EOI - Addis Ababa “Beautifying Sheger” River Development Project: Investment Strategy and Infrastructure Plan

Consultant type:  Firm Consultant  
Publication date:  04-Sep-2019 
Closing date:  20-Sep-2019

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) hereby invite Consulting Firms to indicate their interest in the following assignment: Addis Ababa “Beautifying Sheger” River Development Project: Investment Strategy and Infrastructure Plan.

Background
The AfDB Board of Directors approved in February 2019, the creation of the Urban Municipal Development Fund (UMDF). The UMDF will support African cities and municipalities improve their resilience and better manage urban growth and development through planning, governance and improved quality of public services. The UMDF is being structured around four main pillars that will define the Fund’s mandate and working program: (a) improved urban planning, (b) improved project preparation (i.e., pre-investment phase), (c) improved municipal governance and finance, and (d) increased support towards integrated urban development.

Africa is facing growing inherent challenges linked to poor urban planning, proliferation of unplanned settlements and slums, poor access to essential services and growing insecurity and poverty. This is amplified by problems linked to increasing urban poverty, inadequate infrastructure, weak urban-rural linkages, marginal role of local governments, weak capacity of municipal authorities, environmental challenges coupled with growing climate change risks – flooding, droughts, heatwaves, sea level rise, seismic activity, etc. These vulnerabilities need to be closely monitored and effective systems put in place through effective policy making and planning to mitigate the exacerbation of such challenges and their impact.

Project Background
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has a number of relatively small, but very significant, rivers running through it, with the Kebena River and its tributaries being most important as they run through the centre of the city and the most densely settled areas (See figure below). These rivers are highly polluted and subject to flooding, causing severe environmental and health problems. The potential of the river environmentally, socially and economically is not being realised and this was recognised by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia who, in 2018, announced the launch of the “Beautifying Sheger” Project with a commitment to developing the rivers and riversides urgently.

Scope of Services
The UMDF is searching for consulting firms with proven knowledge and experience in integrated urban development, financial modelling and infrastructure mapping to develop an Investment strategy and Infrastructure plan for the Sheger River corridor (i.e., prioritization of strategic urban interventions, capital development costing, layouts of infrastructure etc.). The consulting firm is expected to be fully conversant in Anglophone environments. Complete terms of references will be available at the request for proposals stage.

EOIs
The UMDF would like to receive by 20th September 2019 expressions of interest by consulting firms indicating their experience and track record in the areas of strategic planning, infrastructure mapping, and urban infrastructure finance. The EOI should be submitted electronically in PDF format. The EOIs process will be followed by the development of a short list, and a request for proposals (technical and financial) of firms on the short list.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Avenue Jean-Paul II, 01 B.P. 1387, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
African Development Bank Group
Infrastructure and Urban Development Department
Urban Development Division (PICU2)
Email: v.flattau@afdb/s.atchia@afdb.org / y.ouattara-coulibaly@afdb.org
Tel: (+225) 20 26 16 11 / (+225) 20 26 59 08

Link to EOI on AfDB webpage