Category: Good Urban Governance

Resilient Cities in Times of Multiple Crises – Strategies for Resilient Municipalities

Posted on by erik

In times of multiple crises, cities must become increasingly resilient. They are increasingly under pressure due to war, the climate crisis, and economic uncertainties. At the seventh German-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Conference on 18 June 2025, Connective Cities will host an expert forum on the topic of ‘Resilient cities in times of multiple crises – strategies for resilient municipalities’.

The expert forum will examine and classify aspects of resilient urban development in Ukrainian and German municipalities. Christian Rauch from the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) will present the concept of urban resilience and report on the ‘city stress test’ with German municipalities. How does urban resilience manifest itself in practice? Invited panelists from German and Ukrainian municipalities will use visual material to present their strategies for sustainable urban development on a wide range of aspects of urban resilience. Led by the moderator, the audience will also be involved in the subsequent panel discussion.

The seventh German-Ukrainian municipal partnership conference will take place in Münster from 16 to 18 June 2025. It is directed at local government representatives and other committed individuals from the German-Ukrainian municipal partnership network and offers space for professional and personal exchange, insights into support services, as well as expert forums and panel discussions on pressing current issues. More information on the partnership conference can be found here.

For more information, please contact Sibylle Loyeau sibylle.loyeau@engagement.global.de

 

Resilient cities in times of multiple crises – strategies for resilient municipalities

Posted on by marcella

In times of multiple crises, cities must become increasingly resilient. This currently applies to Ukrainian municipalities in particular: they need to prepare for and respond to stressors such as acts of war, the effects of climate change and economic developments. Connective Cities hosted the expert forum “Resilient cities in times of multiple crises – strategies for resilient municipalities” at the seventh German-Ukrainian partnership conference in Münster (16 – 18.06.2025). The cooperation partners GIZ and Engagement Global with its SKEW welcomed a panel with numerous good practices from Ukrainian and German municipalities, some of which are already involved in Connective Cities’ project activities on urban resilience.

A resilient city is a city that deals with risks and takes precautions, but also a city that is able to learn and adapt. Resilience is a much-used term today – Christian Rauch, head of the “Digital City, Risk Prevention and Transport” department at the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), therefore defined the concept of resilience in a city in his introductory keynote speech. A resilient city is robust, but also adaptable. It is able to react to a variety of stressors, such as social polarization, thermal stress, demographic developments or energy crises. Areas of action for greater urban resilience include integrated and forward-looking urban development, strengthening and adapting critical infrastructure, risk and crisis management, climate resilience and sustainable solutions, community participation and governance, monitoring, review and learning processes, as well as the use of digital tools. Christian Rauch also referred to international strategy documents with guidelines for strengthening urban resilience: “The New Leipzig Charter” and “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030“.

Individual efforts for more urban resilience were illustrated by the examples of the 7 panelists, who presented their strategies by way of introduction with images of their projects:

  • From the district of Euskirchen, which was affected by the flood disaster in 2021, project manager of the KRITIS dialog Sarah zur Linden reported on her experiences of improving communication between local and regional actors in crises.
  • Valeriia Levchyshyna from the Lviv City Institute is involved in setting up the Lviv Resilience Hub, which aims to bundle the networking of Ukrainian cities on the topic of resilience and continue the topics of the “Ukrainian Resilience Week” at municipal level.
  • Project coordinator Monika Hanemann reported on the WiReSt project from the Steinfurt district. As part of the project, an open-source app was developed to inform small and medium-sized companies in the region about potential bottlenecks within relevant supply chains.
  • The Head of the International Cooperation Department, Sasha Kirian, presented an example of greater social resilience from Kharkiv, a municipality affected by Russian bombing: Underground schools. Thanks to foreign investment, a total of 16% of pupils already have the opportunity to attend a safe institution. Measures like these allow the population to stay in the city.
  • The mayor of the city of Trosyanets, Yuri Bova, explained how important the will of the population is for this and showed pictures of a hospital that had been bombed and then rebuilt. He repeatedly and impressively emphasized the unbroken will of the citizens – including the hospital staff – to stay. This also has an impact on economic resilience: No company has left its town, some have even invested in the reconstruction of destroyed production facilities.
  • Patrick Dufour, Head of the Heilbronn Economic Development Agency, also spoke of strategies to retain companies. To this end, he is already working intensively with Ukrainian municipalities.
  • Tetyana Shulichenko, Director of the Economic Development Department of Mykolaiv City Council, showed pictures of the reconstruction of the port, for example. According to her, the increased international interest and willingness to invest is an opportunity. New places for a better quality of stay and life have also been created in the port.

 

On the one hand, the audience was able to take away from the expert forum the basics of urban resilience and the realization that diverse and mostly innovative approaches and projects can strengthen the resilience of their cities. The examples of the Ukrainian panelists regarding the effects of the Russian war of aggression impressively showed the audience what it means for the population of a city to stand up to acute crises and how important the will of citizens and entrepreneurs is to do so. The examples and speeches also clearly showed that lively cooperation between a wide range of actors, both nationally and internationally, is essential for resilient cities. Under certain circumstances, the increased interest in investment is also an opportunity for Ukrainian municipalities to actively shape reconstruction in line with the model of the resilient city.

From the open municipality to the smart city

Posted on by erik

Join us for an insight session exploring how municipalities can utilise open governance models and harness the power of digitalisation for better urban planning and service delivery.

This insight session showcases municipal experiences on how open government principles can be localized to enhance transparency and citizen engagement and ultimately promote good governance. The role of digital transformation in increasing transparency and public participation will also be discussed. Furthermore, the insight session delves into application of digital tools, in particular Geographic Information Systems (GIS), for supporting data-driven decision-making for infrastructure development and liveability improvements. Participants will explore good practice examples of cities successfully integrating smart governance and spatial planning for sustainable urban growth and engage with experts and peers on strategies to make municipalities more inclusive, efficient, and resilient.

Date: 17 June 2025

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 CEST

Language: Arabic (English interpretation)

Enrollment: https://community.connective-cities.net/en/node/1569

Questions? muna.shalan@giz.de

Results of the Connective Cities Deep Dive process ‘Heat in the city’

Posted on by erik

How does your city deal with increasing heat? What can you do to protect the urban population from the impacts of heat burden in cities?

We would like to invite you to learn from the intensive exchange of expertise between the cities of Aswan in Egypt, Heidelberg and Lüdenscheid in Germany, Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya and Lviv in Ukraine. The experts jointly identified and analysed challenges and developed locally-adapted solutions in the form of pilots that were implemented in their respective cities. We would like to present and discuss the results of the two-year deep dive process ‘Heat in the city’ on 12 June 2025, from 9:00 – 12:00 am:

You will have the opportunity to ‘dive’ into the projects and understand which key elements are important for successful implementation and upscaling in the future. In Lüdenscheid, efforts began with forming a multi-departmental core team to guide the development of a comprehensive heat action plan tailored to the city’s needs. Meanwhile, in Aswan, an integrated heat action framework was developed to address the unique challenges of the region’s hot climate. In Mombasa, initiatives focused on raising awareness and mapping urban heat island hotspots to inform better both stakeholders and citizens. Similarly, in Nairobi, schools became the focus of heat mitigation efforts, using temperature data to guide the strategic planting of shade-providing fruit trees, complemented by awareness programs aimed at students and educators. Meanwhile in Lviv, the participatory initiative of pocket parks was successfully launched in three different sites. Heidelberg is planning both to create a climatological database for all public spaces and outdoor areas and to develop up to three best practice examples for urban heat mitigation in public spaces.

The event is aimed at municipal experts from Germany and around the world as well as at potential donors and financial institutions who may be interested in supporting the projects. We look forward to welcoming you!

The working language of the event is English. In order to attend the meeting, subscribe here.

For more information, please contact Sibylle Loyeau sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de

Empowering Communities: The Ripple Effect of Women’s Leadership

Posted on by erik

The initiative “Making My School More Beautiful,” led by five women elected for the municipal council of Yarmouk al-Jadida municipality in Jordan, showcases a successful model for promoting democracy and empowering girls through school parliaments. By collaborating closely with local communities, schools, and mothers, the project not only enhanced school environments but also fostered civic awareness and active participation among young women. Its structured approach offers a replicable framework for similar initiatives in other communities.

Celebrating Decentralized Cooperation and Heritage-Driven Tourism

Posted on by burkhard

On 20 March 2025, in honor of the International Day of Happiness, Connective Cities hosted an insightful session highlighting the transformative power of decentralized cooperation in advancing sustainable development. This session aligned with the global theme of happiness by fostering collaboration, cultural exchange, and community engagement—key pillars of thriving and cohesive societies.

The session explored how decentralized cooperation empowers municipalities to tackle shared challenges, drive innovation, and promote inclusive growth. Participants gained valuable insights from successful heritage-driven tourism strategies implemented in various municipalities, inspiring them to leverage partnerships for meaningful local and global impact.

The session opened with a heartfelt address by Ms. Barbara Baumbach (BMZ), who emphasized Connective Cities’ success in facilitating global exchanges of municipal expertise and supporting the development of locally-adapted solutions to urban challenges. This was followed by three engaging panel discussions featuring representatives from Battir and Brühl, Bethlehem and Madaba, and Nablus. These discussions showcased how municipalities and civil society effectively utilize local and international collaborations to create opportunities for societal, economic, and environmental progress.

 

Panel discussion of the partnership Brühl-Battir | Photo: Connective Cities

The panels addressed key topics such as:

  • Bridging communities through cooperation – success factors and challenges in decentralized cooperation
  • Revitalizing decentralized cooperation
  • Harnessing local stakeholder collaboration for sustainable tourism development

By drawing on international, regional, and local examples, the session demonstrated how municipalities can harness decentralized cooperation to foster sustainable tourism while balancing cultural preservation and economic growth. The discussions underscored the importance of engaging local communities and stakeholders, integrating academic contributions, and strengthening international partnerships to address global challenges effectively.

Master Presentation of the Insight Session on Connective Cities platform including the recording of the session for registered users (Arabic and German).

Author: Muna Shalan | Connective Cities

Impressions

Input from the Nablus Chamber of Commerce
nput from the Ministry of Tourism of Palestine
Input from media representatives from Nablus
Input from the academic community of Nablus
Twinning agreement between Bethlehem and Madaba
Commonalities between Bethlehem and Madaba

Together for a cleaner city: improvements in waste management

Posted on by erik

Dabola is a dynamic city in Guinea, with a population of 47,200. Located approximately 430 km from the capital Conakry, it is a vibrant hub for traditional agricultural activities, trade, and craftsmanship. However, the city faces significant challenges due to rapid population growth and inadequate waste management, which negatively impact public health and the environment. Insufficient infrastructure and the accumulation of waste in public spaces threaten the well-being of residents and the local ecosystem.

In response to these challenges, a partnership between Dabola and Dortmund was established in 2019, focusing on solid waste collection and treatment as well as environmental education.

Since August 2022, a local expert has been assisting the municipality of Dabola in developing a sustainable waste management system and strengthening the capacities of local actors.

The implementation of a waste management plan, developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, marked a significant turning point in Dabola. This initiative not only strengthened cooperation between the municipal administration and external actors but also established fruitful partnerships with private companies specializing in the field. As a result of these collaborative efforts, Dabola has seen a notable decrease in street waste.

Version française: Ensemble pour une ville plus propre: améliorations dans la gestion des déchets

Developing a municipal Geoinformation System

Posted on by erik

Beit Jala, situated on the western outskirts of Bethlehem in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, is a municipality of about 17,500 inhabitants. The town faces several challenges, including a lack of reliable spatial data and contemporary maps that eschews urban planning and development. For this reason, the municipality decided to develop a municipal Geographic Information System (EGIS), which helps to digitalize, update and use spatial data. This system serves as a tool for urban planning and development and a trigger for digital transformation. To implement this project, Beit Jala collaborates with the German city of Jena, with the aim to develop and strengthen and foster mutual technical cooperation between the two municipalities as well as working together to improve the GIS capabilities, as Jena can contribute knowledge and experience in municipal GIS development. From 2020 to 2024, a local expert supported the development of the municipal Enterprise GIS as well as the partnership between Beit Jala and Jena.

The development of an enterprise municipal Geoinformation system in Beit Jala has yielded specific and crucial lessons for future initiatives. One key insight is the imperative of an iterative approach, wherein projects are systematically broken down into manageable phases and where different synergies were created at both the local and international level.

Strengthening Risk-Informed Urban Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Posted on by erik

SADC Peer-to-Peer Learning Platform for Integrating Disaster Risk Management into Urban Planning and Development

The race against time to determine resilience-driven solutions to highly complex and existential urban disaster risk challenges is increasingly necessary more so in Africa. Projections point to the fact that by 2050, 90% of the global urbanization will be experienced in Africa and Asia. Despite Africa’s low contributions to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, the continent remains the most vulnerable to hazards and risk drivers like such as, but not limited to, climate change and (climate) variability. Evidently, Africa’s cities face exponential growth, unplanned urbanization trends and unfolding vulnerabilities threatening thus, to undo urban development gains. By 2050, most of the countries in the region will have made an urban transition, meaning that more than 50% of their population will live in urban areas, which are in turn, the cornerstone of Africa’s socio-economic development (IFRI 2022). As hubs of infrastructure, services, trade and people, cities are faced with one of the major urban threats in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), namely floods, subsequently challenging the continent’s socio-economic development ambitions. Urbanization is arguably an inevitable, unstoppable yet positive trend which nevertheless has the potential to greatly increase risk.

To incorporate integrated Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and climate change adaptation measures into multilateral and bilateral development cooperation programs – within and across all sectors -, Connective Cities (CC) and the Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA) have called the joint initiative on risk-informed urban development (RIUD) to enable peer to peer exchanges through a hybrid modular learning processes (LP). The LP focuses on strengthening risk-informed urban development by creating innovative solutions for flood risk management in urban systems situated in Sub-Sahara Africa with a focus in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region.

The LP enables the use of an agile, barrier-reduced learning and exchange platform for RIUD, which is used by regional, national, and local governmental and non-governmental actors. The modular and systemic approach of the LP for RIUD includes areas related to “Sustainable Urban Development” and “Good governance” facilitating the formation of new partnerships across vertical and horizontal scales for urban/regional resilience. Through the differentiated yet complementary political counterparts, between CC and RIA, the GIZ is able to ensure scalability and wide-spread transfer and communication of the results (i.e. RIUD SADC Publication).

To enhance resilience in southern African cities, CC and RIA developed a series of hybrid modular LPs (Live Events and virtual Insight Sessions) which focus on peer to peer exchange on integrated flood risk management in SADC as part of Sub-Sahara Africa.

The kick-off event in Windhoek, Namibia took place in April 2023 and marked the first round of the LEP by creating feedback loops to inform the development of context-specific, gender-equitable and climate-change-sensitive solution options directed at tackling urban flood risk challenges in both structural and non-structural terms. During the kick-off event, the peer-to-peer exchange was guided by initial thematic areas i.e: 1) Understanding and managing flood risk drivers, 2) Green infrastructure and nature-based approaches for risk-informed solutions, and 3) Risk communication flows and good governance.

Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP) – Phase 1

Posted on by erik

The Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP) aims to improve connectivity and mobility within the city while reducing flooding through structural and non-structural measures. As part of the project, 67 kilometres of rainwater channels were built. The focus was on training local government experts, solid waste management and urban greening initiatives.

However, the DMDP also became aware of various issues and challenges that the city faces in drainage management. These include the effects of climate change, such as flooding, storms, heat, drought and sea level rise, as well as an inadequate stormwater drainage system due to a lack of suitable corridors and space for retention basins. Unrestricted access to stormwater drains has led to misuse for sewage and waste disposal.

The effects of rapid urbanisation also had to be taken into account: Around 70 per cent of Dar es Salaam’s population lives in unplanned settlements, mostly in very exposed locations. Community involvement is crucial here: it can help build trust, ensure sustainability and promote ownership of flooding control projects. Cooperation and coordination between different stakeholders, including authorities, municipalities and other organisations involved in the project, as well as effective communication and coordination are essential.