AfDB Approves Urban Devt Strategy for Africa
- By Simeon Ogoegbulem
- Published May 2nd, 2011
- News
- Unrated
The board of directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) group has approved the bank’s Urban Development Strategy. The strategy is designed to transform African cities and towns into engines of economic growth and social development.
The strategy is anchored on three pillars, namely infrastructure delivery, governance and private sector development. The bank group will use infrastructure development as a major strategic vehicle for supporting urban development. Emphasis will be on delivery and expansion of basic infrastructure services and building capacity for maintenance of public infrastructure assets.
It will assist regional member countries and urban communities’ efforts to improve water supply, sanitation, drainage and solid waste management services; improve urban mobility through the development of mass transit systems; support energy projects and in particular, public lighting projects; promote broadband connectivity within and between African cities and between them and rural areas, and harness ICT to broaden socio-economic activity and enhance competitiveness; and support the development of urban social infrastructure, particularly in the health and education sectors.
In governance, the bank‘s strategy will aim to strengthen corporate governance and managerial capacity of municipal authorities to promote a culture of transparency; strengthen anti-corruption safeguards; and build the capacity for urban planning. It will support reforms such as fiscal decentralization by helping municipalities to improve financial and administrative management systems.
The strategy is anchored on three pillars, namely infrastructure delivery, governance and private sector development. The bank group will use infrastructure development as a major strategic vehicle for supporting urban development. Emphasis will be on delivery and expansion of basic infrastructure services and building capacity for maintenance of public infrastructure assets.
It will assist regional member countries and urban communities’ efforts to improve water supply, sanitation, drainage and solid waste management services; improve urban mobility through the development of mass transit systems; support energy projects and in particular, public lighting projects; promote broadband connectivity within and between African cities and between them and rural areas, and harness ICT to broaden socio-economic activity and enhance competitiveness; and support the development of urban social infrastructure, particularly in the health and education sectors.
In governance, the bank‘s strategy will aim to strengthen corporate governance and managerial capacity of municipal authorities to promote a culture of transparency; strengthen anti-corruption safeguards; and build the capacity for urban planning. It will support reforms such as fiscal decentralization by helping municipalities to improve financial and administrative management systems.
