JUBA, June 9, 2026 — The World Bank Group, in partnership with the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, today launched the South Sudan Urbanization Review: Cities as Anchors of Recovery and Resilience, calling for urgent, coordinated action to harness rapid urbanization as a driver of stability, jobs, and inclusive growth.
Continue readingFor African cities to grow economically as they have grown in size, they must create 
productive environments to attract investments, increase economic efficiency, and create livable environments that prevent urban costs from rising with increased population densification. What are the central obstacles that prevent African cities and towns from becoming sustainable engines of economic growth and prosperity? Among the most critical factors that limit the growth and livability of urban areas are land markets, investments in public infrastructure and assets, and the institutions to enable both. To unleash the potential of African cities and towns for delivering services and employment in a livable and environmentally friendly environment, a sequenced approach is needed to reform institutions and policies and to target infrastructure investments. This book lays out three foundations that need fixing to guide cities and towns throughout Sub-Saharan Africa on their way to productivity and livability.
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Deadline: 05-May-2019 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)
Vietnam is urbanizing at a rapid pace. Cities, particularly those in low-lying delta areas are especially vulnerable to extreme weather events and impact of climate change. The rapid pace of urbanization is expected to intensify the economic costs related to extreme events. Urbanization in Vietnam has also been accompanied by rising air and water pollution, inadequate solid waste management and wastewater treatment, urban sprawl, and loss of green space threatening urban livability. Cities are also major users of energy and major contributors of GHG emissions. The proposed activity is being carried out in collaboration with the Government of Vietnam to enhance climate smart urbanization in the country.
Deadline: 12-Feb-2019 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) 
Rapid urbanization and rising populations in cities has led to increasing number of fuel-based transport vehicles causing severe air and noise pollution. The Government of India (GoI) as well as different States in India are looking for innovating mechanisms to address urban mobility challenges including use of electric vehicles (EV). GoI’s Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 focuses on national energy security, addresses environmental impacts from road transport vehicles and supports domestic manufacturing capabilities for electric vehicles. The GoI has identified electric mobility as one of the key focus areas for development.
Deadline: 09-Oct-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)
The World Bank is supporting the Government of Indonesia to address critical urban 
flood risk management and investment needs in Indonesia. This technical assignment will assist with the development of a conceptual framework design for a national urban flood risk reduction investment program, which could comprise risk reduction investments, technical capacity building, knowledge sharing, and innovation generation. The key output will be a conceptual framework and sustainable implementation model for the proposed program that addresses the identified needs through proposed financial and organizational arrangements; makes recommendations for any needed regulatory/institutional/financial arrangements; and propose an overall action plan and timeline to put the program into effect. The team will be expected to provide technical advice on public financial management, municipal finance, disaster risk management, flood risk management, and urban development.
Had you looked across Shanghai’s Huangpu River from west to east in the 1980s, you 
would mostly have seen farmland dotted with a few scattered buildings. At the time, it was unimaginable that East Shanghai, or Pudong, would one day become a global financial centre; that its futuristic skyline, sleek expressways, and rapid trains would one day be showcased in blockbusters like James Bond and Mission Impossible movies! It was also unimaginable that the Shanghainese would consider living in Pudong.
How wrong that would have been! Pudong is now hosting some of the world’s most productive companies, and boosting some of the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods. And Shanghai has become China’s most important global city, lifting the entire hinterland with it.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS 
Around the world, waste generation rates are rising.
In 2012, the worlds’ cities 
generated 1.3 billion tonnes of solid waste per year, amounting to a footprint of 1.2 kilograms per person per day. With rapid population growth and urbanization, municipal waste generation is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025.
Article published by the World Bank on October 12, 2016.
Netherlands for the World Bank 