The Participatory Development Program in Urban Areas (PDP) – Cairo (Egypt)

Context

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report concludes that most countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, including Egypt, are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Thus, the population and urban infrastructure are increasingly threatened. The inhabitants most vulnerable to these impacts are the poorest. In this context, the Participatory Urban Development Program (PDP), initiated in 2011, addresses the expected negative consequences of climate change for poor and informal urban areas in the Greater Cairo region.

The project

The programme is based on different levels: national, regional and local, but in particular promotes the participation of local communities in projects.

The programme is based on 4 themes, each of which involves a "participative approach":

1. Institutionalisation of the concepts, systems and practices promoted by the urban improvement programme.

Objectives:

• The methods and instruments of participatory urban development are more widespread and increasingly rooted in institutions.
• Development management of informal areas is improved through the application of participatory tools.

2. Adaptation to climate change and urban resilience.

• Developing a participatory and community-based adaptation strategy for poor areas of Greater Cairo in collaboration with national and local partners.
• Raise awareness of climate change adaptation and urban resilience among all local stakeholders (local residents, civil society, ministries, public bodies and local administration).
• Implementing small-scale development measures in poor areas in a participatory approach with local residents to strengthen their resilience to climate change and environmental challenges.

3. Solid waste management

• Establish an integrated, community-based solid waste management system in informal urban areas

4. Fund for the improvement of informal areas

Objectives:

• Achieve sustainable improvements in the living conditions of people living in informal urban areas, through new platforms for dialogue, better service delivery and greater collaboration between stakeholders.

Results

The Participatory Development Programme in Urban Areas (PDP) has successfully introduced the participatory process by changing perceptions and raising awareness among politicians, the media and other civil society organisations and actors within local communities in informal areas.

However, the programme ended in 2019 and has not been renewed.However, the programme ended in 2019 and has not been renewed.

Stakeholders

The PDP is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit Gmbh (GIZ, the German international cooperation agency), on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities (MOHUUC), and the three governorates of the Greater Cairo Region (GCR). It is financed by Europe.

Little Extra

A farm roof project in Matariya was included in the PDP.

This initiative sheet was produced by Oxana Ulatowski.

Last modification : 15 Jun 2023.