In 2025, Danida Fellowship Centre embarked on a three-year agreement to deliver capacity-development programmes for urban planners and municipal practitioners from cities across Africa.
Denmark supports the African Development Bank’s Urban and Municipal Development Fund through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As part of this support, Danida Fellowship Centre will deliver courses for municipal professionals.
The first cohort of 25 participants, representing eight cities in eight African countries, arrived in Copenhagen in October 2025 for the training programme “Sustainable Urban Development and Resilience – Local Climate Actions”. The programme is designed to strengthen strategic planning, foster cross-city networks, and lay the groundwork for collaborative solutions to complex urban challenges.
Accompanying the participants was the Urban and Municipal Development Fund coordinator Darline Tognia, who explained the rationale behind the programme:
“Urban development challenges are interconnected — planning, housing, water, waste, transport, jobs. Without a holistic approach, cities cannot thrive. Well-planned, inclusive, and resilient cities deliver essential services and opportunities for all, socially and economically.”
Read the article “The promise and pressure of Africa’s urban boom – Danida Fellowship Centre”.
The courses give participants practical tools to turn city assessments into projects ready for investment, while also strengthening skills in governance, financial management, and technical planning.
Watch the videos and read more about the participants’ take aways.
Over the next three years, the programme will among other things also cover “solid waste management”, “climate-resilient water cycle management”, and “transformative governance and leadership for municipal development”.
Through this collaboration, Danida Fellowship Centre supports African cities move from plans to action, building capacity for sustainable and inclusive urban development across the continent.
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