Kenyan cities have been encouraged to apply for the funding/XINHUA-File
This follows plans by the Rockefeller Foundation to modernise 100 cities worldwide to be resilient over the next three years.
The foundation will select 100 cities to become a part of the 100 Resilient Cities Networks and provide them with access to the technical expertise and resources needed to create and implement resilience strategies on a city-wide scale.
Speaking while making the announcement in Nairobi, the Rockefeller Foundation Managing Director Africa Mamadou Bitiye said that it is important that urban centres are able to withstand shocks and stresses – natural, climate-driven and man-made and bounce back more quickly.
“With 75 percent of people expected to live in the cities by 2050, we look forward to applying our expertise and investment to help more cities weather and emerge stronger for the challenges of our 21st century world,” he said.
Cities will be judged on a range of criteria including how well they will address the specific needs of poor or vulnerable people inside their municipality.
He urged Kenyan cities to apply for the funding.
If Kenyan cities are selected, they will receive support to create a resilience plan, along with tools and resources for implementation and support to hire or fund a Chief Resilience Officer in their city to oversee the development of a resilience strategy.
“They will also receive membership in the 100 Resilience Cities Networks which will provide support to member cities and share new knowledge and resilience best practices,” he said.
To apply, municipal government leaders and major institutions can submit an application on behalf of their city with a letter of support from the senior-most representative of their city’s government.
“We would like to see Kenyan cities committed to work to build resilience, whether they are very well advanced or at the beginning, the commitment has to be there,” he explained.
Bitiye said the selection will be inclusive of all types of cities from small cities, medium sized cities all the way to big cities.
Only one entry from each city will be eligible for consideration in the challenge and the deadline for registering for the challenge is September 23, 2013.
