Connective Cities / MILE Learning Exchange & Practitioners’ Workshop

Re-thinking urban upgrading – The urban NEXUS approach to promote green and inclusive settlements Durban, June 21-23, 2016

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„ Re-thinking urban upgrading – The urban NEXUS approach to promote green and inclusive settlements “

Durban, South Africa

June 21-23, 2016

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

The Community of Practice for Sustainable Urban Development – Connective Cities – offers demand-

oriented services to facilitate worldwide networking among urban practitioners for practice-oriented

exchange of experiences, joint learning and the development of innovative urban projects in and

across urban sectors. Connective Cities is a professional network and interactive platform jointly

organized by the German Association of Cities, Engagement Global/ Service Agency Communities in

One World, and GIZ. The eThekwini Municipal Institute of Learning (MILE) supports African

municipalities with capacity and knowledge in order to be effective in the delivery of local

governments old and new core competencies. It serves as a platform for innovating, learning and

sharing with other municipalities, associations and networks, both locally and internationally.

Since 2014, Connective Cities has facilitated events in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and

Germany to foster dialogue and cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.

Compatible with the preparations to the UN Conference Habitat III and pursuing the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities to address

critical challenges of spatial and social inequalities, the platform organizes this workshop to enable

cities from Sub-Saharan Africa and from Germany to exchange experiences regarding urban

upgrading and renewal strategies which incorporate concepts of inclusive growth, green

infrastructure, and green technology. During the workshop the participants will be facilitated to

develop local action plans for urban upgrading approaches by applying the urban NEXUS approach.

Fragmented urban planning, environmental issues and social inequality pose challenges shared by

cities worldwide. Impacts related to climate change (e.g. flooding and heatwaves), demands for

energy efficient urban development and transport, and increasing social and spatial segregation are

faced by cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those challenges are further intensified by high urbanization

rates and lack of urban infrastructure to attend to the demand of growing populations.

To foster learning and cooperation between cities from the above-mentioned regions, Connective

Cities has devised a concept to support urban practitioners to re-think urban upgrading strategies in

order to identify the interconnectedness (NEXUS) between sectors and institutions for the successful

development of green infrastructure techniques and promotion of inclusive growth and green

technologies in urban upgrading.

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SUBJECT

The lack of adequately integrated urban planning in view of rapid population growth has resulted in

the increase of poverty, inequality and pollution in urban areas, preventing cities to achieve well-

being for all citizens in an inclusive manner and to promote resource efficient infrastructure and

more socially balanced economic growth.

In order to tackle these multi-sectorial challenges, it is important to break the “Silos-thinking”

paradigm and provide room to re-think the urban planning and management logic taking as an

opportunity the emerging NEXUS between sectors and institutional structures. To promote a shift in

paradigm, strategies for urban upgrading combined with measures to prevent inefficient urban

development shall be addressed.

Urban upgrading is about striking a balance between investing in areas that attract investment to the

city on a global level and in programs that foster citizens´ well-being and inclusion so they can reap

the benefits as well. In this sense upgrading interventions are opportunities to redefine the urban

logic, such as through the application of innovative infrastructure practices that stimulate the

balance between environmental protection and social demands, and the inclusion of marginalized

social groups.

The urban NEXUS approach will serve as a framework to identify linkages between urban

development actors and sectors, and to collect ideas to create innovative strategies and solutions to

efficiently use financial and environmental resources, adapted to the local context.

Based on that, the learning exchange and workshop organized by Connective Cities in cooperation

with MILE will foster the debate on the following topics

1) Integrated planning for green and inclusive urban upgrading: the challenges of developing and

sustaining inter-sectorial collaboration and citizen participation

2) Partnerships and financing models: finding synergies to promote sustainable and integrated

urban upgrading

3) Green building and infrastructure: innovative technologies, policies and design to deliver low-

cost and energy-efficient housing and services

4) Connecting with nature: strategies of spatial planning, public spaces and green infrastructure to

improve quality of life and social cohesion

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METHODOLOGY

The workshop methodology consists of three elements:

Exchange of good practices

In line with the proposed topics, the participants will present good practices from their home cities

illustrating application-oriented strategies for urban upgrading and green infrastructure. These

presentations will drive the exchange among participants and foster the discussion on the

preconditions, approaches, challenges and lessons learned. This part of the workshop allows

participants to have an overview of tested solutions for specific approaches in urban upgrading and

green infrastructure as well as to build on the analysis of successful factors. To supplement this step,

site visits to local projects will be organized.

Peer-to-peer advisory session

In the second step, participants from each city present main challenges and opportunities from their

particular context in regard to the planning and implementation of urban upgrading interventions. In

a peer-to-peer advisory session, participants will – among themselves – provide feedback, ideas and

remarks on the presented issues.

NEXUS action planning for urban upgrading

The third part of the workshop focuses on developing concrete action plans to improve performance

of cities in planning and implementing green and inclusive urban upgrading projects. Supported by

the urban NEXUS methodology, each group of participants from one city will define the objectives of

the urban upgrading strategy, the measures and steps to achieve these objectives and the

stakeholders needed to support those measures. Action plans will then be discussed, refined,

adapted or transformed among the whole group in a second peer-to-peer round.

Future collaboration

Eventually, participants will be given the opportunity to define and agree on their potential future

collaboration in the field of green and inclusive urban upgrading. Collaboration can include, for

instance, structured learning processes in the context of municipal “know how” exchange, virtual

working groups and up to partnerships between sub-Saharan African municipalities and German

cities to develop joint projects. Depending on demand and resources, collaboration can be facilitated

through Connective Cities:

- Structured learning: organization of bilateral or multi-lateral exchange and learning events,

such as study trips, thematic workshops, trainings, etc.

- Support for project development: facilitation of project proposal writing and access to

expertise (e.g. city mentoring, placement of experts, secondments) and advice on funding

opportunities.

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Day 1: 21 June 2016

Urban Practitioners’ Exchange on Good Practices in Urban Upgrading

As a first step, the workshop’s agenda will be introduced and participants are invited to introduce

themselves. Organizers will outline the framework for the workshop by discussing the main themes

and questions for the days ahead. In the afternoon, a number of participants is going to present

“Good Practices”, which illustrate application-oriented strategies in the field of Urban Upgrading.

Through an exchange among participants, preconditions, approaches, challenges and lessons

learned will be discussed.

Time Agenda Details

08:00 Arrival and registration of participants: Tea and coffee

SESSION 1 Official opening and keynote address

08:30 Welcome & introduction

Moderation: Mr. Aziz Jardine

Official opening of the learning exchange

Mr. Eric Apelgren; Head of International and Governance Relations

Message of support Dr. Mpilo Ngubane, Head of eThekwini Municipal Academy

Purpose and objectives of the exchange

Dr. Manfred Poppe, Connective Cities, GIZ

Presentation of Connective Cities Ms. Eva Prediger, Connective Cities, GIZ

09:30 Keynote: Urban upgrading in Sub-Saharan Africa

Mr. Luyanda Mpahlwa, Design Space Africa

10:00 Keynote: Urban upgrading in Germany Mr. Schilling, City of Bremen

10:30 Networking, tea and coffee break

11:00 Fishbowl discussion on emerging challenges and options for urban upgrading

SESSION 2 Good practices on urban upgrading

12:00 Gallery walk of good practices

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1) Integrated planning for green and inclusive urban upgrading

2) Partnerships and financing models

3) Green building and infrastructure

4) Connecting with nature

Upgraded slum, Upgraded people: A case of Kariobangi South Slum in Nairobi Kenya Mr. James Njoroge Gitau Kariobangi South Welfare and Slums Housing Association Nairobi, Kenya

Building inclusive partnerships Mrs. Emily Mohohlo Mrs. Ana Estevao South African Federation of the Urban & Rural Poor (FEDUP) – Shack/Slum Dwellers International South Africa

Lakehaven Social Housing Project

Mrs.Fadeya Ebrahin City of Durban Durban, South Africa

Increasing and maintaining the City’s green cover Mrs. Patricia K’Omudho Nairobi City County Government Nairobi, Kenya

Public participation in urban development Mr. James Otiende Nairobi City County Government Nairobi, Kenya

Examining and understanding the need for PPP in urban renewal and growth Mr. Joshua Maligwa City of Rusape Rusape, Zimbabwe

Energy efficient renewal of urban areas in Dortmund Mr. Michael Leischner City of Dortmund Dortmund, Germany

Community gardening in public space in downtown of Bremen Mr. Christian Schilling City of Bremen Mrs. Eva Kirschenmann Lucie-Flechtmann-Platz Bremen, Germany

The Social City Düsseldorf |Flingern/Oberbilk. An urban development promotion programme Mr. Matthias Herding City of Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany

Inclusive solid waste management in informal settlements through collaboration of city county with local communities: A Case of Kibera Slum, Nairobi-Kenya Mr. Alex Mugambi Kenyatta University Nairobi, Kenya

Incremental Services to Informal Settlements

Programme Mr. Faizal Seedat City of Durban Durban, South Africa

Socioeconomic sustainability and innovation program – Cornubia Development Mr. Musa Shabane Tongaat Hulett Developments City of Durban, South Africa

Citizen Participation in Urban Renewal- A case of “Girls Hostel” in Rimuka Kadoma Mr. Daniel Chirundu Kadoma City Council Kadoma, Zimbabwe

Integrated climate adaptation concept for the city of Hagen - reflecting partnership and financing - Mr. Fred Weber City of Hagen Hagen, Germany

Upgrading social housing to remove social inequalities Mr. Aaron Masembura Kadoma City Council Kadoma, Zimbabwe

Integrating river rehabilitation program in city master planning Mr. Walelegn Desalegn River, Riversides and Climate Change Adaptation Office Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Time Agenda Details

13:00 Lunch and networking

13:45 Practitioners’ corner: Presentation and discussion of good practices

15:00 Tea and coffee break

15:15 Continuation practitioners’ corner

16:00 – 17:00

Wrap up: Success factors and replication

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Day 2: 22 June 2016

Actual challenges in urban upgrading & peer-to-peer advisory

On the second day, participants will present and discuss actual challenges from their cities in small

groups. Afterwards, all participants - or peers - in the group will be invited to give their feedback,

ideas and remarks on the presented challenges. This peer-to-peer exchange, in which all participants

are considered as “experts”, serves to better understand and analyse the individual city contexts as

well as to identify first ideas addressing the issues presented. A set of questions will help to steer

discussions in an analytical manner in order to prepare for the subsequent action planning session.

Time Agenda Details

08:00 Arrival and registration: Tea and coffee

08:30 Welcome and recap of day 1

SESSION 3 Challenges in urban upgrading & peer-to-peer advisory

09:00 Keynote: Urban NEXUS approach Ms. Irina Velasco, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Africa Secretariat

09:45 Coffee break

10:00 Selection of actual challenges and peer-to-peer session (in small groups; 2 rounds)

12:30 Lunch and networking

Time Agenda Details

SESSION 4 Site visit: eThekwini municipal practices on urban upgrading

13:30 Departure to site visits

Cornubia (www.cornubia.co.za) Lindelani

Smangele Moloi, Project Manager, Human Settlements Unit, eThekwini Municipality

14:00 Arrival at Lindelani: In-situ upgrading project

14:30 Departure to Cornubia

15:00 Arrival at Cornubia

15:45 Departure to hotel

16:15 Arrival at hotel

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SESSION 5 Dinner and networking

18:45 Departure to dinner (meeting point: Lobby of Protea Edward Hotel)

19:00 – 21:30

Dinner at Moyo http://www.moyo.co.za/moyo-ushaka/

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Day 3: 23 June 2016

Urban NEXUS action planning to promote green and inclusive settlements

The third day of the workshop sets out to provide participants with a strategic vision and tangible

results towards improving urban upgrading actions in their cities. The urban nexus approach will

serve as basis for rethinking possible actions. An “action planning” process will be conducted which

is based on simple tools to analyse underlying issues and formulate pragmatic strategies. The session

includes methodological input for the whole group and intensive planning sessions in smaller

groups, which may be composed either topic-specific (e.g. addressing a specific component of urban

upgrading to the analysis of the previous day) or city-specific with a team from one or more cities.

Time Agenda Details

08:00 Arrival and registration: Tea and coffee

08:30 Welcome and recap of day 2

SESSION 6 Action planning

09:00 Input: Action planning tools

09:30 Identification of individual needs and opportunities for action planning

10:15 Coffee break

10:30 Working on individual municipal action plans to improve performance of green and inclusive urban upgrading strategies (continuation)

13:00 Lunch and networking

13:45 Presentation of action plans and feedback

15:00 Coffee break

SESSION 7 Wrap up, way forward, evaluation and closure

15:15 MILE video and presentation Sogen Moodley, Senior Manager, MILE, eThekwini Municipality

15:25 Prospects for further engagement with Connective Cities

16:00 Ideas and commitments for future collaboration

16:45 Vote of thanks Linda Mbonambi, Head of Area Based Management, eThekwini Municipality

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17:00 – 17:30

Wrap up, evaluation and closure

www.connective-cities.net

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