The Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) Facility, a joint initiative of the EU & UNDP, is an invitation to reimagine urban and local spaces for positive transformative change and future-readiness. The M4EG was launched in 2017 for local authorities in the Eastern Partnership, and the current phase is implemented by UNDP.

Local authorities that are members of the M4EG receive new learning and networking opportunities. This includes a new generation of Local Economic Development Plans, moving from a project to a “portfolio of options” approach to tackle complex challenges, innovation mentoring and grants. It will all come together and be shared under the newly deployed Urban Learning Centre.

Key highlights:
Key highlights:
    • The Facility covers towns and cities in the Eastern Partnership countries.
    • Over a period of 4 years, around 350 local authorities will benefit from training, capacity development and knowledge exchange activities, through the Urban Learning Center and programme.
    • At least 50 local authorities will be supported to develop a new generation of local economic development plans building on the Mayors for Economic Growth methodology.
    • At least 12 local authorities will explore moving from a project to a portfolio approach to better address complex local challenges by integrating urban planning, gender responsiveness and innovation at the local level.
    • Innovation seed-funds for at least 20 local authorities to explore what reimagining the town or city space could look like. This will enable local authorities with developed LEDPs to move into the implementation phase, which has been identified as an area to be strengthened in the first phase of the programme.
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