Working Group: Sustainable & Affordable Housing – Connective Cities
Affordable and sustainable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges for cities worldwide. In the next phase of the Connective Cities Sustainable & Affordable Housing Working Group, this online workshop introduces visualisation methods as a practical tool to support planning, communication, and peer learning among cities.
Building on previous working group exchanges, the session integrates principles of the New European Bauhaus and explores how AI-based visualisation can help cities translate strategic housing goals into tangible spatial concepts.
Photo: Connective CitiesSquare in Bucharest redesigned with the help of AI
The workshop combines hands-on visualisation with a mini peer-learning format, allowing participating cities to reflect on concrete cases related to building rehabilitation, public spaces, infill development, and neighbourhood upgrading.
Objectives
Introduce AI-supported visualisation approaches for affordable and sustainable housing
Apply NEB principles (sustainability, inclusion, aesthetics) to real city cases
Strengthen peer consultation and collective learning among Connective Cities alumni
Bridge the gap between visual concepts and implementation planning
Format
Short expert inputs
Live AI-based visualisation session using selected city cases
City-led peer consultation with feedback from peers, experts, and the Connective Cities team
The workshop is open to the public. Active participation in the AI-based visualisation (including uploading own photos) is reserved for members of the Connective Cities Sustainable & Low-Cost Housing Alumni Group.
Getting updated, sharing insights into the topics that are relevant on the local level, and fostering exchange—that is what the annual Connective Cities network meeting for active German stakeholders is all about. This year, around 30 participants made their way to Bonn to discuss achievements and visions for the future.
The group of participants was very diverse. Among them were Connective Cities veterans such as Lidia Perico, head of the Education for Sustainable Development staff unit in Berlin’s Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district, who arrived with a very specific idea for a thematic focus. There was also Michael Leischner from Dortmund, who participated as a member of the steering committee with an eye on the entire program. “I’ve been with Connective Cities for what feels like 100 years and am now on the steering committee. For me, it’s important to see what’s happening in the municipalities and what the situation is like with regard to international cooperation” – that was his motivation for investing two days shortly before the end of the year. Others came to the network meeting to familiarize themselves with what Connective Cities has to offer.
Photo: Connective Cities
A broad program was designed to address these diverse expectations:
The initial focus was on exploring and introducing topics, giving participants the opportunity to highlight issues that are relevant to their local government work.
To this end, the teams of Engagement Global/the Service Agency Communities in One World and GIZ first presented their plans for the coming year, which were already well advanced: On the part of GIZ, the renaturation of urban spaces and the strengthening of local economic development are among the important thematic priorities being pursued in the partner regions, alongside other areas of content. For the focus region of Sub-Sahara Africa, the focus is on nature-based solutions and the economic potential of green hydrogen. Work is being done with municipalities in the Southeast Europe and South Caucasus region on urban resilience and securing critical infrastructure, as well as on business-friendly regional development. In the Middle East and North Africa focus region, green corridors between cities and their surrounding areas and the topic of building back better – especially with regard to Syria and Gaza – are on the agenda. In addition, topics from past learning processes are being continued in alumni groups in order to anchor the knowledge generated in the network and maintain a sustainable exchange of expertise. The alumni groups are working on topics such as heat in cities, risk-informed urban development, energy efficiency, and renewable energies. For its part, Engagement Global will focus on sustainable mobility and water resilience, among other topics, for learning processes in Germany. Suggestions for topics for two additional learning processes in Germany can be submitted in the upcoming weeks.
Some of the corresponding calls for participation have already been published, while others will appear in the newsletter, on the website, and on LinkedIn and Facebook in early 2026. The learning formats will remain the same: one-year learning processes with dialogue events as a kick-off, expert exchange trips, and digital exchange; deep dives in small groups over two years; and various agile formats open to all and tailored to acute needs (ad hoc sessions, insight sessions).
Focal topis of Connective Cities
In a second step, topics on which the municipalities and municipal companies would like further exchange were collected, and the topics from Connective Cities’ current topic pool were also weighted. The resulting pinboard makes for exciting and varied reading: disaster preparedness, (cyber) security and resilience, (legal) migration and integration, urban development and new urban districts, energy parks, energy from biomass, drainage, sustainability reporting, sustainability concepts for major events, start-ups and local economic development, education and educational materials on sustainable development, demographic change, inclusive cities, environmental protection in cities, digital public services, attractive city centers, and other topics were also discussed there. Lidia Perico’s idea can also be read there. Whether this will become a topic for Connective Cities is, of course, not clear at this point in time. But: “We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity shortly before the end of the year to get our planning for 2026 on track, regardless of whether it works out in the Connective Cities format or not. When you talk about your own ideas, you develop them further in your mind, and that’s always an added value,” Perico sums up.
Two examples from past Connective Cities learning cycles showed what learning processes within the framework of Connective Cities can look like in concrete terms.
Angelika Schweimnitz from the Institute for Protection and Rescue of the Cologne Fire Department presented the learning cycle of fire departments on the topics of “Accommodation for evacuees and the deployment of volunteers.” For the Cologne Fire Department, this led to a more intensive exchange with the fire departments in Makati and Quezon City in the Philippines, which, according to Schweimnitz, have a much higher frequency of operations due to the large number of climatic events there. Schweimnitz’s assessment was thoroughly positive: she was impressed by the proximity between the city hall and the population, as well as the overview of the city provided by camera surveillance. The Philippine partners were particularly interested in the model of the volunteer fire department, which makes up a significant proportion of the emergency services in Germany. The exchange also produced a wealth of concrete ideas for high-quality accommodation for evacuees – from pop-up tents to privacy rooms. “It was simply a matter of speaking the language of the tools,” she described. And: “We have brought international and networked thinking in disaster preparedness to our fire department.”
Sven Robert Ganschow from Stadtreinigung Hamburg painted a similarly positive picture of a Connective Cities exchange. Despite hurdles such as the coronavirus pandemic, personnel changes, and fundamentally changed conditions such as the start of the war in Ukraine, the international exchange on the topics of integrated waste management and plastics recycling was highly beneficial and valued. He also noted that he always felt political support from his own city: “I always felt that there was an understanding that the problems do not end in our own country, but that it is important for us to pass on our knowledge,” he said, reflecting on his experience.
Participants at the network meeting | Photo: Connective Cities
A third focus of the network meeting was peer consultation – on the one hand, to present this core method of Connective Cities, and on the other hand, to take advantage of the luxury of the assembled expertise. Some participants brainstormed on the question of how colleagues in their own municipalities or municipal companies could be persuaded to participate in Connective Cities activities. A second group looked at how a project can be successfully implemented even if the framework conditions have changed dramatically since approval. The Connective Cities team itself also took the opportunity to ask about strategies for successfully approaching municipal experts for the project’s activities. All groups proved to be extremely productive and made the idea of Connective Cities tangible: bringing expertise together – leveraging the diversity of perspectives – generating solutions together. Or, in the words of one participant: “It’s good to see that other municipalities face similar challenges and that solutions often already exist. You don’t have to start everything from scratch.”
Ultimately, the networking event was about what the title suggests: establishing contacts, discussing joint topics of interest —in other words, networking. The lively discussions from the first coffee break onwards indicated that this goal had been satisfactorily achieved. “My impulse for the way home is definitely to participate in such networking meetings more often in 2026. Get out of Berlin and engage in exchange,” said Lidia Perico from Berlin once again.
“I’m really excited about the network meeting because I gained a deeper understanding of the whole system behind Connective Cities, even though we’ve already worked together. And I think it’s great that you can contribute your own topics to the program so strongly.”
(Daniela Wiedenhaupt, Senate Department for Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, Berlin)
Improving citizen services, speeding up routine tasks, and freeing up human resources for other tasks – this is what local authorities hope to achieve with artificial intelligence in administration. The topic is an important one and interest was high: The event recorded over 100 registrations, with nearly 60 participants joining online – from cities such as Lusaka (Zambia), Stuttgart, Mombasa (Kenya), Berlin, and Iserlohn.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mahdi Bohlouli from the AI company Petanux in Bonn explained the basics:
At its heart, AI’s main strength lies in its ability to analyse information, recognise patterns, create content on that basis, support decision-making, and even carry out tasks independently, he explained. In public administration, AI can thus relieve administrative processes (e.g. by automating routine tasks), facilitate urban planning (e.g. through AI-supported data analysis), improve citizen services (e.g. chatbots), and enhance cybersecurity (e.g. by detecting anomalies). However, this requires strong data protection and data sovereignty, ensured through local data storage and locally operated AI applications. Open-source products provide local authorities with cost-effective technical solutions.
AI in public administration. Copyright: Petanux GmbH
municipalities must also consider ethical aspects such as transparency and accountability in AI decision-making, as well as the concerns and training needs of their staff. Clear internal guidelines, a transparent and participatory approach, cooperation between municipalities, and small pilot projects that deliver visible results help ensure a smooth and safe introduction of AI. For a start he suggested using AI for meeting minutes and AI-based knowledge management. Automating such and similar tasks can free up considerable human resources, which can be used to ease staff shortages elsewhere.
“Let AI handle the routine tasks, so you can concentrate on the complex ones,” he advised.
The example of Jakarta – presented by Andhika Ajie from the Regional Research and Innovation Centre in Jakarta – demonstrated how AI is being used to tackle the challenges of a transforming megacity.
The long-term plan, ‘Jakarta Spatial Plan Development,’ considers digitally driven development as one of three key pillars for municipal development. The corresponding framework, ‘Jakarta Smart City’ places innovation and citizen well-being at the top of its priorities. “Technology is a tool. It should enhance urban life and focus on the needs of people, “ says Andhika Ajie. Jakarta therefore pursues a collaborative process in which all city stakeholders – citizens, the media, academia, businesses, and authorities – work together.
The city has developed a so-called super app – Jakarta Kini, or JAKI for short – Andhika Ajie reported. This digital ecosystem integrates a wide variety of applications and provides residents with a one-stop platform for requesting services (such as health and social services), accessing information (such as official announcements, food prices, public transport) and reporting issues (such as infrastructure deficiencies).
Also, given Jakarta’s enormous population density, mobility and traffic management is a key area for AI applications. The city is using a CCTV monitoring service including 1,500 cameras across the city to measure crowd and vehicle density. The data serve as the basis for AI to regulate road traffic. In addition, the city is testing AI-driven real-time management of public transport through the pilot Passenger Load Intelligence System (PLIS).
Another important application focusses on flood management – urgently needed in Jakarta, which is rapidly sinking below sea level. A machine-learning-based system (a system that learns from examples and enables predictions) – analyses data on water levels and flooded areas to coordinate protective measures and emergency response efforts.
The example of Hamburg – presented by Lisa Eglhofer from the Sustainability Unit in Hamburg finally delved into the details of AI-supported development of a sustainability strategy.
In its new strategy paper, the city aims to build directly on the current implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goal, taking all existing concepts and activities into account. The database to be used is the city’s transparency portal, which however contains the impressive number of 170,000 documents. An AI analysis tool is now to assist with the time-consuming task of reviewing and processing the data. Technically, the system is based on various large language models (LLMs), such as Gemini 1.5 Pro and Flash, GPT-4, and GPT-5). For its training, the Sustainability Unit manually reviewed, grouped, and coded over 80 documents for their relevance to the SDGs.
AI helps make sense of large amounts of data. Copyright: Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
The results are twofold: Through a dashboard, the AI now enables micro-level analysis of individual documents in terms of their links to the SDGs. In addition, the analysis tool generates fact sheets on the progress of individual SDGs or their sub-goals. The underlying process works as follows: An AI Agent Planner coordinates the research request. An AI Agent Researcher gathers the relevant data in three iterative loops. And an AI Agent Synthesizer compiles the results. These fact sheets then will serve as the basis for developing the sustainability strategy.
Stages of the data analysis process. Copyright: Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
For the technical side, Hamburg secured funding and brought in the support of an AI agency. Thus, the project turned out to be not that difficult after all. In the future, the city intends to offer the code as an open-source product to other municipalities. The plan is also to expand the dataset, to connect the tool to budget planning data, and to make it even easier to use.
„In my experience, it’s often difficult to secure funding for sustainability. Now, that we talk about AI and digital approaches, it’s much easier to get politicians on our side.“ (Lisa Eglhofer)
International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 90, December 2025
Dear readers,
‘Only nature can teach us creation, can teach us creativity. Our true illiteracy is the inability to be creative,’ wrote artist, painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser in 1983 in his manuscript ‘Concrete Utopias for the Green City’.
Inspired by this quote, in this issue we look back at a dialogue event in Bonn, where creative minds came together to innovatively combine various forms of CO₂-free mobility. It also marks the start of a new learning process on the topic, which we will continue in 2026.
We provide insights into how cities in Germany and sub-Saharan Africa are converting and expanding their infrastructure for green hydrogen, thereby boosting the local economy.
Taking nature as our model, we invite your municipality to participate in our two-year learning process, exploring the most creative options for protection against drought and heavy rainfall. We would also like to cordially invite you to join our learning process on ‘Green Corridors in Germany and the MENA Region’.
Connective Cities is also starting the new year with three additional strong partners. We will briefly introduce them and outline the topics that we would like to explore in greater depth together with you.
We wish you happy holidays and a good start to the new year.
Sincerely Your Connective Cities Team
REVIEW
Combination of future-proof mobility forms
Kick-Off of the New Learning Process on Sustainable Mobility in Bonn
From 25 to 27 November, Connective Cities hosted a dialogue event in Bonn. 38 experts from 20 municipalities in 11 countries followed the invitation to share their innovative project approaches with colleagues and collaborate on new implementation ideas. Small municipalities such as Schlangen in the Teutoburg Forest, with a population of around 9,000, were represented, as well as metropolises with millions of inhabitants, such as Rio de Janeiro and Munich. The innovative approaches were equally diverse.
Unlocking the potential of new technologies at the local level
Green hydrogen is rapidly gaining global prominence as a crucial energy carrier for the future. For many African countries, abundant solar and wind resources give cities a unique advantage, positioning them not only as innovation hubs but also as centers for technology transfer, workforce training, and industrial diversification. By integrating sustainable use of green hydrogen into urban planning, municipalities can enhance energy security, attract long-term investment, and build more resilient, climate-friendly local economies—ultimately becoming key drivers in the global clean-energy transition.
Water resilience – Municipalities strengthen themselves against drought and heavy rainfall events
Call for participants: Connective Cities Deep Dive – a two-year learning process with a kick-off event in Germany in March 2026
Local authorities are facing challenges due to climate change and soil sealing, with more frequent droughts, heavy rainfall and flooding. In Germany and the Global South, innovative solutions are currently being promoted and rapidly tested. Connective Cities is therefore offering an in-depth learning process on this topical and highly relevant issue, and we warmly invite interested local authorities to participate.
Invitation to the Kickoff Workshop, 7–9 April 2026 (TBC), Egypt
Green corridors improve urban microclimates, enhance public spaces, and support municipalities in adapting to climate change. In the new one-year Connective Cities Learning Process MENA, professionals from Germany and the MENA region will jointly develop practical, co-creative and actionable solutions for green corridors in their local contexts. We warmly invite you to join the kickoff workshop and contribute your project idea or challenge to the learning process.
Stronger Together: The New Partners of Connective Cities
The German County Association, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities and the Association of Public Utilities are now part of the Steering Committee
More municipal voices, more exchange, more joint creative power – Connective Cities is entering the next phase with an expanded group of partners. We introduce our partners and outline the thematic priorities for the coming year. Take a look!
Engagement Global gGmbH
Service Agency Communities in One World
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Kontakt: Sibylle Loyeau
Email: sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Kontakt: Ricarda Meissner
Email: ricarda.meissner@giz.de
Connective Cities – the International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development – is entering its next phase with an expanded group of partners. Alongside the German Association of Cities, the German County Association, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, and the Association of Local Public Utilities are now key municipal partners. Together with SKEW at Engagement Global and GIZ, the international exchange of knowledge and expertise between municipalities will continue to grow.
Going forward, even more German cities, municipalities, and counties will be able to actively participate in dialogue processes. As a result, municipal challenges from Germany will feature more prominently in global peer-learning formats – and jointly developed, practice-oriented solutions will emerge that create impact both internationally and domestically.
Introducing the New Cooperation Partners
The German County Association (DLT) is the national association of all 294 German counties. Its direct members are the county associations of the 13 federal states, each representing local interests at the state level. The DLT represents three quarters of all municipal service providers, around 96% of Germany’s territory, and—with 57 million residents—68% of the country’s population. Key areas of work include public services, secondary education and vocational schools, economic development, local labor market policy, social welfare, youth and healthcare systems, as well as e-government and administrative modernization.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB) represents the interests of German towns and municipalities at the state, federal, and EU levels. Through its 17 member associations, it connects and represents 11,000 large, medium-sized, and small municipalities. Core activities include political advocacy with decision-makers at federal and EU level, raising awareness of municipal concerns through media outreach, ongoing exchange of experience and information among member associations, and representation in central organizations that promote municipal interests.
The Association of Local Public Utilities (VKU) represents the interests of municipal utilities and waste management companies in Germany. Its more than 1,600 member companies operate in energy supply, water and wastewater management, waste management and public cleansing, as well as telecommunications. With their technical expertise, VKU members make substantial contributions to climate adaptation, renewable energy, and circular economy solutions. In 2023, these companies employed around 319,000 people, generated more than EUR 213 billion in revenue, and invested over EUR 19 billion.
All three organizations will now take an even more active role in Connective Cities and enrich its strategic direction and thematic work.
The thematic priorities for the coming year include nature-based solutions in urban development and water-related resilience, the development of strong regional economic hubs, the safeguarding of critical infrastructure, municipal biodiversity strategies, and the use of artificial intelligence in local administrations. In addition, we will address current topics emerging from the municipal associations and our networks – municipalities are explicitly invited to share their needs and proposals. Further information and numerous new opportunities for participation will follow in the new year.
Green hydrogen is rapidly gaining global prominence as a crucial energy carrier for the future. Although much of today’s discussion focuses on hydrogen production and its export potential, domestic consumption of green hydrogen offers equally significant opportunities for local economic development—strengthening municipal infrastructure, creating skilled jobs, and stimulating new economic activities along various value chains. For many African countries, abundant solar and wind resources give cities a unique advantage, positioning them not only as innovation hubs but also as centers for technology transfer, workforce training, and industrial diversification. By integrating sustainable use of green hydrogen into urban planning, municipalities can enhance energy security, attract long-term investment, and build more resilient, climate-friendly local economies—ultimately becoming key drivers in the global clean-energy transition.
To advance the exchange of best practices and accelerate strategy development between African and German cities, Connective Cities hosted its second workshop on “Exploring the Potential of the Green Transition for Local Economic Development” held on 25–27 November 2025 in Mombasa. Representatives from Mauritania, Kenya, South Africa, and Germany participated. This edition focused on improving technological readiness for green hydrogen production, addressing local implementation challenges andstrengthening regional competitiveness among other readiness issues. The discussions further emphasized the importance of involving , and integrating universities, research institutions and start-ups as key drivers of job creation and innovation.
The City of Nakuru, Kenya presented its benchmark strategy to position itself as a model green city and a leading hub for green fertiliser production within is floriculture sector, reducing import dependency and supporting the emergence of new green industries. With its proximity to the rift valley geothermal vents, Nakuru is well positioned for cost- competitive green hydrogen production. The city aims to attract pilot projects, applied research initiatives, and local and international start-ups working along the green hydrogen value chain., reinforcing its long-term vision as a regional clean-energy and innovation hub.
Field visit to the port of Mombasa | Photo: Connective Cities
Kenya has adopted a national Green Hydrogen Strategy and participates in regional African hydrogen initiatives. Mombasa, as a major port city, holds strategic significance for export logistics and coastal project siting. While early national activities have focused on potential assessments and pilot sites, coastal locations like Mombasa are increasingly viewed as gateways for logistics, export-oriented hydrogen production, and coastal renewable-energy projects. The city now seeks to leverage its strategic location to establish itself as a global player in hydrogen-powered logistics and to develop the port into a logistics cluster that attracts innovative local and international investment supported by a skilled workforce.
In South Africa, the Waterberg region in Limpopo forms part of the national “Hydrogen Valley,” stretching across Limpopo, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal. Mining and industrial operations in the Waterberg–Mokopane corridor are being integrated into hydrogen and platinum-group-metal value chains. Recent feasibility studies and national green hydrogen planning have made the region increasingly attractive to investors. The local development vision is to integrate renewable energy generation with mining operations and downstream green hydrogen and green ammonia applications. This approach aims to link industrial decarbonisation and new export opportunities with local job creation and investment. Waterberg is also seeking to strengthen collaboration with universities by fostering local and international research partnerships to spur pilot projects and nurture green start-ups across emerging value chains.
Mauritania has become a high-potential green hydrogen country due to its exceptional wind and solar resources and favourable export position toward Europe. Several large-scale, export-oriented hydrogen and ammonia projects have been announced or are under development. While the national strategy prioritises export-driven green hydrogen production, it also emphasises renewable energy use to support domestic power grids and industry. However, as national projects advance, municipalities within Nouakchott—particularly Sebkha and Ksar, – continue to face high electricity costs, pollution, limited infrastructure, and the absence of clear municipal hydrogen strategies. These communes are not seeking merely to host hydrogen developments, they aim to participate meaningfully in shaping equitable, community-centered value creation within Mauritania’s emerging green hydrogen economy. The City of Nouakchott through its private sector and international partnerships, now seeks to position itself as an active player in his transition with a focus on modernizing urban services , strengthening governance, and building local private-sector capacity ultimately becoming a regional hub for green urban development, logistics, and industrial enterprises linked to the green hydrogen value chain.
The participating German cities also shared key insights and updates on their latest initiatives. Karlsruhe highlighted its hydrogen hub around the Rhine ports (H2iPortKA) and its strong research ecosystem in collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Fraunhofer Institutes. Particularly noteworthy is the dynamic start-up and spin-off environment, which demonstrates how the green transition can generate new jobs and investment for an entire region.
Heilbronn, well known as a centre for technology and hydrogen innovation within Germany’s automotive and engineering clusters, aims to use green hydrogen to diversify its industrial base, upgrade workforce skills, and anchor research-driven companies in the region. Heilbronn University and nearby Fraunhofer initiatives are expanding applied research and innovation centers—including those focused on hydrogen technologies—leveraging strong industry links for piloting and skills development.
Field visit to the port of Mombasa | Photo: Connective Cities
The workshop underscored the vast opportunities emerging around green hydrogen production across regions endowed with abundant renewable energy resources.. However, cities and regions hosting these new green industries are often overlooked in national strategies that prioritize high-profile investments and export ambitions. Many localities remain uncertain of how they and their populations can directly participate in these developments. Significant technological and institutional gaps persist, and synergies between international high-tech initiatives and local realities are not automatic. As a result, municipalities are increasingly seeking models, international experiences, expertise, and partnerships to strengthen their capacity and create a level playing field:- one that enables prosperous, innovative and equitable local economies in which nations, investors, and communities all benefit alongside advancing technologies
From 25 to 27 November, Connective Cities hosted a dialogue event in Bonn. 38 experts from 20 municipalities in 11 countries followed the invitation to share their innovative project approaches with colleagues and collaborate on new implementation ideas.
Stefan Wagner, Head of the City of Bonn’s Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability, warmly welcomed the guests, especially his colleagues from La Paz, Bonn’s twin city. The two cities are already collaborating on numerous sustainability projects. Bonn itself has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2035, with the aim of achieving 75% CO₂-free mobility by then.
ighlighted the complexity of regional mobility planning in Germany. | Photo: Aschoffotografie, Engagement Global
In his opening speech, Jan Strehmann, Head of Mobility at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB), highlighted the complexity of regional mobility planning in Germany. Various levels of government — federal, state, district and individual municipalities — are often involved, either as financiers or planning units. Additionally, municipal and private transport providers frequently collaborate to establish transport associations responsible for providing public inter-urban local transport services. In this context, it is not competition, but rather tailor-made cooperation, that plays a decisive role in ensuring smooth passenger transport.
In her presentation, Melanie Schade, project manager at the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), introduced Mobilikon. This online encyclopaedia compiles information on mobility in rural areas, helping local authorities to prepare and implement mobility measures more easily. The database contains 104 measures, 110 instruments for their implementation and 79 implementation aids for areas such as external communication and data collection. It also contains 206 practical examples. Various filters, e.g. for spatial structure, costs and implementation duration, facilitate the search for suitable measures.
In his welcoming speech, Jürgen Kretz, the new head of the Countries and Municipalities Division at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, expressed his delight that Connective Cities had entered a new phase in October 2025 and was now more broadly positioned within Germany with three additional partners: the DStGB, the German County Association (DLT), and the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU).
The Connective Cities team led to the technical part of the event and the project presentation.
The participants in front of the old town hall in Bonn | Photo: Aschoffotografie, Engagement Global
Small municipalities such as Schlangen in the Teutoburg Forest in Germany, with a population of around 9,000, were represented, as well as metropolises with millions of inhabitants, such as Rio de Janeiro and Munich. The innovative approaches were equally diverse. The free electric line-car-sharing service in Borgholzhausen, unique in Germany, connects rural communities with the nearest train stations. Meanwhile, Kisumu in Kenya has developed a battery exchange model for electric motorcycle taxis; La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, plans to integrate its 36-station cable car network — the largest in the world — more closely with the bus network; and Rio de Janeiro is developing a multimodal network comprising express buses, buses, cycle paths, bicycle parking facilities, and e-bike rentals. Despite or because of the war, Vinnytsia in Ukraine is gradually converting its public infrastructure to make it barrier-free. Monheim is focusing on autonomous shuttle buses and Windhoek in Namibia is providing students with electric bikes on loan. Poti in Georgia and Strumica in North Macedonia are expanding their cycle path networks, while Dortmund is systematically expanding its charging infrastructure for cars and e-bikes. Munich is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to link the various CO₂-free forms of mobility as closely as possible, including through an app and mobility hubs. These are just a few examples of the projects underway.
Despite all the structural, geographical and cultural differences, it quickly became clear during the various experience-sharing sessions that the challenges faced were largely similar. These include:
complex institutional frameworks;
conflicts over the use of limited public space;
lack of standards in data collection and processing;
infrastructure damage due to vandalism and theft;
changing political guidelines and/or unclear legal frameworks;
different and high expectations of stakeholders;
changing the usual behaviour patterns of citizens in terms of mobility;
insufficient financial resources for project implementation;
and finally: obtaining know-how about similar projects.
The last point was largely resolved during the conference. Implementation challenges in Bergholzhauen, Kisumu, La Paz, Munich, Poti, Trabzon (Turkey), Strumica and Windhoek were discussed in depth during peer consultations.
Further project ideas were considered in the action planning stage:
‘Pedestrian Angles’: public relations work to promote walking in Kisumu
Integrated mobility planning with political backing in Windhoek.
Improved data management in Vinnytsia.
Development of safe cycling infrastructure in Poti.
The dialogue event concluded with an excursion to a bus depot operated by Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB), which has charging infrastructure for electric buses. The group also visited the bicycle station (‘Radstation’) at Bonn Central Station and mobility stations offering services such as cargo bicycle rental, secure bicycle parking boxes, car-sharing parking spaces, and municipal charging facilities for electric vehicles in Bonn’s Südstadt district.
Marcella Sobisch, the project coordinator, will continue to supervise the learning process in the coming year and is the contact person for the group and other interested parties: marcella.sobisch@engagement-global.de .
Local authorities face challenges due to climate change and soil sealing, with frequent droughts, floods, and heavy rainfall. Ensuring water supply, preserving green spaces, and preventing damage can be addressed through nature-based and structural measures. Approaches like the sponge city principle, unsealing urban areas, and installing retention basins are becoming central to climate adaptation strategies. In Germany and the Global South, innovative solutions are emerging. Connective Cities therefore offers an in-depth learning process on this topical and highly relevant subject.
Connective Cities is launching an international call for applications for its new Deep Dive. It will begin in early 2026 and will run until 2027, depending on the funding allocated. The Deep Dive is a recent format from connective cities, the platform for sustainable urban development that brings together up to five municipalities from the Global South and three German municipalities, which are invited to work together to develop a locally adapted solution that responds to a current challenge.
To participate in this Deep Dive, please send us your completed expression of interest before 5 January 2026.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important for local governments. From more efficient administrative processes to data-driven decisions in urban development, resource use, or citizen participation, AI opens up new possibilities for action. At the same time, questions arise about ethical standards, transparency, and social inclusion.
The expert event brings together municipalities from Germany and the Global South to share international experiences, opportunities, and challenges in dealing with AI in municipal practice.
The aim is to:
highlight specific best practices from different contexts,
promote interregional knowledge exchange, and
provide impulses for the development of individual approaches.
Firstly, the Bonn-based AI company Petanux will present its AI tools and how they collaborate with German municipalities. Secondly, the City of Jakarta will showcase the AI tool employed to support its urban development strategy. The event will conclude with a presentation from the City of Hamburg, sharing its experiences with a Large Language Models (LLMs)-based analysis tool used to monitor the implementation of the SDGs in Hamburg.
The global transition towards sustainable transportation is essential for a sustainable future. Experts agree: there is no one-size-fits-all solution for sustainable mobility. Instead, we must create public transport services that include a range of mobility solutions and combine them in the best possible way – in a smart, accessible, and time- and resource-efficient manner. In addition, measures must be tailored very individually to the needs of citizens in individual regions, cities, counties, or municipalities. For strategic planning, German municipalities often develop concepts across regions in collaboration with transport and special-purpose associations. Innovative solutions and considerations for connecting transport are particularly reflected in concepts for mobility, tourism, or strategic regional development. In the Global South, municipalities are often challenged by urbanization and increasing traffic volumes to formulate solutions for developing their communities, and are increasingly relying on digital solutions and private providers.
The dialogue event marks the start of a one-year learning process in which participating municipalities are also invited to take part in further optional activities.
Objectives of the event
The event brings together experts from cities, counties, and municipalities and supports international expert exchange on the interaction of sustainable forms of mobility.
Goals for participants
Learn about innovative mobility solutions and how to combine them in a smart way
Compare strategic approaches and instruments for sustainable mobility in cities and surrounding areas
Acquire skills to solve challenges in the implementation of planned measures, drawing on an extended network and the method of peer consultation
In addition: getting to know each other as a basis for expanded peer exchange, e.g., through professional exchange trips
Participation and contact
If you would like to participate in the learning process, please send us an email by 15 October 2025, with details about your municipality or organization, your role, and a brief description of the project or challenge you would like to present to the other participants.For further information, please download the Call for particpation [pdf, 2 pages].
If you have any questions about the Connective Cities learning process, the event and your participation, please feel free to contact us:
The German County Association (DLT) is the national association of all 294 German counties. Its direct members are the county associations of the 13 federal states, each representing local interests at the state level. The DLT represents three quarters of all municipal service providers, around 96% of Germany’s territory, and—with 57 million residents—68% of the country’s population. Key areas of work include public services, secondary education and vocational schools, economic development, local labor market policy, social welfare, youth and healthcare systems, as well as e-government and administrative modernization.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB) represents the interests of German towns and municipalities at the state, federal, and EU levels. Through its 17 member associations, it connects and represents 11,000 large, medium-sized, and small municipalities. Core activities include political advocacy with decision-makers at federal and EU level, raising awareness of municipal concerns through media outreach, ongoing exchange of experience and information among member associations, and representation in central organizations that promote municipal interests.
The Association of Local Public Utilities (VKU) represents the interests of municipal utilities and waste management companies in Germany. Its more than 1,600 member companies operate in energy supply, water and wastewater management, waste management and public cleansing, as well as telecommunications. With their technical expertise, VKU members make substantial contributions to climate adaptation, renewable energy, and circular economy solutions. In 2023, these companies employed around 319,000 people, generated more than EUR 213 billion in revenue, and invested over EUR 19 billion.
