Sri Lanka Strategic Cities

Project Summary:

As the Sri Lanka moves ahead with its Strategic Cities Program to catalyze growth and reduce poverty, KGGTF’s two-year USD $500,000 program is working with the Government to create a spatially differentiated development strategy that encompasses green growth principles. The strategy will include policy recommendations and targeted investments to develop a system of well-planned and sustainable cities by 2020. The program complements World Bank efforts in support of the Sri Lankan Government’s urban vision.   

List of Activities:

1. Greater Kandy Interventions: To relieve traffic congestion and upgrade downtown services and livability to improve and sustain the world heritage city
2. Greater Galle Interventions: To comprise investments in infrastructure/services at the Greater Galle coastal belt area to support the implementation of an integrated coastal management plan, especially key elements to manage the tourism development and balance with environment protection
3. Implementation Support and Capacity Building: To strengthen institutional capacity at metropolitan and local level, and support project implementation
4. Emergency Response Provision: To provide for any potential response necessary for a natural disaster event

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Improvement in urban services - People in urban areas provided with improved urban services (number). (Urban services here will be further defined during project preparation based on the investment items to be carried out in Kandy and Galle. It could potentially include: all season roads and drains, improved water supply, reduced flooding, and regular solid waste collection etc.)

Output 2:

• Improvement in livability - Accessible and usable urban public spaces and walkways created under the project area

Outcomes:

As an expected outcome, this project aims to support the Government of Sri Lanka in its continued effort to foster sustainable development in cities to create a network of well-linked sustainable cities. It is also envisaged that the proposed project will support the government’s capacity to design, plan and implement green growth initiatives, strategies and investments.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

Korea  has successful experiences in the past decades, especially in areas such as: (1) national territory planning, (2) metropolitan governance for Capital Region, (3) transport and infrastructure investment at national level and linkage of city centers, and (4) city management and local level governance. These areas are of priority to the proposed work in Sri Lanka and there will be opportunities of knowledge sharing.