The new regional learning process for Southeast Europe and the South Caucasus will kick off with a dialogue event in Tirana (16–18 June 2026). The focus will be on: “Planning for Municipal Resilience – Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure through Risk-Informed Development.”
The event brings together professionals from municipalities as well as municipal enterprises from nine countries: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine. Even ahead of the event, the learning process has attracted strong interest from municipal administrations and service providers, highlighting both the relevance of the topic and the growing pressure to act across the region.
Participating municipalities represent a wide range of sizes, structures and fields of municipal service delivery. These include, among others, Gjirokastër, Roskovec and Mat in Albania; Gavar and Noyemberyan in Armenia; Poti and Gori in Georgia; Drenas in Kosovo; Cetinje in Montenegro; Priboj and Kraljevo in Serbia; İznik in Türkiye; as well as Dnipro, Drohobych and in Ukraine. From Germany, participants include municipal representatives from the City of Leipzig as well as experts from Cologne’s municipal wastewater utility.
This diversity enables a highly practice-oriented exchange on different governance contexts, institutional frameworks and challenges in municipal development.
Starting point: Increasing risks to critical infrastructure
Municipalities are facing increasingly complex challenges: climate-related extreme events, rapid urbanisation, as well as technological and hybrid threats are intensifying the vulnerability of critical infrastructure such as energy, water, transport and IT systems.
At the same time, there is often a lack of structured opportunities to systematically exchange and further develop existing experiences and solutions. The learning process addresses this gap by combining municipal practice with a structured, application-oriented exchange.
Dialogue event in Tirana: From exchange to joint prioritisation
The dialogue event marks the starting point of the multi-phase learning process and lays the foundation for continued collaboration. Its objective is to deepen and compare existing risk and vulnerability analyses and to define initial priority areas for action.
The focus will be on:
exchanging existing risk and vulnerability assessments across municipalities
comparing different approaches through peer-to-peer learning
identifying key weaknesses in critical infrastructure systems
defining priority intervention areas and first concrete steps
In addition, remaining data gaps will be identified and approaches developed to address them throughout the learning process.
A structured learning process with a focus on implementation
The dialogue event is the first building block of a year-long learning process. It combines in-person formats with virtual exchange and aims to move from analysis to concrete implementation.
The methodological framework is based on an integrated approach to risk-informed municipal development, in which risk analysis is systematically embedded into planning and decision-making processes.
Tirana was deliberately chosen as the venue, as it exemplifies dynamic transformation processes in the region. The city provides an ideal setting to discuss challenges and solutions related to resilience and critical infrastructure in a practical and collaborative way.
The Connective Cities learning process on “Nature at the Heart of Urban Resilience” was officially launched through a three-day kick-off workshop held in Naivasha, Kenya from 21 to 23 April 2026, bringing together 20 municipalities and cities from across Sub-Saharan Africa and Germany, alongside over 40 urban practitioners, technical experts, and institutional partners.
The workshop marked the starting point of a longer-term engagement aimed at supporting local governments in translating their urban challenges into concrete, implementable solutions through structured peer exchange and technical support.
Cities at the Frontline: Climate Pressures and the Need for Nature-Based Solutions
Urban areas are increasingly where the impacts of climate change are most visible—and most intensely felt. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, cities and municipalities are facing a convergence of pressures: rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation, and growing exposure to climate risks such as flooding, drought, and heat stress. These pressures are not isolated; they interact in complex ways, amplifying vulnerabilities and placing strain on already limited infrastructure and institutional capacities.
At the same time, local governments are not passive actors. As highlighted in the opening of the workshop, they are at the forefront of both experiencing and addressing climate challenges.
Andreas Wolter, President of Climate Alliance and City Councilor of Cologne, emphasized the critical importance of ensuring that cities are actively represented in the global climate discourse, as municipalities are where climate impacts are most immediate and where solutions must ultimately be implemented.
Complementing this perspective, Dr. Nelson Maara, representing Nakuru County, highlighted the importance of preserving ecosystem services as a foundation for resilience, drawing on local experience to illustrate how the degradation of natural systems directly translates into increased urban vulnerability for climate-related risks.
Together, these perspectives reinforce a growing recognition that municipalities must play a stronger role in shaping climate action, as they are responsible for translating high-level commitments into practical, locally grounded solutions. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) offer a critical pathway—enabling cities to address environmental, social, and economic challenges simultaneously through the restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems. However, while the relevance of NbS is increasingly acknowledged, the ability to move from concept to implementation remains a complex issue. This is where the Connective Cities learning process plays a critical role, equipping municipal practitioners with the technical capacities and knowledge required through structured exchange formats.
From Exchange to Implementation: The Role of the Learning Process
The learning process is built on the principle that cities and municipalities learn most effectively when they engage directly with one another on real, shared challenges. Rather than focusing on abstract knowledge transfer, it creates a structured space for practitioners to jointly analyse their challenges, exchange experiences, and progressively develop reform measures—concrete actions or project concepts that can be taken forward within their local contexts.
Additionally, another key component of the Learning Process methodology is to strengthen the capacities of urban practitioners to design, plan, and advance these measures within their institutional environments. The peer-to-peer approach is particularly important given the diversity of participating municipalities, bringing together different governance structures, capacities, and experiences while highlighting that many of the underlying challenges are fundamentally shared.
The learning process is therefore not about transferring solutions from one context to another, but about enabling cities to adapt and refine ideas through dialogue, ensuring that they are both context relevant and practically implementable.
From Framing to Practice: Expert Inputs and Panel Insights
Building on the broader objectives and structure of the learning process, the kick-off workshop in Naivasha marked the first step in translating this approach for peer learning into practice. Over the course of three days, participating cities and municipalities engaged in a structured exchange that combined expert inputs, panel discussions, and peer learning sessions, allowing them to ground NbS in their own urban realities.
The expert inputs provided the theoretical basis for the participants to better understand the importance of NbS for sustainable municipal development:
Prof. Johanes Belle introduced NbS through the lens of ecosystem services, highlighting how natural systems provide essential functions such as flood regulation, water purification, and climate moderation.
In addition to their core infrastructural functions, Nature-Based Solutions also generate co-benefits, including improvements in psychological well-being of local residents, increased soil quality, and opportunities for job creation. By framing NbS in terms of these services, Dr. Belle underscored that ecosystems should be understood as functional infrastructure, central to urban resilience rather than peripheral environmental assets.
For example, wetlands and urban green spaces can absorb excess stormwater, reducing flood risk while simultaneously improving water quality in rapidly growing urban areas. This perspective was particularly relevant for participating cities, many of which are experiencing the direct consequences of ecosystem degradation in the form of increased flood risk, declining water quality, and heightened climate vulnerability.
The input from Deputy Mayor William Wolfgramm, from the City of Cologne’s Climate Department demonstrated how such concepts of NbS can be translated into practice within a structured comprehensive planning framework by presenting the City of Cologne’s ‘urban green space masterplan’. Drawing on concrete examples, the presentation showed how NbS are embedded within long-term planning instruments and supported through institutional coordination, data-driven analysis, and dedicated funding mechanisms.
Measures such as de-sealing urban surfaces, expanding green corridors, and promoting green roofs and rainwater retention systems illustrated how NbS can be systematically implemented at scale when anchored in governance structures, through long-term planning processes and through taking a ‘whole-of-society’ approach.
The panel discussion further reinforced this shift from concept to application. Drawing on experiences from cities that had previously engaged in similar processes, panelists demonstrated through experiences from previous Connective Cities learning processes how initial ideas developed through peer exchange can evolve into tangible outputs—whether through feasibility studies, planning instruments, or pilot interventions. The discussion highlighted various concrete lessons:
eThekwini (South Africa): Emphasised the importance of adopting an all-of-society approach to disaster risk management, bringing together local government departments, technical experts, and communities. Particular attention was given to strengthening communication channels with local populations and ensuring that NbS are embedded within long-term, city-wide programmes and institutional frameworks.
Abelkuma, Accra (Ghana): Highlighted the importance of breaking down institutional ‘silos’ and ensuring coordination across departments in the development of foundational instruments such as urban greening guidelines and implementation plans. The intervention further underscored the need to strengthen technical detailing, local ownership, and financing pathways in order to move from concept to implementation.
Berlin (Germany): Emphasised the importance of clearly scoping technical challenges, anchoring them within appropriate institutional frameworks, and establishing clear lines of accountability. They further highlighted how inclusive, participatory processes—bringing together multiple stakeholders, including local communities—can strengthen implementation, supported by robust control mechanisms such as data systems, continuous monitoring, and regulatory frameworks.
Lusaka (Zambia): Emphasised the critical role of data collection and feasibility studies in advancing projects from concept to implementation. They highlighted the importance of partnerships in mobilising financing and noted the value of city networks in providing technical support and facilitating access to funding opportunities.
Commonly shared among the panelists was the insight, that while ideas often originate through exchange, their success depends on strong ownership —both in terms of institutional anchoring and the involvement of all relevant stakeholders— alongside the ability to translate concepts into structured an financeable interventions.
Cities in Dialogue: From Individual Challenges to Shared Patterns
With these insights in mind, the workshop moved into the peer learning phase, where participating cities and municipalities began to unpack their own challenges in greater detail. To facilitate focused exchange, participants were organised into five moderated working groups:
Group 1: Babadjou (Cameroon), Méagui (Côte d’Ivoire), Natitingou (Benin), Commune de Nanga-Eboko (Cameroon)
Group 3: Tanga City (Tanzania), Köln (Germany), Mazabuka (Zambia), Ilemela (Tanzania)
Group 4: Embu (Kenya), Nakuru (Kenya), Mwanza (Tanzania), Tarkwa-Nsuaem (Ghana)
Group 5: Bosaso (Somalia), Sinda Town Council (Zambia), Kimberley (South Africa), Berlin (Germany)
Within these groups, municipalities presented their challenges, received peer feedback, and began refining possible directions for action. While the discussions initially reflected diverse local contexts, a clear pattern of shared challenges quickly emerged.
Across the groups, municipalities repeatedly highlighted issues related to ecosystem degradation, water management, waste systems, and rapid urbanisation. These challenges were often closely interconnected. For instance, inadequate waste management was identified as a key contributor to flooding, as blocked drainage systems exacerbate water accumulation during heavy rainfall. Similarly, unplanned urban expansion into wetlands and riverbanks was found to increase exposure to climate risks.This reinforced the understanding that urban challenges are not isolated, but rather systemic in nature, requiring integrated responses that address environmental, institutional, and social dimensions simultaneously.
As discussions progressed, cities began to move beyond describing their challenges and toward identifying more structured pathways forward.
From Challenges to Action: Peer Recommendations and Emerging Directions
Through structured peer exchange, participants worked to refine and prioritize potential solutions. Rather than introducing entirely new ideas, this process helped cities to clarify the thoughts broad to the workshop and translate broad concepts into more concrete directions.
Key recommendations emerging from the discussions included the need to strengthen the evidence base for planning, through baseline studies, risk assessments, and feasibility analyses. Cities were also encouraged to integrate NbS within urban planning and governance frameworks, ensuring that interventions are embedded within long-term strategies rather than implemented as isolated projects.
Another strong theme was the importance of community engagement and behavioral change, particularly in areas such as waste management and environmental protection. Many cities recognised that technical solutions alone would not be sufficient without local ownership and awareness building measures.
Finally, there was a clear emphasis on the need to move toward structured project development, including cost-benefit analysis, clearer project definition, and preparation for financing.
From Ideas to Implementation: What Comes Next
While the initial phases of the workshop focused on understanding challenges and identifying potential solutions, time was also dedicated to looking ahead within the year-long learning process. The emphasis shifted towards how these ideas can be further developed into implementable and financeable interventions.
To support this, inputs were provided by the City Climate Finance Gap Fund and the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA). Both initiatives outlined their approaches to supporting cities in developing climate projects, including their selection criteria, support mechanisms, and application processes. Emphasis was placed on the importance of strong technical preparation, clear project scope, and alignment with climate and development priorities.
These inputs directly responded to the needs expressed by cities, particularly in relation to moving beyond early-stage ideas and accessing financing. Building on this, the workshop concluded with a forward-looking exercise in which cities presented initial concepts for reform measures, beginning to articulate more concrete project ideas and potential pathways for implementation.
What the workshop demonstrated is that cities are not lacking solutions. Across contexts, there is already a strong foundation of ideas, experiences, and emerging practices. The key challenge lies in structuring these ideas, strengthening the enabling environment, and advancing them toward implementation.
The Connective Cities learning process provides a platform to do exactly that—turning exchange into collaboration, and collaboration into tangible action.
The Regional Renewable Energy for Cities Workshop, held from October 23-25, 2024, in Tunis, Tunisia, was organized by Connective Cities, RoAid, the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), and the City Climate Finance Gap Fund (Gap Fund). The event was part of the Renforcement de la Gouvernance Locale et Modernisation des Service Locaux (REMO) project by GIZ Tunisia due to its close collaboration with Tunisian municipalities, key partners in the project, as well as its partnership with the Ministry of the Interior.
The regional conference aimed to strengthen renewable energy initiatives in urban areas, provide technical expertise, and promote peer-to-peer learning among cities in North and West Africa.
Tunisian cities participating in the workshop demonstrate a strong commitment to improving citizens’ quality of life, enhancing safety, and reducing energy costs through investments in green energy solutions. Their priorities include public lighting using photovoltaic panels and sustainable energy operations for public buildings (e.g., health, education, recreation).
The goal of these cities, regardless of their size or character, is to become more attractive for residents, investors, and tourists by fostering sustainable development and creating a healthy environment.
Tunisian cities face several challenges in their transition to green energy systems. Key obstacles include:
limited access to non-reimbursable funding,
modest technical and financial preparation,
political-administrative constraints, and
a shortage of technical expertise in the environmental sector.
Despite these hurdles, opportunities exist for cities to access support through initiatives like The Gap Fund, which provides assistance for feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, and securing international financing. International development banks prioritize projects that emphasize environmental health, community well-being, and the adoption of green technologies, adding significant value to local populations.
With immense solar potential and a favorable modernization context, Tunisian cities must focus on collaboration with other municipalities or regions to secure larger-scale funding. Leveraging the expertise of institutions such as GIZ, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and other development banks is essential. Additionally, adopting proven, cost-effective solutions from successful global projects can help tailor efforts to their specific needs. By aligning their initiatives with international standards, Tunisian cities can accelerate their transition to sustainable green energy systems and ensure a healthier, more attractive environment for citizens, investors, and tourists alike.
Day 1: Focus on project preparation, financing, and expert presentations
The workshop began with a welcome address by Madame Samira Abidi, President of the Instance Générale de Prospective et d’Appui à la Décentralisation, Ministry of Interior, Tunisia. She emphasized the importance of supporting cities in their renewable energy efforts, highlighting that the Ministry has available funds to support projects. Madame Abidi stressed the need for combined funding opportunities to maximize impact and welcomed all participants to collaborate towards sustainable solutions.
Jelena Karamatijević (Connective Cities) introduced the objectives of the workshop, stressing the organization’s commitment to peer learning and knowledge exchange among cities. She also introduced Connective Cities as a global network facilitating collaboration and capacity-building to tackle sustainability challenges through urban innovation and energy efficiency projects.
Romanian city expertise and good practices
The technical sessions began with a presentation by RoAid, focusing on the experiences of Romanian cities and how they have overcome challenges similar to those faced by cities in Tunisia and other African countries. Romanian experts discussed specific examples of solar energy integration, smart grid technologies, and energy-efficient infrastructure. These insights were particularly relevant, as Romania’s urban energy projects closely align with those of the participating cities. Romanian cities demonstrated innovative urban solutions in solar street lighting, community-driven energy models, and energy-efficient public infrastructure.
Connective Cities co-organized the Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) that was held for the first time in Amman-Jordan. It aimed at generating insights and discussions to inform urban policies and strategies, fostering sustainable and inclusive urban development. Topics under focus were affordable/adequate housing, green infrastructure, and sustainable mobility. With representation from Jordanian and German municipalities, the Ministry of Transportation, NGOs, and academia, the UTC served as an inclusive forum for meaningful dialogue among urban researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, aimed at fostering constructive urban change.
Adopting innovative tourism strategies can help municipalities boost their economies and promote sustainable development. These strategies often focus on leveraging local culture, history, natural resources, and new technologies. Municipalities in the MENA region are capitalizing on their unique cultural, historical, and natural assets while incorporating modern technology and sustainability practices to attract a wide range of tourists. During an insight session held on the 9th September 2024, representatives of municipalities from Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia and Lebanon have learned about and discussed effective tourism promotion strategies. This session focused on two key areas, namely innovative tourism promotion strategies, improving existing tourism activities and sustainable tourism practices to prevent destination decline. Participants have learned about digital marketing techniques, methods for identifying and showcasing their unique selling points, and strategies for creating compelling tourism narratives that resonate with potential visitors. The session delved into effective collaboration strategies with local businesses and tour operators to create a cohesive tourism ecosystem.
A good practice example was presented by the secretary general of the municipality of Sidi Jedidi in Tunisia by sharing insights into the local touristic attractions and the promotion strategies they have implemented that included community engagement. Through story-telling, Nablus municipality representatives have engaged the participants in a captivating virtual visit to their city in Palestine. These presentations have sparked a lively discussion between the participants that included several elements of peer learning, particularly on the solutions developed as part of the working group which include:
Local handicraft protection and promotion policy – Al Aizariya Municipality, Palestine
Designing touristic trails and envisioning an eco-touristic village – Kufranja municipality, Jordan
Assisting and guiding Kfarmatta municipality (Lebanon) in establishing the rules of procedures for Al Hima zone and the establishment of a Local Development Office.
Tourism promotion Strategy in Nablus municipality, Palestine.
The continuation of the learning process on the topic of ‘Renewable energy options at municipal level’ brought together participants from six different countries in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Municipal experts worked on project ideas in various learning units and were able to expand their skills and improve the planning of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through peer-to-peer counselling.
The following project ideas were presented by the municipal representatives and further developed during the workshop:
Mostar and Sokolac: Development of sustainable financing concepts for the establishment and operation of energy community projects
Ceadir Lunga: Improving the energy efficiency of public buildings
Senaki: Implementation of energy-efficient technologies in municipal buildings
Priboj: Developing the use of solar energy in public buildings
The Working Group on Sustainable Low-Cost Housing for Sub-Saharan Africa held a successful kick-off workshop from June 4-6 in Windhoek, Namibia. This pivotal event brought together key stakeholders from across the region to address the pressing challenges of sustainable and affordable housing.
Graced by Namibia’s Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Hon. Erastus Uutoni, and other notable attendees, the workshop facilitated dynamic peer learning sessions among participating cities from Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The discussions focused on slum upgrading, funding mechanisms, and sustainable building technologies, with participants exchanging innovative solutions and best practices.
Notably, the workshop highlighted the importance of integrated planning and sustainable development, emphasizing the need for improved funding models, research into affordable building materials, and the expansion of social housing initiatives. The collaboration between cities, international organizations, and local institutions was a cornerstone of the event, ensuring a holistic approach to addressing the housing crisis.
The workshop is part of a working group for Renewable Energy Applications for Cities convened by Connective Cities in collaboration with the Romanian development agency RoAid.
Apart from the municipal experts and the Connective Cities team, the conference was graced by the attendance of Daniella Dobre (RoAid), Massimiliano Pedretti (Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania), and Dr. Tobias Godau (GIZ ProWaS – Water Security and Climate Resilience for Urban Areas in Tanzania.
The conference was a follow-up event of the kick-off workshop in Nairobi in 2023, focusing on the topic of Street Lighting and E-Mobility applications in the urban context.
Participants
The participant experts represented the cities of Nairobi, Kisumu and County of Baringo (Kenya), City of Kasungu (Malawi), Gulu city (Uganda), City of Dar es Salaam, City of Mwanza and City of Tanga (Tanzania). The Working Group is accompanied by the international representatives from the cities of Gersthofen (Germany), Slatina and Alba Luluia (both Romania).
Participating institutions were:
Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA)
Regional Administration and Local Government Tanzania (PO-RALG)
The City Climate Gap Fund (through the project support office of the Global Covenant of Mayors)
The African Development Bank (through the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department)
Ideas presented:
All ten cities presented their projects and received advice. All ten cities are familiar with the prerequisites for funding and have completed 70% of these requirements.
Kisumu, Kenya:
Improving electric mobility and street lighting in the city of Kisumu. Piloting a PPP model for the deployment of charging infrastructure for 2- and 3-wheel motorcycles.
Baringo, Kenya:
Solarization of a water pump that pumps water from Lake Baringo to a treatment plant in Kabernet town.
Gulu, Uganda:
Solarization of the main street of Gulu City.
Mwanza, Tanzania:
Solar Project on Ijinga Island generated from solar panels to operate water pumps that push water to a treatment tank. Fundraising stage, feasibility analysis completed already.
Nairobi: Energy efficiency and Solarization of markets. Target pilot projects: City Market, City Park Market, Kangundo Road Market and Gikomba Market. Energy audits for these sites have been carried out.
Dar es Salaam: Solar powered street lighting along market street incorporating solar power radio for the market and charging stations for three wheelers.
Tanga: The cites faces an ever-growing landfill. The city intends to undertake a waste to energy project. To begin, the city therefore aims to undertake waste value chain analysis. This will highlight the waste characteristics and the attendant calorific values.
Kasungu: The City of Kasungu presented a double challenge of deforestation due to the heavy usage of biofuels (firewood and charcoal) and the high cost of power for lighting the streets compounded by lack of such streetlights in many areas. The city therefore prioritizes for the project to prepare a solution for solar street lighting still integrated with the main grid for back-up.
Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA):The proposed project focuses on installing solar-powered streetlights to improve lighting in selected municipalities and cities in Malawi. This initiative aims to enhance the local business environment, improve security, and contribute to local economic development.
Targeted Municipalities: Kasungu, Karonga, Luchenza, Mangochi. Targeted Cities: Zomba City, another city to be determined.
Next Steps of the Working Group
In the journey to support the cities to develop solutions to their challenges, Connective Cities and RoAid plan to continue their support via:
Insight sessions and webinars: present emerging knowledge in short learning sessions.
Best practices: Publishing of innovative solutions of the collaborating cities.
Conferences / Workshops: to bring the city experts together to scale up peer to peer and associated learning.
Expert missions: will be availed to city experts with clear cases and inputs for experiential learning and exchange. This will include virtual formats where cities are connected according to relevance of needs.
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.
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, municipalities across Southeast Europe and the Caucasus are actively seeking innovative solutions to address their energy needs. In this context, Connective Cities facilitated two peer-to-peer exchange activities as part of a regional learning process on renewable energy options at the municipal level. These exchanges not only fostered collaboration but also provided valuable insights and inspiration for future projects. Let’s delve into these transformative experiences:
