With the easing of COVID19-related travel restrictions in Japan in May, TDLC will embark on an intensified program of in-person knowledge events for FY24 (July 2023-June 2024). The TDLC Steering Committee (comprising the World Bank, Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism and Japan International Cooperation Agency) at its annual meeting in June endorsed the FY24 work program that features seven Technical Deep Dives (TDDs) and two regional TDDs (focused on specific regions); operational support to seven World Bank projects; strengthening the City Partnership Program (with seven Japanese cities) and establishing new partnerships with other Japanese cities and agencies; and preparation of case studies and analytical reports (including on asset management including O&M), consolidation of local governments, and solid waste management) and delivery of other knowledge exchange events and workshops.
The TDDs to be delivered this year are property tax and land-based financing (September 2023), quality infrastructure (October 2023), transport-oriented development, health emergencies and disaster risk management, affordable housing, resilient cities and urban water systems, and climate change. One of the two regional TDDs has been decided to focus on solid waste management and will be for clients in Africa and Middle East and North Africa regions.
Operational support activities initiated in FY23 will be continued, i.e., for the India Ahmedabad City Resilience Project, Indonesia Local Service Delivery Improvement Project, Somalia Urban Resilience Project Phase II, and the Madagascar Integrated Urban Development and Resilience Project. In addition to these projects, three more projects are being identified.