Local authorities and bankable urban transformation projects: accessing international funds

KAS PolDiMed, in partnership with the Mediterranean network of cities MedCities, organized a seminar in Agadir, entitled “Local authorities and bankable urban transformation projects: accessing international funds”. The event took place between 17 and 18 May 2022 and aimed at offering a better understanding of the opportunities to finance sustainable urban development actions through grants; loans and blended mechanisms. The event has a mixed component of political exchanges and technical training, by targeting both Mayors and high-level technical staff of local development units working on big urban projects from Tunis, Sfax, Tetouan, Agadir, Irbid and As-Salt.

The event provided the participating local authorities to exchange directly with representatives of international financial institutions, namely, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Union for the Mediterranean and GIZ. The participating financial institutions presented their respective funding mechanisms and opportunities for accessing international funding for implementing urban projects. During the first day, a political debate between the participating mayors took place in order to outline the cities’ experiences in obtaining international funds, and the challenges they have been facing. The mayors presented the recommendations and proposals to reinforce the access to innovative funding.

The second day of the event comprised a training, which aimed at strengthening the technical capacities of local authorities’ representatives in accessing international funding by focusing on the project management cycle, good practices and challenges in order to build a good funding proposal. The meeting was concluding by a technical visit to the Municipality of Agadir, which presented its leading urban and mobility projects. Field visits to the Bus Rapid Transit construction site and the rehabilitation project of the Kasbah of Agadir followed the technical visit.