The Municipality of Rousse’s strong tradition of strategic planning for public services and development has been challenged by the transition of recent years. The economic revitalization that Duluth underwent in the early 1980s had many parallels to the transition occurring in Rousse and made Duluth a good choice as a partner. In addition, both are port cities and take an active, hands-on approach to government in all aspects of society.
The central goal of the Rousse/Duluth partnership was to unify the community’s efforts to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions within the municipality of Rousse and the region. Practitioners from both cities considered several urban development strategies that, based upon their experiences, would meet the following development objectives: strong economy, clean environment, social consciousness, and citizen participation.
After considering several options, the partners identified the creation of a Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) as the best means to achieve the goals of the partnership. The mission of the CSD stresses sustainable development—both social and economic. To best provide service to the community, the CSD was conceived as an independent, nongovernmental organization that would use an interdisciplinary approach toward problem analysis and overall planning.
During the visit of experts from Duluth to Rousse, technical collaboration focused on developing a pilot project for the CSD. This project included the introduction of innovative planning systems, improvements in integrated provision of environmentally friendly infrastructure, establishment of sustainable energy and transport systems, and improvements in human resource development. As a result of the partnership, this pilot project integrated economic, environmental, and human considerations for the health of the community.
After USAID’s sponsorship of direct collaboration between Duluth and Rousse ended in June 1998, Rousse’s municipal council considered the CSD proposal and approved municipal support for initial development activities. The municipality formed a steering committee to oversee the CSD’s formation and invited community stakeholders to join in a dialogue on the development of the CSD and Rousse’s sustainable development strategies. The CSD is a great tool to help Rousse achieve its goal of improving conditions for its citizens and to restore the city’s tradition of successful development processes.