UN-Habitat: Harare Sustainable City Initiative

UN-habitat: Harare Sustainable Initiative Need of updated Conclusion of Performance January 2025 The last COP was made on the 3rd of July 2024, as part of a handover to new programme manager but also to address the serious issues that have been experienced in the implementation of the Harare Sustainable Initiative. The risks were increased to high and the likelihood that the project would achieve its goal was set to unlikely. During these last six months from August 2024 to January 2025 a lot of developments have been materilized. The Embassy recognize therefore the need of an updated COP in the early 2025 as UN-habitat as the lead agency of the project has demonstrated the will and capacity to ensure implementation will be fast-tracked and successful. Background information- the vision As a part of the operationalization of Swedens bilateral cooperation strategy in Zimbabwe 2022-2026, the identification of the Harare Sustainable City Initiative of 65 MSEK (submitted by UN-habitat) was deemed to fill a gap within the environmental and climate change portfolio. Based on the MDPA, the urban poor in Harare are living in an unhealthy, polluted environment without access to basic needs such as water, energy, and very little livelihoods opportunities. The initiative aims to reach 200 000 vulnerable and poor citizens living in the high-density suburbs of Harare, creating a better, healthier, greener, and sustainable urban environment. UN-habitat is the leading agency, with the Zimbabwe Sunshine Group, the Green Building Council of Zimbabwe and Soberlife international as implementing partners. Delays in implementation-indications of severe problems Since that start of the project in December 2022 - the project has been encountered with delays requiring extensive and time-consuming contribution management from the Embassy. During the appraisal (Nov 2022), the project was identified as medium-risk project with concerns regarding procurement, ownership and sustainability, land rights, as well as the set-up of the management. Those risks were addressed, with a planned closed follow-up by the Embassy of the 1st year of implementation, as well as a member in the monthly steering committee meetings. The first narrative and financial report received showed very few results: mostly start-up activities and the required MoUs were not signed, procurement delayed. The reports were only approved in September 2024. Focal point for UN-habitat at Sida HQ and Sidas focal point at UN-habitat informed. Sida assessed that the project was lacking proper and relevant preparations for successful implementation, insufficient project management, and lack of sharing of information/communication. UN-habitat had difficulties to coordinate the project from Nairobi office accordingly. Due to this serious delay and time-consuming follow-up of the implementation of the UN-habitat led project Sustainable City Initiative in Harare, and in agreement with the Swedish Embassy, it was decided during a virtual call with the UN-habitat management on 29th of October 2024 that the UN-Habitat had to submit a fast-track turnaround plan, as well as revised workplan and budget for the period Nov 2024 to November 2026. UN-habitat sent the fast-track turnover plan on the 6th of November and the revised workplan and budget on the 11th of November with follow-up meeting on the 12th of November to clarify some of the questions the Embassy had on those documents.

Objectives The overall programme objective is to provide better living conditions to at least 200 000 Harare citizens by increasing their access to sustainable waste management services, clean energy provision and to promote energy and resource efficiency in Zimbabwe's Built Environment. Outcome 1: Implement Sustainable Waste Management Practices in Greater Harare This will be achieved through developing five integrated resource recovery facilities in strategic locations in Harare. They will serve as demonstrations of how waste can be managed, processed and sold and will create jobs and income earning opportunities for the communities. Connected to this activity is that of improving waste pickers working conditions and livelihoods and awareness raising and capacity building in waste management for the relevant authorities. Outcome 2: Increased Access to Clean Energy by the Urban and Peri Urban Poor in Harare. This will be achieved through the establishment of two multi-functional clean energy centres for women and youth empowerment. The centres will act as hubs for business training, business creation and provide access to energy, clean water and solar street lighting for surrounding communities. Further activities include hands on training sessions on renewable energy technologies for women and youth, conducting entrepreneurship capacity training and then providing seed capital to those trainee women and youth that have demonstrated strong potential. Outcome 3: Achieved Energy and Resource Efficiencies in Zimbabwe's Built Environment This will be achieved through developing a baseline on energy consumption across a sample of residential, commercial and industrial buildings, establishing a green building rating and certification system for Zimbabwe, setting standards for energy and resource efficiency for future construction, raising awareness when it comes to low carbon interventions in the building sector and creation of a carbon neutral brick production facility to act as a pilot and show the potential of climate smart building materials. Job Creation The project is expected to facilitate various levels of income-generating activities; these include the improved work efficiency and income of those involved in the waste management supply chain and energy generation and services. Several individuals, from unskilled to skilled laborers will be employed in the waste collection stream, the integrated resource recovery facility, the waste-to-energy power facility, and the multi-functional clean energy centres. The project is expected to generate at least 500 direct jobs within the project boundary. Through its wide adoption of the demonstrated interventions, the project is expected to result in creating income streams for at least 100,000 jobs in the next five years.