent destruction: Khoramshahr, be rebuilt or relocated? regions will be seen in relation to each for example, a city of 300,000 is now HA. The government has decided to other. As part of this strategy, rur- a ghost town. Out of a population of rebuild on the same spot. Generally, al settlements and agriculture will 52 million, 2.5 million have been dis- they don't have alternatives, since precede reconstruction in the cities. placed and are now living either in there is no other place to put them. The hope is that this course will pre- refugee shelters, makeshift shacks, or Besides, people prefer to return to vent migration to the cities as they are vacant buildings and government of- what is familiar. And since they will be being rebuilt. fices . involved in the reconstruction, along Next, cities won't necessarily be re- Reconstruction needs are stagger- with the government, their concerns built as they were. In the past, the,.._ ing. At the same time as the country must be met. were no parks, but lots of market-.r~ must rebuild its houses, schools, hos- Q. Who will cover the costs of rebuild- narrow streets, and mixed land use-- pitals, shops, and infrastructure, life ing houses that were damaged or des- with housing and commerce all to- must be pumped into its industries, gether. Now, the plan is to create mod- troyed? which sustained enormous damages HA. As they did during the war, the ern cities, with industry separate from (for example, 60 percent oflran's port government will provide materials or housing. And this will affect the capacity was destroyed); and produc- pay for the loss, directly. But a lot transport system, since people will no tion, which took second place to the depends on income levels, and more longer be able to walk to work. war effort, must be boosted. help will be given where it is most Q. How will the reconstruction of the At present, there is sharp debate needed. Thus, if you own two houses, cities relate to the government's priori- within branches of government and you will get less. The same applies ' ty of economic growth? political factions about which aspects to other properties. For example, a HA. The plan is to reconstruct the of reconstruction should have top Mercedes is considered a luxury item, productive sector first, then infra- priority, since resources are miniscule and if it was damaged, you would only structure, housing, and services for compared to needs. be partially reimbursed. On the other those who will work in the factories- The country is fortunate, as it can hand, the full cost of trucks will be which is different than before the draw on oil revenues- which, until paid, as these are considered basic cease fire, when the government put now, have enabled it to avoid accumu- needs. 44 percent of its resources into hous- lating any significant foreign debt. But During the eight years, some cities ing. This means that the return of the oil earnings-which account for over were rebuilt through a "patronage" displaced population has to be grad- 90 percent of Iran's foreign ex- system, where others that were not ual and planned in stages, according change-will drop to between $10-$12 destroyed paid for the costs and sent to the government's ability to rebuild. billion a year, as oil prices have plum- technicians to do the reconstruction. Otherwise, there will be no housing or meted to $12 a barrel. Thus, they Moreover, people around the country jobs for those who want to return. will cover only a fraction of the vast contributed billions of rials (the Iran- amount of foreign exchange required Q. Will the plans incorporate top-do ian currency) to help. to fuel the reconstruction. or bottom-up approaches? Dr. Amirahmadi, who is also an Q. What are the important issues vis- HA. In general, the Iranian system is assistant professor in the Department a-vis reconstructing the urban areas? centralized, though less so since the December 1988 the Urban Edge 5 revolution. Now, the concept of de- industries it needs to produce the ma- centralization is gaining ground, along terials for reconstruction, as they fear with the notion that the reconstruc- increased dependency on international tion must bring people into the pro- markets. They say the people will not cess through committees and grass mind waiting a bit longer. roots organizations. Still, major re- Both sides, however, give priority to construction projects will be highly the infrastructure and industries dam- centralized. aged in the war. Q. Has a reconstruction plan been de- Q. Which course seems likely? veloped? HA. It's still up in the air, but they HA. Not yet, but four basic issues are probably heading for a mixture in have been identified. These are re- which the private sector will play a building the military, energizing the major role, with the government in- economy, promoting the well being of volved both as investor and supervi- the poor, and reconstructing damaged sor. What seems certain is that they areas. will not invite direct foreign invest- Q. Which of these has top priority? ment. Rather, they will use foreign HA. At the moment, they are leaning revenues in buy-back schemes. For ex- towards getting the economy growing ample, if Japan is asked to build a again, which also means generating plant, the idea is to buy it back IO 4 to 5 million jobs and controlling years later. Also, the country prefers prices. It's also certain that the gov- to obtain loans from internation- ernment will adopt a planned ap- al agencies, rather than commer- roach to reconstruction, rather than cial banks. leaving it to the market. Developing the economy leads to Q. Besides a shortage of foreign ex- the issue of industrial inputs and change, what are some of the other whether to produce or import them. major obstacles to reconstruction? And this last matter, which involves HA. First, there is the shortage of foreign exchange, opens up another skilled carpenters and mechanics. whole debate. Iranian industries de- Training is under way, but it's not pend on international markets for 65 The question then is whether to re- anywhere close to what is needed. percent of such inputs. Thus, only a construct society through an open- There's also a great need for people few could be generated locally, regard- door strategy, with the domestic pri- who can build complex institutions less of how emphatic the government vate sector and foreign investment, or such as basic industries and infrastruc- is about using domestic resources. follow a strategy of self-reliance with ture, and this is where they will turn to extensive state involvement, or do a foreign expertise. Skilled administra- Q. How does foreign exchange enter mixture of both. tors are also in short supply, but the the debate? Until now, Iran has basically used government won't use foreign na- HA. Foreign exchange, which is need- internal resources. But open-door ad- tionals. It may, instead, try to get help ed for imports, is very scarce. vocates argue that self-reliance won't from Iranians who now live in exile in Q. Don't oil revenues help? work for reconstruction, because the the West. HA. Yes, but the military must almost country has to move quickly and the Again, timing becomes important. be rebuilt from scratch, and spare needs are so great. They insist people If reconstruction goes more slowly, parts and equipment will cost about have sacrificed and don't want to wait skills can be developed internally-as $3 billion in foreign exchange a year, much longer to see their lives improve. happened in the oil industry-so they since only a small amount is produced They argue that unless the economic won't have to rely so much on outside domestically. Food imports, which pie is enlarged by rapid growth, there help. were always high, account for $4.5 will be little to share with low-income Before the reconstruction can be billion. If you add another $1 billion groups-and about 65 percent of Ir- launched, they must solve the problem for scholarships, embassies, and mis- anians live beneath the poverty line. of the lack of appropriate institutions sions, this leaves $2-3 billion for the Others argue the pace can be slower, or the existence of too many, with reconstruction. that the country must invest in the overlapping functions. !ml 6 the Urban Edge December 1988 SOLUTIONS (from page 2) in which the fighting continues, people familiar with our procedures, nor are migrate or are forced to leave their we with theirs." cities; this displacement affects the In addition, timing affects the ca- availablity of skills. In the same vein, pacity to assess damage-the basis on country's institutions. Because natural Ms. Kreimer explains that the con- which reconstruction can be planned. disasters have a sudden impact, the struction sector, which is critical to "With a disaster like an earthquake, institutions may be weakened by a reconstruction once the war ends, may once it is over, specialists can go in large number of demands but still be be badly weakened, since it tends not almost immediately and begin to do relatively intact. Thus reconstruction to be very active during the war. Thus, something about it. efforts can be undertaken using ex- a great deal of training is needed for "With a war, however, there is the isting institutions and helping them the rebuilding effort. period of fighting when you can't do function more effectively. The time element also affects the anything. Then a time of winding "However, after prolonged wars, working relationship between a coun- down, when the World Bank and there is greater disruption to the entire try's planners and decisionmakers and other donors try to determine how society, and institutions are apt to be the staff from donor agencies such as they can help in the recovery effort functioning poorly. Many of the staff the World Bank. According to Mr. afterwards. What occurs during this may have changed, and probably no Blaxall, "Wars end in places where the period is a sort of remote assessment training has occurred during the time Bank has not been active, and the before peace takes hold." He empha- of conflict. So along with physical re- network of contacts and institutions is sizes the "remote" aspect, because an construction, you have to deal with not in place. So loans are generally in-depth appraisal is not realistic at the rebuilding of various agencies." harder to prepare and implement, this moment, as agencies won't send Another problem unique to the af- since we know less about what is going staff into areas where they would be termath of war is that over the years on, and agencies in the country are not under fire. !ml ISSUES (from page 2) populations and argue that it must be They conclude that: considered in reconstruction policies. • the shorter the period refugees They note, for example, that displaced are in emergency settlements, the families, developing institutions, lead- persons insist on returning to their more they will be able to recover ership, the local builing industry, and homes, even ignoring official warnings from their ordeal; sometimes, tempo- land-use controls, should also be tack- that this may not be safe; but that rary sett:ement on original sites cre- led. returning to the familiar can help ates less disruptions than emergency He argues that most attempts to them overcome stress. camps. relocate entire communities have not The authors also caution that the • the design and materials used in succeeded, although efforts to move greater the number of post-disaster new housing should be of a sort that portions of communities may work. temporary moves, "the less chance the families can repair and maintain people have to recuperate and over- and should be as similar to the origi- * * * come the problems induced by the nal as possible, so that people do not In a paper, "War as a Disaster," by disaster." choose to abandon or remake them. ma Akbar Zargar, an architect at the In- stitute of Advanced Architectural Second Workshop on Reconstruction After War Studies, University of York, in the With the recent ceasefire in the Gulf war and negotiations under way in countries U.K., the author notes that during such as Afghanistan, Angola, and Mozambique, appropriate policies must be devel- prolonged wars, besides the destruc- oped for physical, economic, and social reconstruction. tion to cities caused by direct attack, A second workshop at the Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies (IoAAS) there is another casualty: "If settle- planned for May 1989 will bring together specialists involved in reconstruction ments are abandoned and there is no activities. The organizers hope to build a body of experience that can provide a set maintenance, buildings deteriorate of of successful approaches and minimize mistakes. their own accord." Workshop items include: And, in a companion paper, written • the role and relationship of the state and people during reconstruction; • appropriate policies for reconstruction during and after wars; with Bahman Najarian, at the Psy- • disruption and reconstruction of institutions. chology Department, University of Papers are welcome, and details can be obtained from Charles Cockburn, IoAAS, York, the authors emphasize the sig- York University, The King's Manor, York YOI 2EP, U.K. nificance of trauma among displaced December 1988 the Urban Edge 7 assistance and training. In the infras- prises to finance equipment and work- tructural improvement and other ing capital and (2) building materials PROJECT NOTES components of the project, the most credits to individuals or groups of labor-intensive methods of implemen- families to rehabilitate housing or to Mozambique: urban rehabilitation. The tation possible will be employed in build core units or pit latrines. government of Mozambique has em- order to generate jobs for unskilled barked on a broad-ranging project workers. with the dual goals of rehabilitating A second area of concern for the CONFERENCES urban infrastructure and housing and project is housing. Urban growth and creating jobs to compensate for unem- deterioration of the existing housing The International Road Federation ployment resulting from structural ad- stock have combined to create a woe- will hold its 1I th annual meeting in justment. fully inadequate supply of shelter for Seoul, Korea, Apr. 16-21, 1989. The Project activities will center in the the urban population, especially the conference theme is "Issues and Chal- capital city of Maputo and the port poor. The government has not had the lenges in the World of Roads," and of Beira, two urban areas that have funds to maintain the rental housing presentatations will cover issues such grown rapidly in recent years; Moz- nationalized in 1975, and the exodus as financing 21st century road sys- ambique's annual urban growth rate of trained personnel at that time left tems, costs and benefits of modern over the past I 5 years was an unusual- the country with a severe lack of road administration, and improved ly high 7 percent. The two cities also skilled workers, both in the areas of materials and equipment innovations. serve as "trade transit" points that municipal management and, in the Further information can be ob- have traditionally brought foreign ex- private sector, in construction and the tained from: International Road Fed~ change into the country. Neighboring production of building materials. eration, 525 School Street, SW, Wash- Zimbabwe, for example, relies heavily To tackle the maintenance problem, ington, DC 20024, U.S.A.; or, Or- on trade through the "Beira corridor," the government raised rents substan- ganizing Committee, 11th IRF World unning from Beira, on the Mozam- tially in I 988. Although this measure Meeting, c/o Korea Highway Corpor- ~ ique Channel, to the border with will improve housing conditions in the ation, 293-1 Kumto-dong, Songnam- Zimbabwe. long run, some families are unable to si, Kyonggi-do, CPO Box 5147, Seoul, The deterioration of infrastructure pay the higher rents. Korea. due to prolonged warfare and lack of Thus the new project must ap- resources, however, has reduced the proach the housing issue from several TRAINING ability of both cities to function effec- angles at once. Project funds will be tively. Sewers are blocked, electricity used to complete four large mixed is only available about six months out Development Administration Group of 12, and between 45 and 65 percent commercial and residential buildings (DAG), Institute of Local Government already begun in Maputo and Beira of water produced is lost due to leak- Studies, University of Birmingham, age and other problems. Thus, about and to rehabilitate several housing P.O. Box 363, Birmingham Bl5 2TT, one-third of the funds committed to complexes in both cities that require U.K. urgent repairs. A certain percent of the $83.8 million dollar project will be The DAG will sponsor a three- devoted to improving infrastructure in residential and office space in the new month course on "Local Government buildings will be reserved for rentals in the two cities. Finance" beginning Feb. 16, 1989. The foreign currency. These funds, in turn, The project will focus on enabling course is designed for senior adminis- Maputo and Beira to resume their role will be used to cross-subsidize core trators and finance staff from local as earners of foreign exchange. Key housing on sites and services plots that or central governments in developing will be made available to households primary roads will be resurfaced and countries. that either cannot pay the higher rents maintained, or, if necessary, recon- If nominated by their governments, charged for rehabilitated apartments structed. Emergency repairs to the wa- applicants may be eligible for tuition or must be relocated in order to com- ter supply and sewerage networks will scholarships from the British Council, plete the new buildings. be undertaken, leak detection and ex- the EEC, or other bilateral or multila- tension of key water mains will begin, Another important part of the new teral sources. and storm drains will be built at criti- project, which will receive an IDA ·al spots. Both cities will also benefit credit of $60 million and is also being International Program for Port rrom an upgrading of solid waste col- supported by bilateral assistance Planning and Management, University lection capabilities, including new ve- agencies, will be its efforts to provide of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA hicles and equipment and technical (1) credit to small and micro-enter- 70148, U.S.A. 8 the Urban Edge December 1988 An intensive two-week training ses- prepare, in order to assure that the which policies work and which do not sion focusing on all facets of port final product would be well re- underlies the entire volume. The edi- operations, planning, and manage- searched, as it was to be included in a tors remark at the outset: "Any critical ment will be held in New Orleans Apr. book on the topic. The volume was evaluation of policies adopted specifi- 3-14, 1989, sponsored by the Ameri- published this year, covering a wide cally for the purpose of influencing can Association of Port Authorities range of issues affecting urban de- urbanization is likely to conclude that and several local organizations. The velopment in Pacific Asia, including policies are weaker instruments than course is intended to assist upper-level countries with free- and controlled- the powerful effects of underlying ecL - managers of ports and port authori- market economies. Many of the analy- nomic trends and government policies ties in developing and developed coun- ses are also pertinent to other regions adopted with other ends in view. To tries to make important decisions. of the developing world. assume that these 'explicit' urban-or- Some financial assistance is avail- Among the issues raised are the fa- iented policies by themselves will nec- able through the U.S. Agency for miliar questions of urban growth (can essarily have very much effect is to International Development. Applica- it be controlled and should it be con- indulge in self-delusion." tions for the course should be submit- trolled?); the effect of macroeconomic ted by Feb. 17, 1989. policies on urbanization (do policy- makers understand and take into con- Publications Received sideration their impact?); and which RESOURCES urban management strategies have Small-Scale Manufacture of Stabil- been successful under what condi- ized Soil Blocks, UNIDO/ILO Tech- Urbanization and Urban Policies in Pa- tions? nical Memorandum No. 8, UNIDO cific Asia, R.J. Fuchs, G.W. Jones, and The 14 studies included in the book Newsletter-Industrial Information E.M. Pernia~ eds., Westview Special also raise some relatively new issues. Section, P.O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Studies on East Asia, Westview Press, One chapter, for example, suggests Austria, 1988. 5500 Central Ave., Boulder, CO that urbanization is powerfully affect- A technical . explanation of t 80301, U.S.A., 1988, $32.50. ed by the extent to which a national means by which blocks made wit In early 1985, two major research economy is integrated into global po- locally available soil can be converted organizations sponsored a conference litical and economic networks. If this into an inexpensive, durable building on "Population Growth, Urbaniza- is so, how can governments make, their material suitable for low-cost housing. tion, and Urban Policies in the Asia- spatial policies effective? The study also explores the types of Pacific Region" in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although not all the chapters of the policy changes required to encourage Those presenting papers had a year to book are prescriptive, the question of the use of soil blocks. r 1 Th~u;=~~eiTtie7o;~~~~~~~;;=~.;:~~~:;;:)-----------------~~~- I 701 W. 40th Street, Suite 275 Baltimore, MD 21211, U.S.A. Please enter a subscription to the Urban Edge. ft] _. Q __ r ': II 1 Enclosed is my check for $ - - - - Charge to my D VISA D MasterCard Number 11 I I I Expiration Date Signature: D I'm eligible to receive a complimentary subscription to the Urban Edge according to the conditions listed at right. The Urban Edge is a publication of the World Bank. 11 appears 10 times a year. Rates are $28 a year In Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, I and the United States. Checks should be made I Name: payable to The Johns Hopkins University Press. I Urban Edge subscriptions are free to Interested 1 Occupation: Organization: readers In developing countries. 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