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International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development |
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 93, April 2026 |
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Dear Readers, “The future is not something to be foreseen, but something to be made possible,” wrote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1951 in his book The City in the Desert. Seventy-five years later, this statement has lost none of its relevance. Future viability remains a central objective of our learning processes and professional exchanges in recent weeks. We have engaged in in-depth discussions on how data can be efficiently collected and managed to support well-informed decisions in the transformation of urban mobility. In light of increasing floods and droughts, we have also launched a two-year Deep Dive on “water-resilient municipalities.” At the same time, in the MENA region, we are advancing urban climate action and improving quality of life through the development of green corridors as part of another learning process. During the kick-off workshop, initial shared priorities were defined, and innovative methods—such as AI-supported visualization—were used to develop concrete future scenarios for climate-resilient and more livable urban spaces. Sustainable local economic development is also placing a stronger focus on the economic resilience of municipalities. The potential of migrant skilled workers is significant—this became evident through the strong participation and lively discussions during our Insight Session. At the same time, it was clear that this potential can only be unlocked if migrant communities are recognized holistically, with all their needs taken seriously. A holistic understanding of personal potential will also be a key aspect of our next dialogue event, taking place from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Bremen, Germany. Under the title “Start-ups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Perspectives for Young People,” we warmly invite municipal experts, particularly from the fields of economic development, labour and social affairs, and youth work. We wish you an inspiring read!
Your Connective Cities Team | | |
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REVIEW |
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Shaping Mobility on a Sound Basis: Decisions Based on
Reliable Information |
Inspiration from the Professional Exchange on Mobility Data Management |
What does it take to make mobility in our municipalities more sustainable? New technologies? More funding? The will of the citizens? One answer: We need reliable information to make informed decisions that can bring about targeted changes. At the end of March, the participants of the learning process “Sustainable mobility – Combination of future-proof mobility forms” took the opportunity to discuss the topic of mobility data management. During the online exchange, a total of 5 municipalities presented concrete aspects of their mobility data management as a basis for transportation planning decisions. |
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Online Kick-Off for Municipal Water Resilience |
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Launch of our two-year international learning process “Deep Dive” |
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Many major cities are already experiencing severe water stress, and the global demand for water could significantly exceed the available supply by 2030. Water scarcity has long been an obstacle to development for countries in the Global South, but in the future, all regions worldwide will have to adapt to fluctuating water availability and growing conflicts over its use. Water is set to become the defining strategic resource of the 21st century. As part of our ‘Deep Dive’ on the topic of ‘Water-Resilient Municipalities’, we are bringing together experts from eight municipalities in Benin, Germany, Kenya, India, Serbia and Sri Lanka. Over a two-year period, they will discuss innovative approaches and develop and implement locally tailored solutions to their respective challenges. |
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INSIGHTS |
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| | Greater Climate Protection and Quality of Life: Green Corridors
in the MENA Region |
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Launch of the learning process “Green corridors in the city and its surroundings”
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The kick-off served as technical and methodological introduction to the learning process. The aim was to set initial thematic priorities, to make municipal challenges visible and to create a common basis for further cooperation. A central element of the kick-off was the joint AI visualization exercise on green corridors and green neighborhoods. Based on images from urban contexts in the participating cities, spatial development future scenarios for climate-resilient, greener and more usable urban spaces were developed – also serving as a methodological tool to stimulate discussions on the feasibility of green corridors. The discussions were enriched by practical examples from German and Egyptian cities. |
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| | Skilled Immigration and Migrant Entrepreneurship
for Local Economic Development |
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Connective Cities Insight Session: The Role of Municipalities at the Intersection of Migration and Urban Economic Promotion |
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Migration policy may be a national matter – however, its success or failure is also determined at the local level. Driven by this conviction, around 50 local government professionals came together for a virtual Insight Session organised by Connective Cities. Skilled immigration offers great potential for all parties – provided the conditions are fair. Migrant entrepreneurship is also of interest, since it in turn creates jobs. Practical approaches and lively discussion during the Insight Session clearly demonstrated that local governments can play a crucial role in helping the economic potential of migration to be realized at the local level. |
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OUTLOOK |
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| | Startups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects
for Young People |
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Call for Participation for Municipal Experts to a Dialogue Event
from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Bremen |
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Do you support the startup scene in your municipality? What opportunities do you offer young people in the job market? What challenges do you face in your work? The city of Bremen is already well-connected on this topic—including internationally. Now, in cooperation with Connective Cities, the city invites you to join five other German and six international municipalities in Bremen to exchange expertise on startup initiatives and incubators, as well as municipal incentives and support programs for startups and new businesses. We look forward to the participation of two experts from your municipality, particularly from the fields of economic development, labour and social affairs, or youth work. Application deadline: 26 April 2026 |
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Engagement Global gGmbH
Service Agency Communities in One World
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Contact: Sibylle Loyeau
Email: sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Contact: Ricarda Meissner
Email: ricarda.meissner@giz.de |
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