The role of international consultants in developing countries : Lessons from Tehran (Iran)

In the debate on the issues of urban transport planning, their relevance to rapidly urbanizing cities is often questioned. The involvement of international consultants in the planning process over the years has also not been without criticism. This paper presents the results of a retrospective look at the development of transportation planning and policy making process in the city of Tehran (Iran) between 1960 and 1990. It covers the period of development of indigenous institutions and professional expertise when heavy reliance was placed on international advisers and during the period when the indigenous professionals gained dominance in the planning and policy making fields. It is concluded that failure in implementation rather than incorrect diagnosis is a more critical reason for lack of success of transport policies. Subsequently, efforts directed at improving the capability of institutions involved in the implementation process are those most relevant to the developing cities. It is also concluded that international development aid is useful when accompanied by technical assistance to supplement funding of hardware or infrastructure projects.