Dar es Salaam. The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) has availed over €1.2 million –about Sh3.5 billion– in technical assistance support to cities in East Africa for preparation of climate resilient urban development projects.
The cities set to benefit from this technical assistance are Zanzibar in Tanzania as well Kericho, Nyamira, Kisumu, Embu, Eldoret and Malindi in Kenya and Makindye in Uganda.
Financed through the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, a multi-donor trust fund supported by Germany and Luxembourg and implemented jointly with the World Bank and in close partnership with German Development Cooperation (GIZ), EIB Global’s support to cities focuses on early-stage project preparation with an aim of facilitating access to finance for urban projects that would otherwise potentially remain at idea stage.
A statement released Wednesday said that most of the support for the cities in the region will revolve around assessing options for managing solid waste and faecal sludge, waste to energy solutions through production of biogas and wastewater treatment.
Preliminary proposed solutions have recommended integrated solid waste management plans that encompass segregation of waste at source, separation of waste collections, waste recovery and proper disposal.
Further technical assistance promotes active mobility through evaluating non-motorised transport options, implementing urban flood proofing measures to mitigate flood risks and enhancing environmental sustainability by establishment of green public parks as well as expansion of urban forestry and biodiversity.
For Zanzibar, the support revolves around analysis for wastewater treatment alternatives for Stone Town with recommendations for preferred option as well as capacity building and action plan for implementation.
“Cities and local governments play a key role in fighting climate change because they experience its effects the most,” EIB Vice President Thomas Ostros said.
“However, they often struggle to develop climate-resilient infrastructure, mainly due to a lack of resources and expertise to create strong, investment-ready projects,” he added. “Through its support for the Gap Fund, the EIB helps cities bridge these gaps and prepare effective climate projects.”
The support is expected to facilitate the implementation and financing of climate action projects by availing bankable opportunities, especially at urban or sub-national levels where local authorities sometimes do not have enough in-house capacity to prepare robust projects that can attract public and private finance providers at an international level.
