Outline of the Project

Project Name

The Project for the Operationalisation of Urban Master Plan in Greater Abidjan

Subject

Urban/Regional Development

Country

THE REPUBLIC OF CÔTE D'IVOIRE

Date R/D Signed

October 30, 2020

Term of Cooperation

Jun. 07, 2021 to Jun. 06, 2024

Implementing Organization

Ministry of Construction, Housing and Urbanism (MCLU)

Background

The former capital of Côte d'Ivoire, the city of Abidjan is the country's largest city and industrial and economic centre, with a population of approximately 5.05 million (National Statistical Institute, from 2014 census), or 1/4 of the country's total population, and nearly 80% of an intra-regional production of the country's formal economy (World Bank, 2018). It has the largest port in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, the Autonomous Port of Abidjan (2018, by bulk cargo volume / from the Autonomous Port of Abidjan (PAA) Activity Report), and is the starting point of a transport network of highways, railways and airports connecting it to other cities in other countries, as well as a gateway to landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso and It also plays an important role as a part of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, which leads to Ghana, Togo, Nigeria and other coastal countries.

Since 1928, Abidjan has undergone several rounds of planning in response to the city's growth, and much of the city's infrastructure, including roads, railways and ports, was built during the period of rapid 8% economic growth per year in the 1960s and 1970s, known as the 'ivory miracle'. However, due to the long-standing political crisis and domestic fragmentation in the country between 1999 and 2011, the population grew rapidly without planned investment in infrastructure and urban development (1998: 3.38 million → 2014: 5.05 million*1, all according to the census), resulting in uncontrolled expansion of urban areas, ageing various infrastructure, decreased level of services, capacity shortages, etc. Furthermore, since the end of the political crisis, the country is recovering with an annual economic growth of nearly 7% and an annual population growth rate of approximately 2.5%, and Global Cities Institute (2014) suggests that the population of Abidjan City will double to 10.71 million by 2050. In order to cope with these changes, the city needs to increase the efficiency of transport and urban utility service provision (water, sewerage, waste collection, etc.) and form an urban structure with a low environmental burden while accommodating a rapidly growing population.

Between 2013 and 2015, JICA implemented a master plan project, known as "The project for the development of the urban master plan in greater Abidjan (Schéma Directeur d'Urbanisme de Grand Abidjan: SDUGA)", with the target year of 2030. The project supported the development of an urban master plan and an urban transport master plan for the Autonomous Region of Abidjan including the 13 municipalities and the six surrounding municipalities/counties). The master plans (hereinafter referred to as 'SDUGA') were widely used by government and donor agencies after receiving government approval in 2016, leading to the realisation of many of the priority projects in the proposed urban transport sector.

On the other hand, several challenges have emerged in the process of urban development in line with the SDUGA. First, a cross-organisational coordination mechanism is absent at the overall planning level: the SDUGA recommends the establishment of a planning management structure involving central ministries, provinces, municipalities and others involved in implementation, but this has not been achieved even four years after the SDUGA was approved by the Government. For this reason, the SDUGA considered sectoral spatial planning for land use and transport, but further coordination with other urban infrastructure sectors (water, sewerage, waste, etc.) in terms of network and facility layout planning is required. Secondly, the legislation, organisation, planning, implementation programmes, etc. required to realise the metropolitan area development policy presented in the SDUGA and district-specific concepts at the concrete district level have not been considered and developed. Although there are prospects for cooperation by other donors in the formulation of detailed urban plans (PUd; Plan d'Urbanisme détaillé), which are the basis for development permits, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning (hereafter MCLU) is currently the development permit authority and will be responsible for sustainable urban development management. From the perspective of sustainable urban development management, there is a need to improve and strengthen urban development management, including cooperation with local authorities and the division of roles. In addition, although the ongoing PUd formulation process is led by the public administration, coordination with stakeholders including residents is essential to improve the effectiveness of the formulated plans. Thirdly, in the urban transport sector, priority projects presented in the SDUGA are being realised faster than envisaged when the master plan was drawn up, such as the decision to provide financial support for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which are trunk transport networks. The updating of priority projects, including the updating of transport network plans, is required to further promote implementation. In addition to the expansion of transport infrastructure, there is also a new need to improve the convenience and services of the entire public transport network, including the coordination and connection of multiple public transport systems.

The project will provide cooperation requested by the MCLU to JICA, which supported the formulation of the structure to promote and monitor the implementation of urban development in line with the SDUGA, the formulation of district-level plans and updating the urban transport master plan. A detailed planning study was conducted and a Record of Discussions (R/D), a basic agreement on the project framework, implementation system and matters to be borne by both parties, was signed in late October.

The Overall Goal

SDUGA-based sustainable urban development is promoted in the Greater Abidjan region under the SDUGA implementation facilitation and planning management mechanism.

Project Purpose

Capacity for efficient implementation of SDUGAs is strengthened and sustainable urban development is promoted.

Outputs

Outcome 1: SDUGA Implementation Facilitation and Monitoring Committee structures are established to ensure coordination and alignment with key urban infrastructure sector plans.

Outcome 2: The effectiveness of urban development management at district level for SDUGA implementation is enhanced.

Outcome 3: Urban transport plans are reviewed and updated to improve public transport convenience and accessibility.

Project Activities

Activity 1-1:	Establishment of a structure for the SDUGA Implementation Promotion and Monitoring Committee
Activity 1-2:	Support for the development of an implementation programme for SDUGA throughout the Greater Abidjan region
Activity 1-3:	Coordination and integration of SDUGA with other urban infrastructure sector plans (water supply, drainage, waste, etc.) in terms of land use and spatial planning
Activity 1-4:	Update SDUGAs in line with the transformation of the socio-economic framework and urban expansion
Activity 2-1:	Review of the process, content and implementation measures of the developed PUd
Activity 2-2:	Review and make recommendations on methods and schemes to strengthen the effectiveness of the PUd.
Activity 3-1:	Review and update SDUGA urban transport plans
Activity 3-2:	Update of priority projects in the field of urban transport in SDUGA
Activity 3-3:	Capacity building for data use in urban transport administration
Activity 3-4:	Activities on improving public transport operations (provisional)

Inputs
[Japanese side]

1. Expert dispatch (urban planning/urban transport/urban environmental infrastructure/organisational capacity development, etc.)
2. Training (Japan/third country)
3. Provision of equipment

Inputs
[Côte d'Ivoire side]

1. Assignment of counterpart personnel
2. Securing the expert's office (including electricity, water, internet access and furniture for the office).