Pacific Choice: A Tale of Two CDs: Capacity Development and Community Development in the Waste, Water, and Sanitation Sector in Kiribati

Abstract

"A 1993 Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)–funded study reported that water and sanitation problems in South Tarawa, Kiribati had become critical and needed to be addressed in “as comprehensive a manner as possible.” This led to a series of interventions including several Asian Development Bank (ADB)–sponsored projects which focused on the community participation component that the Government of Kiribati had come to recognize as key to sustainability. The case study highlights the second of these projects—a positive example of country-led networking and coalition building that demonstrates the potential for harnessing capacity of multiple actors with shared interests. This subseries is published by the ADB to provide the governments of its Pacific developing member countries (PDMCs) with analyses and insights on key issues and lessons learned with respect to capacity development. Cases studied highlight a range of experiences throughout the region by sector, theme, and source of external support, revealing approaches to capacity development that work best and the conditions that have been conducive to their success. They also explore the unique challenges faced by PDMCs in addressing capacity constraints as well as some opportunities facing governments and the people in the Pacific islands. Among other things, the case studies underline the importance of PDMC leadership, engagement of local partners, strategic attention to long-term capacity issues, and effective use of external resources. We hope that the findings in these reports will help guide future capacity building efforts in the Pacific."