About Us
The Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) is a trust fund hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB), which provides direct support to cities, to mobilise funding and technical assistance, develop partnerships, city engagement, project identification and investment. Find us on the AfDB website.
The UMDF through its African Cities Program and Project Preparation Window works in different and complementary upstream phases of a typical project development cycle, and in a “midstream” phase together with AfDB operational departments.
UMDF Priority Areas
The UMDF supports inclusive decision-making processes in partner cities. The UMDF also supports partner local and national governments in improving their financial governance so they can invest in sustainable urban development.
The UMDF supports investment-oriented action planning to develop or update integrated urban and sector plans. The goal is to develop medium- to long-term approaches for more inclusive, climate-resilient, liveable and productive African cities.
The UMDF supports local and national governments in infrastructure and service delivery investments that directly and measurably lead to inclusive and sustainable urban development. Further, the UMDF provides financial and technical assistance for urban project identification, preparation, financial structuring and implementation.
The UMDF supports cities to address climate-related challenges, by identifying opportunities for adaptation and resilience building. In so doing, the UMDF also supports the African Development Bank Group in its efforts to bring adaptation investments to bankability.
Promoting the participation of women and marginalized groups in urban planning, in governance. Promoting equal access for all to resilient infrastructure, basic services and training opportunities.
For climate resilient, liveable and productive cities
The African Development Bank launched the Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) in 2019 to support the Banks engagement in and with cities. The Fund is responding to continuously growing demand from countries and cities to the Bank for supporting urban development.
For Africa to build transformative cities, the Bank supports countries’ and cities’ capacity to improve governance and financial management, improve urban planning, and invest more in resilient infrastructure and essential services.
The African Development Bank launched the Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) in 2019 to support the Banks engagement in and with cities. The Fund is responding to continuously growing demand from countries and cities to the Bank for supporting urban development.
For Africa to build transformative cities, the Bank supports countries’ and cities’ capacity to improve governance and financial management, improve urban planning, and invest more in resilient infrastructure and essential services.
Funding and Governance
The Fund is governed by an Oversight Committee (OC) that provides strategic and financial direction. The OC consists of the Bank management and our donors. The current OC is chaired by Switzerland.
We are grateful for the financial support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, and the Wallonia Export and Investment Agency (AWEX).
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In 2023, for the extension of the UMDF mission for five more years, the Fund registered important progress in terms of fundings, with global contributors commitments jumping from USD 5.3 millions to USD 50.7 millions. Between December 2022 and December 2023, the NDF contribution increased from USD 4.5 million to USD 9.9 million, while the SECO contribution rose from USD 200,000 to USD 3.8 million, and two new important contributors joined the Fund:
- the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved a donation of USD 32 million (DKK 220 million), of which USD 8.4 million were disbursed to the Fund in December 2023.
- the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise unlocked a 5.25 millions envelope
The Fund is governed by an Oversight Committee (OC) that provides strategic and financial direction. The OC consists of the Bank management and our donors. The current OC is chaired by Switzerland.
We are grateful for the financial support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, and the Wallonia Export and Investment Agency (AWEX).
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In 2023, for the extension of the UMDF mission for five more years, the Fund registered important progress in terms of fundings, with global contributors commitments jumping from USD 5.3 millions to USD 50.7 millions. Between December 2022 and December 2023, the NDF contribution increased from USD 4.5 million to USD 9.9 million, while the SECO contribution rose from USD 200,000 to USD 3.8 million, and two new important contributors joined the Fund:
- the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved a donation of USD 32 million (DKK 220 million), of which USD 8.4 million were disbursed to the Fund in December 2023.
- the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise unlocked a 5.25 millions envelope
To submit a funding request, we encourage you to contact us
Urban and Municipal Development Fund
African Development Bank
CCIA Building | Avenue Jean Paul II, Plateau 01
Box 01 1387 | Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire