SURGE Umbrella Program

About

The World Bank's Sustainable Urban and Regional Development Program (SURGE) is a global umbrella program that supports developing countries to foster green, resilient and inclusive urban and regional development.

SURGE is composed of an anchor trust fund, under which four global, one regional, and one country program (Rwanda) are funded, and six associated country trust funds focused on Bolivia, Indonesia, Peru, Serbia, South Africa, and Viet Nam. As of June 30, 2025, total signed contributions reached $73.99 million, a substantial increase from $57.55 million at the end of FY24. This growth reflects the strong partnershipwith the SURGE donors including the SECO, Austria’s Ministry of Finance (BMF), Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Korean Research for Human Settlements (KRIHS), and the EU which joined the Umbrella in FY25.

Approach

SURGE focuses on five priority pillars that enhance the livability of cities. While each pillar has its own thematic focus, all five pillars are closely interlinked and are complimentary.

City Management, Governance, & Financing

Pillar 1

Strengthening the financial and institutional dimensions of urban and regional development and management in developing countries.

Territorial and Spatial Development

Pillar 2

Supporting the adoption of spatial and territorial dimensions to spur local and regional development and growth.

Sustainable & Climate-Smart Cities

Pillar 3

Promoting low-carbon, climate-smart urban development by fostering innovation and technical excellence.

Urban Poverty & Housing

Pillar 4

Fostering more inclusive urban areas and to improve living conditions of the urban poor, including for the forcibly displaced people in urban centers.

Urban & Regional Resilience

Pillar 5

Strengthening cities' and regions' resilience to climate change and disasters.

Across the five thematic pillars, SURGE supports four types of activities, which assist governments of developing countries in strengthening and prioritizing their investment portfolios, through knowledge creation, capacity building, and stakeholder collaboration. The program also facilitates the mobilization of additional resources.

Knowledge Creation & Innovation

Creating a knowledge base of best practices and proven policies for national and local policymakers to help them address urbanizaiton challenges and accrue the benefits of agglomeration.

Capacity Building & Training

Assisting developing countries in building their capacity to formulate policies and strategies aimed at improving sustainable urban and regional development.

Supporting Finance Mobilization

Assisting national and local governments in building their capacity to carry out finance mobilization and finance diversification for investment projects to support sustainable urban and regional development.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing

Establishing and facilitating stakeholder collabroations to promote synergies and share knowledge with other players at global, regional, and national levels for green, resilient, and inclusive cities.

Partners

SURGE is supported by multiple donors. Its founding donor is the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Additional donors include the Republic of Austria’s Federal Ministry of Finance, the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and the Korean Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS).

The World Bank's Sustainable Urban and Regional Development Program (SURGE) is a global umbrella program that supports developing countries to foster green, resilient and inclusive urban and regional development.

Our Donors

Contact

SURGE Program Manager

Augustina Nikolova
Washington, D.C.