Cities Alliance Donor Coordination - 24 March 2011

24 March 2011

Dear Consultative Group Members,

The Secretariat is pleased to provide an update on Cities Alliance proposals that have been processed since our last Update of 4 March 2011.

I am pleased to share with you the following proposals recommended for approval:

"Supporting Africa’s Urban Transition", which was previously circulated on the 4th March, is the first phase of a proposed multi-year Joint Work programme with the Africa Region of the World Bank (AFTUW).

This proposal, and the prioritisation of Africa, was also discussed on the first day of our recent EXCO meeting in Washington DC. We subsequently received responses and comments from Sweden, Germany, France, UN-Habitat and UCLGA. We have attempted to respond to most, if not all, of these comments in the revised proposal, showing the alterations in tracked changes. Although the CG meeting in Mexico City approved the first $500,000 of this programme, I am resubmitting the revised proposal for your final consideration and formal approval by the 7th April, on a no-objection basis.

This Joint Work programme with the World Bank is an important and significant first-step towards the creation of a larger Cities Alliance Work Programme for Africa, which will respond to the very clear decision of the Consultative Group for a new focus on Africa.

I wish to re-emphasise that we envisage similar arrangements with other members of the Cities Alliance through which we will build upon, consolidate and expand their engagement in Africa, and strengthen their partnerships with other members, and new partners. To a large extent, this will require the very active facilitation by the Secretariat, as envisaged in the now roles identified in the Charter adopted in Mexico City.

I would also like to bring to your attention a large and significant package of proposals which will bring an overdue and welcome focus to the Pacific Region in the work programme of the Cities Alliance. These have largely developed by UN-Habitat's Fukuoaka Office, and include: "Fiji’s City Development Strategy and Settlement Upgrading Programme", " Papua New Guinea Settlement Upgrading Programme ", " Samoa City Development Strategy Programme " and the " Regional Institutional Strengthening and Knowledge Management Support to Pacific Island Countries to Strengthen Implementation of the Pacific Urban Agenda under the Pacific Plan ." This is also the final batch that will be processed from the grant-making facility, the closure of which was signalled just over a year ago. These proposals will also be considered approved on a no-objection basis on the 7th April 2011.

I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight and share with you, for the purposes of donor coordination, the following two proposals: , " Strengthening of the Vietnam Urban Forum (VUF) and Operationalizing the National Urban Upgrading Program (NUUP) " which is part of the Vietnam LSC Country Programme, and which will involve a number of CA members and partners, not all of whom are currently reflected in the proposal, and the "Global City Indicators Facility", which has already attracted a number of our members as partners, and which seems destined to become the pre-eminent indicators facility. We would welcome any early feedback or suggestions you or your country-based colleagues might wish to bring to our attention and would ask that comments be sent by 7th April 2011.

Please be advised that for ease of access, all Proposal Updates are routinely posted on the members page of our website -- accessible through "Members Login" at http://www.citiesalliance.org. Kindly please create a personal login to access the Cities Alliance Members Home Page.

With my best wishes,

William Cobbett
Manager
Cities Alliance
1818H Street, NW
Washington DC
20433
USA

Cities Alliance Proposals Update, Donor Coordination - 24 March 2011

I. Proposals for Final Approval
II. Proposals for Donor Coordination
III. Approved Proposals

I. Proposals for Final Approval
These proposals will be considered approved on 7 April 2011, on a no-objection basis

1. Supporting Africa’s Urban Transition
Proposal type: Joint Work Programme
Request to CA: $920,000
Submitted by: World Bank - Africa Urban and Water Unit
CA Member Sponsor: World Bank

2. Fiji’s City Development Strategy and Settlement Upgrading Programme
Proposal type: Both
Request to CA: $ 350,500
Submitted by: Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment, Fiji Local Government Association
CA Member Sponsor: UN-HABITAT, (Asian Coalition for Housing Rights)

3. Papua New Guinea Settlement Upgrading Programme
Proposal type: Slum Upgrading
Request to CA: $ 350,000
Submitted by: Office of Urbanisation, Papua New Guinea Urban Local Level Government Association (PNGULLGA),
National Capital District Commission (NCDC), Goroka City Council
CA Member Sponsor: UN-HABITAT, World Bank, European Union, (ADB, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights, UNDP)

4. Samoa City Development Strategy Programme
Proposal type: City Development Strategy
Request to CA: $ 237,000
Submitted by: Planning and Urban Management Agency (PUMA), Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology
CA Member Sponsor: UN-HABITAT, EC Delegation to the Pacific, World Bank, (ADB, UNDP)

5. Regional Institutional Strengthening and Knowledge Management Support to Pacific Island Countries to Strengthen Implementation of the Pacific Urban Agenda under the Pacific Plan
Proposal type: Both
Request to CA: $ 349, 600
Submitted by: Pacific Islands Planners Association (PIPA), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), UN ESCAP - Pacific Office (EPO)
CA Member Sponsor: UN-HABITAT, World Bank, (ADB, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights)

II. Proposals for Donor Coordination
Comments, if any, are due back to the Secretariat by, 7 April 2011

1. Strengthening of the Vietnam Urban Forum (VUF) and Operationalizing the National Urban Upgrading Program (NUUP)
Proposal type: Slum Upgrading; Vietnam Country Programme
Request to CA: $500,000 (Gates Foundation Grant)
Submitted by: Urban Development Agency, Ministry of Construction
CA Member Sponsor: World Bank, GIZ

2. Global City Indicators Facility
Proposal type: Both
Request to CA: $100,000
Submitted by: Global City Indicators Facility
CA Member Sponsor: World Bank, (IADB)

III. Approved Proposals

1. Improving and Expanding Sanitation in Greater Accra Workshop (31 January 2011)
Proposal type: Ghana Country Programme
Request to CA: $52,000 (Gates Foundation Grant)
Submitted by: World Bank
CA Member Sponsor: World Bank