African Development Bank Expands Urban Support Program To Six New Cities

The African Development Bank’s Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) has expanded its African Cities Program to cover six new cities across the continent. The expansion, approved by the Fund’s 13th Oversight Committee, will help bolster urban development and address critical challenges faced by rapidly growing African cities.

The newly included cities are:

• Kolwezi, the Democratic Republic of Congo: mining town grappling with rapid urban growth and environmental issues.
• Grand Nokoué, Benin: an economic hub with over two million inhabitants.
• Buffalo City, South Africa: a coastal city prioritizing climate resilience.
• Joal, Senegal: A medium-sized city focusing on integrating environmental and social issues into economic development.
• Juba, South Sudan: Prioritizing essential services for a growing, vulnerable population;
• Nouakchott, Mauritania: Planning to combine projects on climate resilience, urban mobility, and sustainable energy.

The Bank launched the UMDF in 2019 in response to growing demand from countries and cities for urban development support. It receives contributions from the Nordic Development Fund and the governments of Denmark, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as the Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency.

The Fund provides financial and technical assistance to national and local governments for improving governance, and planning, and to prepare investments in sustainable urban development for more climate resilient, resilient, livable and productive cities, underpinning national socio-economic development and poverty reduction.

UMDF will provide funding for each of the six cities over several months, including a detailed analysis of the strengths and vulnerabilities, especially regarding economic, social, climate, and gender issues. The goal is to identify transformative infrastructure projects that can attract public and private sector investments.