Profession: Urban Economist, Industrial Engineer, Consultant
Personal data: Born March 16, 1950; married, two daughters; German
Education: Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany; Diploma in industrial engineering; 1968 – 1976. IREP (Institut de Recherche Economique et de Planification), Université des Sciences Sociales, Grenoble, France; Diploma in international economics; 1973 ‑ 1974.
Key qualifications: Urban economy and development planning, Housing policy and finance, Community participation and settlement upgrading, Conflict management and violence prevention, Construction and building material industry, Organisational development and process moderation
Other skills: Computer literacy, moderation techniques
Countries worked: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Germany, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya, Namibia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, South Africa, Trinidad, Uruguay
Languages: German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
Since 1988 Germany
Managing Director, Chief Economist and Institutional Development Advisor of SUM Consult GmbH, Wiesbaden General management of the company, including client contacts, direction of quotation and tender preparations, negotiations and supervision of consulting contracts and strategic development of the company concept. Additionally orientation and supervision of consulting services offered in the areas of urban management and financial policy, institutional and human resources development as well as monitoring and evaluation of projects. Short term assignments as expert, moderator and teamer.
since 1996 South Africa
Evaluation and planning
adviser of the Rural Housing Loan Fund (RHLF)
German financial cooperation
with the Department of Housing (DoH) and the National Housing Finance
Corporation (NHFC) for the implementation and management of RHLF.
Cooperation funds of DM 50 millions have been allocated to be channelled
through retail lenders to poor families in rural areas and small towns
for improving their housing situation. Responsibilities are evaluation
and planning of the project, assessment of human resources and capital
development needs as well as backstopping from the SUM head office. (on
behalf of KfW, until 2003: 5 wm)
since 2000 Colombia
Evaluation and planning
adviser to the project “SUR con Bogotá”
The project aims at the
improvement of living conditions of approx. 20.000 families in the
southern periphery of Bogotá as well as at the reduction of violence in
the respective neighbourhoods. Total project cost is US$ 36 million of
which approx. 13% will be co-financed by German financial cooperation.
The investments are concentrated in the areas of infrastructure and
community facilities. Consulting services to update project concept and
investment plans, as well as for violence prevention, organisational
development and management support, monitoring and evaluation and other
support services to facilitate the development of a sustainable and
replicable upgrading model which over time can potentially be extended
over the majority of informal settlements in and around Bogotá. (on
behalf of KfW, until 2003: 3 wm)
2003
Expert for institutional
development
Ethiopia
Technical cooperation
project for Low Cost Housing in Addis Ababa. Consultant in the process
of role definition of the different stakeholders and in the development
of the concept. Coordination of contributions of different GTZ projects
concerning urban development, analysis of existing solutions of low-cost
housing and transfer of responsibilities to local institutions (on
behalf of GTZ, 0,5 wm)
2002 / 2003
Urban management expert
Egypt
Technical cooperation
project “Promotion of local initiatives for participatory community
development”. Instructor of a training workshop and planning expert,
programme design consultant of the Policy Advisory Unit, Ministry of
Planning (on behalf of GTZ, 0,5 wm)
2000 – 2002 South Africa
Violence prevention expert
to the “Peace and Development Project” (PDP) The PDP is implementing an
innovative crime reduction and violence prevention strategy in two
former townships of Cape Town and Pretoria. Through conflict management
services like regular unarmed foot patrols of teams of 4 to 7 young
community members, the PDP has significantly reduced crime and violence
in the two areas. Preparation of the technical cooperation project,
progress evaluation and concept advice on sustainability and
replicability issues. (on behalf of GTZ, 2 wm)
2002 Egypt
Consultant in concept
development and design of the Manshiet Nasser urban upgrading project Director of the
prefeasibility study for an integrated participatory urban upgrading
project in Manshiet Nasser, an informal settlement of Cairo, with
financial cooperation of 8,7 million Euro and components of technical
cooperation, leading a team of local experts from EQI (on behalf of KfW,
2 wm)
2002
Local government and
municipal development expert
Honduras
Team Leader of a
prefeasibility study for municipal development fund. Evaluation of local
investment projects, management capacities and financial necessities of
municipalities, development of concept for establishing a loan fund (on
behalf of KfW, 1 wm)
2001 South Africa
Violence prevention and
settlement upgrading expert in a project identification mission Pre-feasibility study in
order to identify the location of a possible Financial Corporation
project of settlement upgrading with a strong focus on violence
prevention in Cape Town, East London and Port Elizabeth. Preparation of
a proposal to implement the project as part of the Cape Flats Renewal
Strategy in Khayelitsha, a large former township of Cape Town. (on
behalf of KfW, 1 wm)
2001
Housing expert of a project
progress evaluation mission
Ethiopia
Progress evaluation of a
technical cooperation project with the Ministry of Works and Urban
Development in the area of low-cost housing. Recommendations of
adjustments for project continuation with a focus on sustainability and
replicability. (on behalf of GTZ, 0.5 wm)
1999
Management consultant in a
market development project
Ghana
Assistance in the
development of an operations and maintenance system for the market and
lorry park of Atebubu, in cooperation with local consultants. (on behalf
of GTZ, 0.5 wm)
1994 – 2001 Namibia
Consultant to the Low-Cost
Housing Programme, phase II, in several provincial towns Low-Cost Housing Programme
with three sub-projects: the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), and two
municipal single quarters upgrading projects, in Swakopmund and Walvis
Bay. Approximately 1750 housing solutions were realised, both new and
upgraded units, plus, infrastructure and community facilities. In Swakopmund, a sustainable process of settlement upgrading was initiated.
Total project cost has been DM 20 million, of which 55% were financed by
German cooperation funds. Responsibilities: mission leader of the
feasibility study in three Namibian towns, analysis of the housing
market and the institutional framework, development of the project
concept, moderator of workshops with the institutions involved, costs
and financial aspects. During implementation, 1996-2001: 3 follow-up
missions and moderation of workshops, backstopping from home office. (on
behalf of KfW, 4.5 wm)
1998 Colombia
Consultant in the
feasibility study for the project “SUR con Bogotá” Preparation of a financial
cooperation project between the District Authority of Bogotá and the
Governments of Colombia and Germany in the area of settlement upgrading.
The overall goal is to develop sustainable and replicable approaches to
improve the living conditions of informal settlements. Consulting
services were related to the development of the project concept, urban
development policy and planning advice, development needs and potential
analysis of informal settlements, institutional capacity analysis and
facilitation of participatory planning workshops, urban management
methods and budgeting. (on behalf of KfW, 1 wm)
1997 – 1998 Supraregional
Member of the International
Expert Group responsible for the preparation of the Urban 21 Conference
in Berlin, July 2000 The conference was a
follow-up of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro 1992 and the UN Habitat
II Conference in Istanbul 1996. As study coordinator and team leader
responsible for the evaluation of policy documents and projects related
to informal sector and informal settlements, identification of best
practices for improving the quality of urban life and preparation of
policy recommendations to bridge the widening gap between formal and
informal urban life. (on behalf of the German Ministry of Construction,
2 wm)
1997 – 1998 Ecuador
Consultant to
CAVIP (Centro de Asesoramiento para la Vivienda Popular)
Technical cooperation
project between the National Housing Bank BEV and GTZ with the target to
to implement self-help housing assistance centres in sub-urban areas of
various cities. Responsibilities: progress review and periodical
evaluation. (on behalf of GTZ, 2 wm)
1988 – 1998 Africa
Chief consultant and advisor
of the project “Participatory approaches in African shelter and urban
development”
(various countries)
Development of project
concept and methodology; organisation and documentation of workshops in
Germany and Ghana; evaluation of project experiences; preparation,
coordination and editing of working papers; participating in the
following results: Working papers „The policy
and management of squatter upgrading“ and „Community participation in
urban projects in Anglophone Africa“ (co-author Report on experiences with
urban projects in Africa Guidelines for working
papers „Urban management instruments for neighbourhood projects in
Africa“ Squatter settlement studies
in Kenya, Zambia and Ghana Guidelines on the „Operation
and maintenance of public toilets“ (co-author) Revision and quality control
of guidelines on community land use control, community clean-up campaign
and community development fund. (on behalf of GTZ, 13 wm)
1990 – 1997
Consultant and technical
advisor to the CREDIMAT project
Uruguay
German financial cooperation
with the Ministry of Housing (MVOTMA) to establish CREDIMAT, a
country-wide building material loan programme. A special coordination
unit was set up which prepares and monitors loan agreements with banking
co-operatives, municipalities, public institutions, NGOs, private
companies and building material dealers. The target was to give more
than 16.000 loans to owner-occupiers and self-builders for improving
their housing situation, with total cooperation funds of DM
15,0 million. Responsibilities: project identification mission in 1990;
director and team leader of feasibility study in 1991; revision of
programme proposal in 1992; 1995-97 moderation of yearly evaluation and
planning workshops and general backstopping. (on behalf of KfW, 5 wm)
1992 – 1997 Colombia
Mission leader in
feasibility-studies for the first and second programme phase of PRIMED Financial co-operation
programme of the Colombian Government, the Municipality of Medellín and
KfW. Main components: community development, improvement of
infrastructure (roads and footpaths, water and sewerage, stabilisation
of slopes and flood prevention, schools and community centres), home
improvement and resettlement, regularisation of tenure. In phase I (1993
-1998, costs of US$ 30 million with share of German cooperation of 30%)
the living conditions of 11.000 households were improved; in phase II
(1998 - 2003, costs of US$ 35 million with share of German cooperation
of 12%) 13.500 households will benefit from upgrading. Responsibilities:
co-ordination of the local and international experts team for the
development of the project concept. (on behalf of KfW, 5 wm)
1992 – 1996
Consultant to the Oshatotwa
Housing Programme
Namibia
Oshatotwa was the first
large-scale low-income housing programme in Namibia after independence,
with NHE (National Housing Enterprise) and KfW financial support; the
components include settlement upgrading, a core-house project, a loan
guarantee fund and building material loans. In total 1,600 housing
solutions were provided at a cost of DM 16.7 million of which DM 9.6
million financed by KfW. Responsibilities: advise on housing policy and
institutional development, development of project concept, moderation of
planning and evaluation workshops, elaboration of administrative and
monitoring procedures. (on behalf of KfW, 6 wm)
1995 –1996 Eritrea
Consultant to the Ministry
of Local Government and the national Housing Bank -Feasibility study and
project preparation mission for analysing the problems of housing and
infrastructure development and identifying a financial cooperation
programme. Responsibilities: institutional adviser and coordinating
consultant. (on behalf of KfW with SUM-Empirica Consultants, 2 wm)
1996
Consultant to the Ministry
of Urban Development and Housing
Senegal
Regularisation of tenure and
settlement upgrading in Pikine/Dakar. Responsibilities: preparation of
terms of reference for a financial cooperation project. (on behalf of
KfW, 0.4 wm)
1993 – 1995
Consultant to the technical
cooperation project PAISAJOVEN
Colombia
A project with the
Municipality of Medellín, the private sector, NGOs, universities and the
Church to promote preventive action for young people threatened by
violence. Responsibilities: in 1993 head of evaluation mission
coordinating 15 professionals; general concept, institutional framework
and financial aspects; in 1994 two monitoring missions, with progress
evaluation, operational planning and specific support to by-laws and
organisational development; in 1995 conducting evaluation and training
cycle on self-managed youth centres and moderator of various workshops.
(on behalf of GTZ, 4.0 wm)
1993 Ecuador
Evaluation expert for a
technical cooperation project with the Municipality of Babahoyo Evaluation mission leader
for the design of the next project phase with focus on the establishment
of a municipal waterworks. (on behalf of GTZ, 0.8 wm)
1989 – 1993
Consultant to the integrated
Urban Renewal Programme
El Salvador
A project implemented by the
Municipality of San Salvador. Responsibilities: in 1989 short term
adviser to the settlement upgrading component; in 1992 leader of
evaluation mission, design of a final project phase with emphasis of the
dissemination of the experiences achieved; in 1993 evaluation of five
years of project implementation experience, preparation of two
publications on project experiences and four project pamphlets on
housing loans, house maintenance and by-laws of community organisation.
(on behalf of GTZ, 2.5 wm)
1987 – 1992
Adviser to the IDM Municipal
Development Programme
Paraguay
Development and housing project for flood affected families at Concepción. Preparation of a revolving fund and a training programme to promote self-help groups; concept, credit scheme and general implementation support for housing project, including regular backstopping and monitoring missions; adviser to the community participation component. (on behalf of GTZ, 7 wm)
1991 Senegal
Evaluation expert to the
SNHLM sites and services project at Kaolack Revision of method and
criteria for selection of target group; progress evaluation. (on behalf
of KfW, 0.6 wm)
1990
Ecuador
Consultant to the
Junta Nacional de la Vivienda
and the
Banco Ecuatoriano de la Vivienda (JNV/BEV)
A project to support
intermediate cities. Evaluation of implementation progress; BEDE (Banco
Ecuatoriano de Desarrollo) municipal development project planning. (on
behalf of GTZ, 0.5 wm)
1990 – 1991
Consultant to CONAVI on
national housing policy
Paraguay
Recommendations for
institutional strengthening and a national low-cost housing programme;
organisation of a planning workshop to formulate a programme of
cooperation with NGOs and municipalities; identification of technical
cooperation possibilities. (on behalf of GTZ, 4 wm)
1987 – 1991
Germany
Member of an
inter-institutional working group on low-cost housing and settlement
development. Participation in workshops
and seminars; preparation of a working paper on management training for
participatory infrastructure projects, a report on training and pilot
projects and a project proposal for evaluating the cooperation between
GOs and NGOs in the housing sector of Chile. (on behalf of GTZ/BMZ, 2
wm)
1990
Evaluation expert to the
Ministry of Housing (MINVU)
Chile
Leader of project evaluation
mission of the low-income housing and technical cooperation with MINVU.
(on behalf of GTZ, 1 wm)
1989 Kenya
Conductor of a training
workshop on manuals for urban development projects Evaluation of existing
manuals, preparation of workshop concept, responsible for documentation.
(on behalf of GTZ, 1 wm)
1989
Leader of a project
identification mission
Ghana
Problems of the building
industry in Ghana and scope for technical cooperation. (on behalf of
GTZ, 1.5 wm)
1988 – 1989
Leader of a project
identification mission
Anglophone Caribbean
Training of women in
construction skills based on an experience of a women’s’ cooperative
implementing construction works in Jamaica. (on behalf of GTZ in
cooperation with UNCHS and CCC, 2 wm)
1988
Consultant to the sector
“Urban Development”
Germany
Draft of the sector policy
paper "Urban development" for BMZ, the German Ministry for Economic
Cooperation. (with GTZ, 1 wm)
1988
Leader of a trainer team
Dominican Republic
Training course on the
planning and management of squatter upgrading projects in Latin America.
(on behalf of DSE, 0.6 wm)
1988 Honduras
Leader of project
identification mission Development of a concept for
squatter settlements and urban development in Tegucigalpa.(on behalf of
GTZ, 0.7 wm)
1985 – 1987 Latin America
Coordinating consultant of
the project "Approaches for housing low-income groups":
(Region)
Concept development, project
planning, implementation adviser, participating in: Sector policy paper
"Housing" for BMZ
BMZ publication "Shelter and self-help", published in German, English, French and Spanish
4 project evaluation reports on housing in Latin America (Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia)
Monograph "Política y gestión del mejoramiento urbano en América Latina", published by GTZ in 1987
Exhibition "Mejoramiento participativo de barrios populares"
2 videos on upgrading projects in Belo Horizonte/Brazil and Babahoyo/Ecuador
2 training videos on revolving funds for house improvement loans and small business credits
Training material set "Planificación y gestión de proyectos de mejoramiento urbano"
International workshop on settlement upgrading in Latin America in Quito
Training courses in Bogotá in cooperation with BCH and Mexico City in cooperation with FONHAPO. (on behalf of GTZ, 24 wm)
1985 Argentina
Consultant to the BHN
self-help construction support programme Development of a technical
cooperation project concept including housing sector and finance
analysis. (on behalf of GTZ, 1.5 wm)
1983 – 1991 Dominican
Republic
Evaluation expert in the
INVU settlement and upgrading project El Caliche, Santo Domingo Evaluation of implementation
progress and follow-up missions. (on behalf of GTZ, 2.1 wm)
1980 – 1984 Germany
/ México
Teaching assistant and
research fellow at the Faculty of Economic Science, University of
Wuppertal Courses and seminars on
development policy and international economics; coordinator of research
project "Building materials and self-help - housing problems of
intermediate sized cities in Mexico", incl. field studies in cooperation
with El Colegio de México, SEDUE, Mexican universities and
municipalities.
1979 – 1980
Mexico
Research fellow at El
Colegio
de México
in Mexico City sponsored with a research grant (DAAD).
Empirical research on the
transfer of technology in the Mexican cement industry.
1976 – 1979
Germany
Research Fellow at the
Institute of Planning and Building in Developing Countries, Faculty of
Architecture, Technical University of Darmstadt (THD) Economist in the research
project "Economic Effects of Housing in Developing Countries", including
field studies in Ghana in cooperation with University of Science and
Technology, Kumasi, and Ecuador in cooperation with ILDIS and CIUDAD,
Quito.
R. Ziss, E. Dick:
The Relevance of the
Informal Sector to Youth Employment and Social Integration, World Bank
and GTZ, Wiesbaden, 2003
http://wbln0018.worldbank.org
R. Ziss, J. Kotowski-Ziss: La
violencia juvenil en América Latina – Diagnostico, políticas e
intervenciones prometedoras, GTZ, Eschborn (forthcoming)
B. Quick, R. Ziss: The Impact of AIDS and Housing in Namibia, in: TRIALOG 69 (2/2001)
R. Ziss, J. Mac Donald: Living and Working Informally in Urban Areas, in: Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (Hrsg.), Urban Future. Preparatory expertises for the World Report on Urban Future. Forschungen, Heft 92, Bonn 1999
R. Ziss et al: Guidelines for establishing and operating a community development fund, Urban Management Programme, Abidjan 1998
R. Ziss et al: Guidelines for community clean-up campaign, Urban Management Programme, Abidjan 1998
R. Ziss: Gewalt in Kolumbien - eine Gesellschaft im Notstand, in: K. Zimmermann et al. (ed.): Kolumbien heute, Vervuert Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1997
C. Voigt-Moritz, R. Ziss (ed.): Urban Management and Community Development in Africa, Vol. I – Conditions and Experiences, Vol. II – Country Studies Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, GTZ – Division 425, Eschborn 1996
R. Ziss et al: Guidelines for operation and management of public toilets, Urban Management Programme, Accra 1995
J. Kotowski-Ziss, R. Ziss: Namibia - Kommunale Neubestimmung nach der Apartheid, in: TRIALOG 45/1995
R. Ziss et al: Renovación Urbana Integral - Un Programa Municipal de Mejoramiento Barrial, GTZ-AMSS, San Salvador 1993
R. Ziss: Sanierung statt Abriß - Verbreitung eines erprobten Projekttyps, in: GTZ info 6/87
R. Ziss: Stadtteilsanierung in Lateinamerika - Seminar-Workshop in Quito, in: GTZ info 3/87
R. Ziss: Settlement Upgrading in Latin America and the Leverage of Technical Cooperation, in: TRIALOG 13/1987
R. Ziss et al: Política y gestión del mejoramiento urbano en América Latina. Sonderpublikation 200 of GTZ, Eschborn 1987
R. Ziss: Kosten, Kontrolle, Anpassung - die politischen Probleme des Technologietransfers, in: Lateinamerika-Studien 19/1986
R. Ziss, J. Kotowski-Ziss: Baumaterialien und Selbsthilfe - Probleme des Wohnungsbaus in mexikanischen Mittelstädten. Verlag Breitenbach, Saarbrücken/Fort Lauderdale 1986
R. Ziss, J. Kotowski-Ziss: Präventive Siedlungspolitik als Teil der Mittelstadtförderung - das Beispiel Mexiko, in: TRIALOG 9/1986
R. Ziss, J. Kotowski-Ziss: Squatter consolidation in Mexican intermediate cities, in: Open House International, Vol 10, No. 4/1985
R. Ziss: Determinantes económicos de autoayuda en colonias populares, in: Gobierno del Estado de México, SEDUE (Eds.): Encuentro para la Vivienda. Memoria, México 1984
R. Ziss: Ökonomische Determinanten der Selbsthilfe in Spontansiedlungen, in: TRIALOG 2/1984
R. Ziss, G. Schiller: Employment effects, income effects and import shares of housing in Ghana. Field Study Report, Wuppertal 1981
J. Hemer, R. Ziss: La vivienda popular en el Ecuador - Efectos económicos. Materiales de trabajo del ILDIS 26, Quito 1981
R. Ziss: Transferencia de tecnología en la industria mexicana del cemento, in: Demografía y Economía, Vol. XV, No. 1/1981
R. Ziss: Efectos económicos de la construcción de la vivienda en el Ecuador, in: Demografía y Economía, vol XIV, No. 3/1980
R. Ziss: El Comité del Pueblo von Quito - Ein Beispiel organisierter Selbsthilfe in Ecuador, in: Institut für Baustofflehre, Bauphysik, technischen Ausbau und Entwerfen der Uni Stuttgart (Eds.): Colloquium 1979 - Marginalsiedlungen in Ländern der 3. Welt, Stuttgart 1979
R. Ziss, G. Schiller: Beschäftigungseffekte, Einkommenseffekte und Importanteile des Wohnungsbaus in Ghana. Feldstudienbericht, Darmstadt 1979
G. Schiller, J. Hemer, R. Ziss: Wirtschaftliche Auswirkungen des Wohnungsbaus in Ecuador. Feldstudienbericht, Darmstadt 1979