The Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) will host a 20th-anniversary event on October 17-18, 2024, celebrating the strong partnership between Japan and the World Bank over the past two decades. This milestone event will highlight Japan's leadership in knowledge-sharing for urban development, with a special focus on the contributions of Japanese cities, the private sector, and academia.
Our previous feature story was on the Technical Deep Dive (TDD) programs for urban development practitioners. This time, we introduce the TDLC City Partnership Program (CPP).
The CPP serves as the cornerstone of TDLC’s knowledge-sharing initiatives. By collaborating with multiple cities across Japan, TDLC identifies best practices and lessons learned in urban development, sharing them with stakeholders in developing countries through TDDs, operational support for lending projects, and publications. By working with Japanese cities that have addressed a range of challenges such as transportation and environmental issues caused by urbanization, TDLC is able to provide insights to help cities around the world address their own challenges.
CPP partner cities are selected based on their leadership, practical knowledge, and operational expertise in fields relevant to TDLC’s work. The program started with 4 cities (Kitakyushu, Kobe, Toyama, and Yokohama), and has since expanded to include Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima. These 7 cities now participate in CPP, continue to contribute to TDDs, operational support, and preparation and publication of case studies. In addition to the CPP cities, TDLC also receives support from other key Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka for many of its knowledge exchange events.
In this feature, we share stories of CPP in action.
Community -Driven Urban Regeneration in Yokohama, Panama, and Colombia
In many developing countries, it is common to see affluent communities situated next to low-income neighborhoods. This is particularly common in Latin American cities, where such proximity sometimes leads to tensions between residents.
Japan’s inclusive and community-driven approach to urban development is a source of inspiration to many Bank clients in addressing such social repercussions of urban growth trends. One notable example is Yokohama City’s participatory urban design method, featured in the “Yokohama City Design Sketchbook.” Using this approach, TDLC organized workshops in Panama City and Barranquilla, Colombia, where citizens, including children and local communities, gathered to share challenges and discuss the future of their neighborhoods. These workshops encouraged dialogue on topics such as developing green spaces, preserving historical heritage, and improving environmentally friendly mobility. Many ideas emerged about creating more sustainable cities, and TDLC is now working to expand this method to cities and regions like Madagascar.
Yokohama City Sketch Workshop.
Strengthening India’s Wastewater Services through Collaboration with Fukuoka’s collaboration
Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state of Gujarat, India, is often regarded as the most livable city in the country. However, rapid urbanization in recent years has highlighted challenges such as air pollution and public health issues. To address these concerns, the World Bank has launched the Gujarat Resilient Cities Project: Ahmedabad Resilience City Partnership: Ahmedabad City Resilience Project (G-ARCP), aimed at improving wastewater services in Ahmedabad.
In support of this project, TDLC collaborated with the city of Fukuoka to implement an operational support program focused on wastewater management operation and maintenance (O&M). Specifically, senior officials from Ahmedabad were invited to Fukuoka to participate in workshops, where they learned replicable O&M methods and asset management systems. Additionally, staff from Fukuoka were dispatched to Ahmedabad to provide advice on local wastewater management facilities and hold workshops for local stakeholders. These initiatives have contributed to the enhancement of Ahmedabad’s wastewater services and the sustainable development of urban infrastructure.
Japanese experts and Ahmedabad city officials visit wastewater management facilities.
At the TDLC 20th Anniversary Event, partner cities as well as participants from cities that have collaborated with TDLC on projects in the past will share more insights on how sharing of experiences foster better project design and facilitate program implementation.
Last Updated: Oct 25, 2024