Cities Platform

completed

Cities in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) face enormous infrastructure challenges as a result from rapid urbanization and the aging of municipal infrastructure currently in place. Cities are a major contributor to both a country's economic well-being, but also a significant source of Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The ECA Cities Platform will support cities to develop a larger pool of implementable and bankable high impact projects that will help cities to become more competitive and sustainable. The project aims to move cities from ad-hoc development of individual projects to the adoption of a more strategic approach to urban planning and infrastructure project development. Currently, many projects developed by cities are not fit for international financing by banks and fail to attract private sector investments. IFC will support selected cities throughout project planning and development and jointly develop at least six urban infrastructure projects in the areas of water and wastewater, public transport, district heating or solid waste treatment that will be appropriate for further financing and/or the development of public private partnerships.