Capacity development for localizing the 2030 Agenda, peer learning on local strategic development plans, and pragmatic solutions to overcome challenges that hinder the localization of the SDGs were the focus of the workshop. Field visits to successfully implemented good practice projects complemented the agenda.

In Garowe, Somalia, Connective Cities supports the implementation of a bottom-up and climate-sensitive urban development approach. In a training session, local government representatives from Somalia and Kenya learned how to design integrated climate action plans that focus on key areas such as waste management, mobility, green space, and water use.

At the roundtable event Connective Cities brought together essential public and private stakeholders. The highly engaged discussions highlighted a range of opportunities, from better understanding of energy policies, diversification, and use of alternative energy sources, and solar feed-in tariffs, waste-to-energy conversion, solar powered water pumps, e-mobility services, to Kenya's great potential for the production of green hydrogen.

The kick-off event in Windhoek was an important milestone for cities and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Urban practitioners from different municipalities came together to develop locally adapted solutions for sustainable urban development with a focus on flood risk management.

With the Ruhr, Volme, Lenne, and Ennepe, four rivers flow through the urban area of Hagen. As a result, large parts of the city are at risk of flooding, especially during heavy rain events. As part of a pilot project, specially developed, innovative tree trenches are now being planted. They are intended to make the city safer, more climate-resilient, and therefore more liveable.

The city of Heidelberg is intensifying its cooperation with the approximately 200 university and research institutions located on site. A regular exchange between politics, administration and science benefits everyone: the scientific institutes, researchers and students as well as the city, which continues to develop as a livable international science location.

Closer cooperation between municipalities and scientific institutions offers both sides great potential for development, which has often not yet been fully exploited. At the invitation of the city of Heidelberg and Connective Cities, participants from Germany, Jordan, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia, Tanzania, France, Congo (DRC), and the Ukraine came together to discuss this topic. The documentation summarizes the essential findings.

Within the framework of the funding instrument "Sustainable Municipal Development through Partnership Projects" (Nakopa), the Service Agency Communities in One World (SKEW) offers support for municipal partnership projects and supports projects with up to 250,000 euros. Applications can be submitted by 30 September 2023 and must be submitted by the German partner municipality.