AECOM has been appointed by the Department for International Development (DFID) to deliver its Cities and Infrastructure for Growth project in Zambia (CIGZ). CIGZ will provide demand-led technical assistance consultancy to national and local government in areas such as urban planning, infrastructure service delivery and energy access with a view to harness the power of cities and infrastructure for economic growth. The project will also work to improve the quality of projects, promote investment opportunities in key projects and harness opportunities offered by digital technologies.
The main objectives of the project are to drive economic transformation and job creation in Zambia. The project will work closely with the Government of Zambia to implement its 7th National Development Plan, which looks to diversify the economy, reduce poverty, create jobs and set Zambia on a path to becoming a middle-income country.
Simone Anzboeck, Associate Director, International Development, said: “We are proud to be supporting DFID on this hugely positive initiative. With an urbanisation rate of 4.2% per annum, Zambia is one of the fastest urbanising economy in Africa. For its cities to keep up with the pace of this change, CIGZ has come at the right time. AECOM is looking forward to supporting the Government of Zambia in addressing the constraints of urban infrastructure service delivery.”
Work will begin on the project imminently. The project further enhances AECOM’s long-term strategic partnership with DFID, having secured a contract last year with the department to manage its Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2 Plus) working in collaboration with Saana Consulting.
CIGZ is in line with DFID’s new Economic Development Strategy, which seeks to strengthen international partnerships and trading capacity.
