Cities and Corridors - the importance of an urban perspective for harnessing the development potential of enhanced connectivity

The key aim of this networking event is to facilitate the discussion and exchanges of lessons and opportunities for enhancing the focus on cities and urban development in context of strategic corridors. Recent years have seen a strong resurgence in interest for investments in strategic corridors, e.g. exemplified with the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, launched in 2021, where a key element concerns the investments in a set of identified corridors in Africa. Global Gateway aims to invest in smart, clean and secure infrastructure in digital, energy and transport sectors, while bolstering health, education, and research systems globally.

The EU’s Global Gateway initiative seeks to mobilize up to €300 billion for sustainable projects bridging the investment gap in infrastructure. Central to the initiative in Africa is to facilitate the development of 12 transport corridors to enhance high potential value-chains and economic integration through regional connectivity and catalysed through investments at the local level.

While the initiative’s main focus is on transportation, enhanced connectivity, and trade facilitation, well-developed and functioning urban areas along the corridors will be central to harness the development potential of the corridors. From an urban perspective, particularly considering Africa's rapid and partially unplanned urbanisation, these corridors may exert substantial pressure on cities and local governments, creating both challenges and opportunities and changing economic dynamics within African countries.

Cities are playing a central role in shaping future consumption and production patterns, including the transition to more climate-friendly and resilient infrastructure, to more sustainable mobility, to less pollution and to a more responsible and efficient use of natural resources and ecosystems. To leverage the development potential when planning corridors and executing infrastructure projects through the Global Gateway initiative, it will be essential to include cities for a vision that works both for their communities and for the region as a whole.

This panel discussion will bring on different perspectives and experiences and discuss what development partners can improve, to better support partner countries on the continent and bring in critical investments into cities. As drivers, financiers and implementers in international development cooperation, the event organisers and panellists represent strong voices within the global development agenda. In particular the EU and its affiliated entities, as well as ODA-financing national governments and development banks, are potential key drivers for the future corridor’s partnerships. Their responsibilities include guidance and alignment for large public and private financial investments in Africa and globally, bringing synergies and identifying critical needs, including prioritising actions for the further development of transport corridors.