International agencies and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda: Evidence from the United Nations in Angola

The New Urban Agenda (NUA) was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 2016 and embodies the contemporary ideal of sustainable development in an urban world. While the question who can and who should bring the agenda to life has been addressed by research for various actors and governance arrangements,international agencies have mostly been confined to their function as progenitors and advocates of norms. In this paper, I take a closer look at their operational work in implementing the NUA and analyze the main policies pursued by two UN agencies in Angola, UN-Habitat and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). I argue that rather than being led by national or local actors, NUA implementation in Angola was driven by international agencies. Highlighting the potential and pitfalls of their efforts, I further show how scarce funding, discontinuities, and a strong reliance on direct collaboration circumscribed their impact on the ground.