UK pledges extra £15m aid for building green cities across Africa

Sharma, on a visit to Kenya, announced he would set up a UK Center for Cities and Infrastructure, which will turbo-charge investment in fast growing cities across the developing world.

The Center will provide British expertise to African governments and city authorities to improve the way cities are planned, built and run, including making them more environmentally-friendly. It will focus on improvements to infrastructure, including water and energy networks.

During his trip, Sharma also announced an expansion of the Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) Cities and Infrastructure for Growth program to Ghana, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.

The program helps UK businesses invest in quality, resilient infrastructure, boosts access to reliable and affordable power and creates construction jobs.

International Development Secretary, Alok Sharma said during his trip to Kenya “Our new UK aid support, announced ahead of the UK-Africa Investment Summit, will contribute to creating the African cities of the future, using British expertise to provide quality, green infrastructure across the continent.”

Infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth. It helps the poorest people access basic services such as clean water and electricity, creates jobs and boosts business.

“I’ve seen this first hand as I’ve traveled across Kenya and am proud to see British companies thriving here. This will benefit people and businesses across Africa, but also back at home in the UK, creating a successful future for all of us.”

Sharma’s trip came ahead of the UK-Africa Investment Summit on 20 January, which will create new lasting partnerships to deliver more investment, jobs and growth, benefiting both Africa and the UK.

African cities produce more than half of the continent’s income, but too many suffer from poor connectivity and congestion which continues to hinder growth.

The continent’s urban population is 472 million and set to double over the next 25 years. This growth provides an opportunity for African cities to prosper if the right infrastructure and jobs are available with UK support.