Initial Situation
The megatrend urbanization is a decisive factor of economic, political and socio-economic transformation processes, especially in Asia and Africa. Neighboring cities intensify linkages and interdependencies, both in a spatial and a functional dimension. Exchange and interaction between urban and rural areas take place in ever increasing numbers. Because of their various social and economic functions, the thus emerging metropolitan regions are of special importance for sustainable development processes in a national and international context. At the same time, they are facing development-, resource- and population pressure. Adequate governance structures, which are able to cope with the challenges faced by metropolitan regions, are, to a large extend, still in their infancy.
The complexity of metropolitan regions also holds new challenges for development cooperation; however, the development of appropriate concepts and strategies is still at an early stage. Thus far, there are only but a few initiatives, for example the project "Research for the Sustainable Development of Tomorrow’s Megacities" conducted by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), working groups organized by the international Metropolis City Network or by UN-Habitat that work on the subject systematically. In the German and international development cooperation metropolitan regions have thus far been merely treated as exceptions.
Aim
The Federal Ministry for Development and Economic Cooperation (BMZ) and its cooperation partners are provided a guiding orientation frame for empirically tested and action-oriented concepts and strategies for the sustainable and inclusive development of Metropolitan Regions.
Modes of Delivery
The Sector Project conducts analytic studies on defining the subject and related fields of action, creating an information basis on challenges and approaches as well as solid ground for strategic networking. By interlinking various relevant stakeholders, a development policy dialog and professional exchange are fostered.
Those experiences and findings gathered serve as an outset for formulating a guideline to support German Development Cooperation in prioritizing thematic and geographic areas for engagement. Findings are to be incorporated in a development policy dialog with partner countries and bi/multilateral organizations as well as in the design of cooperation projects. Results will inform the development strategies for the thematic area of sustainable urban development in German Development Cooperation, as well as the respective BMZ sector concept, the EU Urban Development Cooperation Strategy and the UN "New Urban Agenda" (UN Habitat III Conference, 2016).
Impact
As a new sector project in its first phase, the Sector Project's impact is only achieved on the lowest impact levels.
The short-term impact is that the BMZ and its partners are guided with regard to relevant challenges in metropolitan areas in partner countries as well as innovative fields of funding and engagement. Findings shall inform decision making processes for the future design of development cooperation measures in the field of urban and regional development.
The Sector Project assists the BMZ in its agenda setting by introducing innovative topics and concepts in cooperation with strategic partners (a.o. UN-Habitat, ICLEI, Cities Alliance, CDIA, METROPOLIS) and elaborates new concepts and consulting-approaches in pilot projects with partner countries.
The Sector Project systematically analyses existing experiences and approaches for the development in and with metropolitan regions. Furthermore, new concepts and instruments are developed, e.g. for the use of intersectoral strategies (Urban NEXUS Approach), new approaches for cooperating with the private sector (Corporate Urban Responsibility) and an advanced understanding of regional/metropolitan resilience.