Representatives of 11 African cities have begun a visit to two Scandinavian cities to learn about people-centred solutions to urban planning and development.

This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Communication and External Relations Department of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The statement said the four-day trip to Copenhagen and Malmö, Sweden, was sponsored by the Urban and Municipal Development Fund, hosted by the AfDB.

Representatives include officials from Marrakech, Morocco; Bizerte and Tunis, Tunisia; Dodoma, Tanzania; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Libreville, Gabon; Bangui, Central African Republic; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Kanifing, Nairobi; Gambia; and Douala, Cameroon.

The cities are also partners of the fund.

Ole Stubdrup, a project manager with the Urban and Municipal Development Fund, said African municipalities and those of Northern Europe faced comparable problems.

“This visit should be a source of inspiration for the participants and foster ideas for specific urban infrastructure investments,” he said.

The Mayor of Dodoma, Davis Mwamfupe, said the trip was an opportunity to share experiences and consolidate a network of reform-oriented cities.

“It also paves the way for future projects in our respective cities, as we meet with potential partners and investors,” Mwamfupe said.

This visit should be a source of inspiration for the participants and foster ideas for specific urban infrastructure investments.

They would also have the opportunity to engage with decision-makers and municipal officials from Copenhagen and Malmo.

According to the statement, both cities are recognised for their pioneering approaches to balancing sustainable development with quality of life.

The Urban and Municipal Development Fund aims to improve urban quality of life and attract investment for infrastructure by strengthening cities’ technical capacity and planning functions.

The fund’s approach integrates economic, social and environmental factors.