Nairobi county officials in Sweden as part of the African Development Bank sponsored study visit
Nairobi County officials are part of representatives from 11 African cities who have begun a visit to two Scandinavian cities to learn about people-centered solutions to urban planning and development. The trip is sponsored by the Urban and Municipal Development Fund hosted by the African Development Bank.
The 4-day trip to Copenhagen and Malmö, Sweden includes officials from Marrakech, Morocco; Bizerte and Tunis in Tunisia; Dodoma, Tanzania; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Libreville, Gabon; Bangui, Central African Republic; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Nairobi, Kanifing; The Gambia; and Douala, Cameroon. The cities are all fund partners.
The delegation carries out field visits and participates in presentations on water management, waste management and e-mobility. They also have the opportunity to collaborate with decision makers and municipal officials from Copenhagen and Malmö. Both cities are recognized for their pioneering approaches to balancing sustainable development with quality of life.
Ole Stubdrup, project manager at the City and Municipal Development Fund, and the visit’s coordinator, has traveled with the city’s officials. He said African municipalities and those in northern Europe faced comparable problems, although they appear to be poles apart. “This visit should be a source of inspiration for the participants and promote ideas for specific urban infrastructure investments,” he said.
“Such a trip is a strong opportunity to share experiences and consolidate a network of reform-oriented cities. It also paves the way for future projects in our respective cities, as we meet potential partners and investors,” said Davis Mwamfupe, Mayor of Dodoma, during the visit.
As Africa undergoes rapid urbanization, municipal governments are seeking investment to develop new infrastructure and improve the quality of life for city dwellers. The City and Municipal Development Fund aims to improve the quality of urban life and attract investment for infrastructure by strengthening the cities’ technical capacity and planning functions. The Fund’s approach integrates economic, social and environmental factors.