A new multi-million program to support green cities and develop resilient infrastructure in low-income countries. Expertise and technical support from across the UK government will drive innovation and sustainable economic growth. Zambia, Tanzania and Bangladesh are among the many countries to benefit.
A new £48 million program to improve infrastructure in low-income countries was launched today (Wednesday 25 October) by Andrew Mitchell, Minister for Development and Africa, at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels.
The £48 million Green Cities Infrastructure Program (GCIP), drawing on the expertise of the UK Government and the private sector, will deliver low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure to help cities in low-income countries become hubs of innovation while driving sustainable economic growth.
Examples include:
In Zambia, in cooperation with the United States and the European Union, the program will provide technical assistance to reduce the cost of transporting goods through the Lobito Corridor to Angola and create new development opportunities. For example, in Tanzania we will support infrastructure for processing raw materials, including food. In Dar es Salaam, it will improve waste management and in Bangladesh, it will help cities become more resilient to climate change. Building on Transport for London’s expertise to improve traffic management and reduce pollution across major cities.
Andrew Mitchell, Minister for Development and Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), said:
The Green Cities Infrastructure Program will help low-income countries close infrastructure gaps, create resilience to climate change, support sustainable growth and reduce poverty by making UK expertise more accessible. The impact will be transformative.
The £48m investment is part of the UK’s contribution to the G7 Global Partnership for Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), a joint commitment to mobilize up to $600bn (about £495bn) by the end of 2027 to reduce the infrastructure and investment gap in low-income countries.
GCIP delivery will be delivered through the FCDO’s Center of Expertise in Green Cities and Infrastructure, which provides coordinated UK support for better urban planning and climate-resilient infrastructure projects.
It will work closely with the British Investment Partnership (BIP), which brings together the full range of the UK Government’s development and investment propositions, including development finance, export finance, capital market mobilization and UK technical expertise.
The announcement comes as the UK prepares to host the UK-Africa Investment Summit next year and is part of wider plans to strengthen the UK-Africa partnership to create jobs and boost growth.
background
The Global Gateway Forum will bring together representatives of the European Union and governments from around the world, as well as the private sector, civil society, leading thinkers, financial institutions and international organizations for a two-day event in Brussels on 25 and 26 October 2023. The Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership was agreed at the Carbis Bay Summit in June 2021 to reduce the infrastructure investment gap in low- and middle-income countries. The Prime Minister confirmed in May that the UK aims to mobilize $40 billion for sustainable infrastructure investment and economic development by the end of 2027. The UK Investment Partnership was launched as part of the UK International Development Strategy, published in May 2022, to build on the UK’s financial expertise and the strength of the City of London to deliver honest and reliable investment and support the sustainable growth of partner countries’ economies. The UK will host the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London. From 23rd to 24th April 2024, Heads of State and Government from 25 African countries, as well as British and African business leaders, will come together. It aims to strengthen the UK-Africa partnership and create jobs and growth. Supporting UK and African talent in sectors such as finance and technology. Promote women entrepreneurs
