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SustainabilityAlfred Wilson

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What is Sustainability? The continuation of benefits after major assistance from

a donor has been completed. Key points to note; Focus is on sustaining the flow of benefits into the future

rather than sustainable projects. Projects by definition are not sustainable they are a

defined investment with a start and finish date.

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The Main Issues; Country Strategies; sustainability of benefits needs to be

individually assessed. Projects and the sector approach; maintenance of

benefits after project completed, sector approach provides home government funding to the particular sector i.e. Fire Service.

Donor coordination; donors should promote the same agenda.

Mechanisms that promote donor coordination will assist in sustainability.

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Key Factors; Partner Governments can have a significant impact on

the sustainability of project benefits. Policy Environment, should be implemented within wider

policy environment , policy framework should be supportive of project objectives.

Projects that fit with Partner Government Policies have much better prospects for sustainability having institutional support both during and into the future.

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Donor Policies;

Planning Horizon, 3 to five years, open ended commitments not appropriate, phased implementation supportive.

Design process should include the partners. Team Selection both donor and partner skills used. Monitoring and reporting should include the movement

toward sustainable outcomes. Operation and maintenance costs should include local

capacity to meet the costs.

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Participation; Critical factor is the role of the stakeholders, those

directly concerned with the project; Partner Government , implementing agency and those who stand to benefit.

Stakeholders both men and women should actively participate in influencing duration.

Donor led and top down projects generally fail to bring sustainable benefits because they do not lead to stakeholder ownership and commitment.

Ensure that ideas for projects are demand led, clearly define who/which groups are expected to participate.

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Management and Organisation; Projects which integrate with and build on local

management structures have a better chance of sustainability.

Expatriate assistance in projects have a great influence on project sustainability.

Project design must be phased and allow for some flexibility in implementation.

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Finance; In some countries financial sustainability is unlikely in

the medium term. Recipient contributions in cash or kind (personnel) are a

sign of commitment. User pays, people are willing to pay for a good service,

this should be encouraged to sustain the service once the project has finished.

Private sector involvement is of great benefit.

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Awareness and Training; Appropriate Training for identified target groups is a key

strategy for achieving sustainable benefits. Effective Training should educate and also motivate. Training should always support new technology to

support sustainability. One off funded training activities will prove inadequate.

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Social Gender and Culture; The delivery of sustainable benefits can fail because of

a lack of attention to social, gender and cultural issues. If the benefits are to affect behavioural change, then

longer term planning horizons will be needed. In some areas a greater participation by women is key

to long term sustainability. Cross cultural awareness is required if we are to deliver

sustainable solutions.

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Political and Economic Factors; Political Stability, projects do not operate in isolation

from the world around them, sustainability is more difficult to achieve in an unstable political environment.

Level of development, this will influence the prospects of sustainability, avoid complicated, over ambitious and expensive interventions.

Economic shock and natural disasters, these will frustrate any sustainable strategy, where possible a contingency strategy should be in place.

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Sustainability Activity Cycle; Sustainability Analysis; the identification and analysis of

the key factors that are likely to impact either positively or negatively, on the likelihood of delivering sustainable benefits.

Sustainable Strategy; the sustainable analysis will lead to a sustainable strategy, this will define the benefits to be sustained.

Sustainability Risk; sustainability is related to risk because many of the risks to achieving the objectives are also risks to achieving sustainable benefits.

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Sustainability Tools; Sustainability Analysis at Identification/Preparation Risk Analysis. Strategy Matrix. Strategy for Asset Maintenance. Contracts. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Phase Out Strategies.

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Better This;

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Than This;

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References & Acknowledgements; IDHA Code of Practice. Promoting Practical Sustainability (Aus/Aid). Idealism and Realism in Humanitarian Action (Hugo

Slim). Sustainability (SESHAA 2008) Sustainability for Good Measures (2002).

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Thank you

Any Questions?