INTERVIEW: ‘Nairobi needs help to rise’

What is the idea behind 100 Resilient Cities?

First, there is no denying the fact that cities have become centres of growth in most of the world’s economies. They attract millions of people annually seeking to better their livelihoods. Every week, more than 1.4 million people move from rural areas to the cities. By 2050, 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities. This will bring in a new set of challenges, including an overload on social amenities, disruptions caused by natural forces and other human-related causes.

Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation in 2013, 100 Resilient Cities programme helps cities build capacity to survive, adapt and grow regardless of the kinds of chronic stresses and shocks they experience. They must be ready for the next shock.

What criteria were used to come up with 100 cities?

It was a very competitive process that takes up to three years. More than 1,000 cities around the world applied. We then went through the list and narrowed the applications, depending on how convincing a particular city was in presenting its case. A city has to speak with passion.

And Nairobi presented a convincing case?

Yes, Governor [Evans] Kidero was very passionate in putting up a good case for Nairobi. It is now one of 11 cities in Africa under the 100 Resilient Cities programme. As you know, Nairobi has several challenges such as chronic traffic, problems with flooding during heavy rains and an aging infrastructure. Nairobi is also a very critical city in Africa, being an economic hub in the region and the world, with 80 diplomatic missions. It needs all the help it can get to rise quickly from the aforementioned shocks.

Are the cities enrolled on the programme from Third World countries only?

No. You will be surprised that we have a number of cities in the developed world on this programme. For example, we have Paris, Rotterdam, Rome and The Hague in Europe. A number of these have challenges similar to some in Africa. Rotterdam, for instance, has to deal with water management issues in the inner city. Paris has got its own challenges in coping with terror-related issues. New York, the world’s capital of finance, arts, and media, faces a major risk from sea level rise, with nearly 400,000 New Yorkers living in flood-prone areas. Other cities in the United States on the programme include San Francisco, Washington and New York. All are assessed depending on their unique challenges that need smart planning in an inclusive way.

What are the timelines for implementing the programme in any given city?

Nine months to one year. First, a city has to appoint a chief resilient officer, perhaps someone not working for the city currently. He or she will be Rockefeller Foundation’s payroll and will be the top level advisor to the city’s mayor or in Nairobi’s case, the governor. He will be responsible for overseeing the city’s resilience efforts, offer support in developing a holistic resilience strategy that reflects the city’s distinct needs.

Any success stories from the programme?

It has to be New Orleans, USA. From Hurricane Katrina to subsequent oil spills, New Orleans is a good case study of how a city can develop a strategy that makes it vibrant after several disasters.

Who funds the programme?

Apart from directly paying the chief resilient officer, much of the assistance comes in the form of technical expertise, support to develop a resilience plan, and access to our platform partners who provide the best resilience building tools in the world. The multinational partners and consultants come from diverse fields such as technology and financial sectors. Again, it depends on each city’s needs. For New Orleans, we were able to connect them with an insurance partner who helped them on ways of safeguarding critical amenities for a quick turnaround in cases of future shocks.

As an Egyptian, what do you hope to do for the region that has seen many disasters?

I am an African. I understand the unique needs of the continent. I have worked for the World Bank and IFC in similar projects. I will be in the forefront of helping the enrolled African cities become resilient.