Urban and Municipal Development Fund

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR UMDF

 

Urbanization is one of the most profound transformations that the African continent is undergoing. According to the recent report Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2022, there is compelling evidence that this urban transformation is already contributing to higher economic growth standards of living. African cities already contribute half of the continent’s GDP and presents immense opportunities to accelerate progress towards the Global 2030 and African 2063 development agendas. In order for Africa’s cities to realize the full potential of being the continent’s engines of green growth and prosperity they need to overcome infrastructure and service deficits, build resilience and improve livability for all citizens.

The African Development Banks aims to become a center of excellence on sustainable urban development by supporting well–planned and governed cities investing in green and equitable growth in Africa. For Africa to build.

d transformative cities, the Bank supports countries’ and cities’ capacity to improve governance and financial management, improve urban planning, and invest more in resilient infrastructure and essential services.

The Bank launched the Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) in 2019 to support the Banks engagement in and with cities. The Fund is responding to continuously growing demand from countries and cities to the Bank for supporting urban development. The UMDF provides financial and technical assistance to national and local governments for improving governance, planning, and to prepare investments in sustainable urban development for more climate resilient, resilient, liveable and productive cities, underpinning national socio-economic development and poverty reduction.

1. Improved urban governance: The UMDF supports inclusive decision-making processes in partner cities, and supports partner local and national governments improving their financial governance so they can invest in sustainable urban development.

2. Improved urban planning: The UMDF supports investment-oriented action planning to develop or update integrated urban and sector plans. The goal is to develop medium- to long-term approaches for more inclusive, climate resilient, liveable and productive African cities.

3. Improved urban infrastructure and essential services: UMDF supports Government (national and local) requested infrastructure and service delivery investments that directly and measurably lead to inclusive, sustainable urban development, providing financial and technical assistance for urban project identification, preparation, financial structuring and implementation.

4. Climate resilience and low carbon urban development: The UMDF supports cities to address the climate challenge, by helping to identify opportunities for adaptation and resilience building, and support Bank efforts to bring adaptation investments to bankability.

5. Investing in Africa’s women to accelerate inclusive growth, promoting the participation of women and marginalized groups in urban planning, governance and equal access by men and women to resilient infrastructure and basic services, and training opportunities.

As sustainable outcomes depend on national and local capacity and leadership, the UMDF supports capacity development, training and knowledge work to improve the knowledge and ability of local and national counterparts to plan, govern, manage and drive solutions and investments for more climate resilient, liveable and productive African cities

The UMDF supports the above mentioned focus areas through three specific windows. Through the African Cities Program the UMDF supports cities in action planning, capacity building, project identifications and preparation in an intensive 2-year process towards investment implementation.  Complimenting the ACP, the UMDF Project Preparation Window provides financial or technical assistance to accelerate the maturation of high impact urban infrastructure projects. Third, supporting cities to improve their financial solidity the Municipal Access to Finance Window supports transaction focused technical assistance for cities to improve their creditworthiness and ability to investment themselves in sustainable urban development.

The African Development Bank and Urban and Municipal Development Fund support is open to all regional member countries. We encourage you to contact AfDB with inquiries about potential support or partnerRequests for technical or financial assistance shall be directed to the Bank through a request letter and the submission of a Project Brief. Project proposals need to have the support of both relevant local and national authorities, and align with African Development Bank global and national strategies. Templates are available here.

E-Mail: [email protected]