The potential of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the pursuit of sustainable development goal 11 in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The international community has recognised cities as important drivers of development and poverty reduction by including SDG 11 in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Even though the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) do not have any legal force, SDG 11 seeks to make cities and human settlements across the world "inclusive", "safe", "resilient" and "sustainable" by 2030. While cognisant of the interdependence of these qualifiers, this article focusses on the issue of "sustainability" in the light of the view that a city cannot be said to be sustainable unless it is inclusive, safe and resilient. Cities on the path to a sustainable future are expected in terms of SDG 11 to invest in public infrastructure to provide services to local communities in a sustainable manner. Due to limited fiscal space, urban local authorities in Zimbabwe, as elsewhere, would have to harness private sector participation in infrastructure investment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to transition to a sustainable future. This article interrogates the extent to which the constitutional, legislative and policy frameworks in Zimbabwe enable urban local authorities to adopt and implement PPPs in order to achieve their mandate and by extension to realise local sustainability as envisaged in terms of SDG 11. The analysis reveals varied results about the potential of PPPs to contribute towards local sustainability in Zimbabwe. It is further argued that the legal framework underpinning PPPs has some generic features that could enhance their relevance and potential in the pursuit of sustainable cities in Zimbabwe.