By Temitope Ponlé
Representatives from 11 African cities embarked on a visit to two Scandinavian cities to learn more about people-centered solutions in urban planning and development.
This is contained in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja by the Communications and External Relations Department of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The statement said the four-day trip to Copenhagen and Malmö, Sweden, was sponsored by the Urban and Municipal Development Fund, hosted by the AfDB.
Representatives include officials from Marrakech, Morocco; Bizerte and Tunis, Tunisia; Dodoma, Tanzania; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Libreville, Gabon; Bangui, Central African Republic; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Kanifing, Nairobi; Gambia; and Douala, Cameroon.
Cities are also fund partners.
Ole Stubdrup, project manager at the Urban and Municipal Development Fund, said municipalities in Africa and those in northern Europe face comparable problems.
“This visit should be a source of inspiration for participants and spark ideas for specific investments in urban infrastructure,” he said.
Dodoma Mayor Davis Mwamfupe said the trip was an opportunity to share experiences and consolidate a network of reform-minded cities.
“It also paves the way for future projects in our respective cities as we meet potential partners and investors,” Mwamfupe said.
This visit should inspire participants and spark ideas for specific investments in urban infrastructure
They would also have the opportunity to talk to policy makers and city officials from Copenhagen and Malmö.
According to the statement, both cities are recognized for their pioneering approaches to balancing sustainability and quality of life.
The Urban and Municipal Development Fund aims to improve the quality of urban life and attract infrastructure investment by strengthening the technical capacity and planning functions of cities.
The fund’s approach integrates economic, social and environmental factors. (NOPE)
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola