AFD and intermediary cities: feedback and intervention principles

Intermediary cities , defined as a “functional and demographic middle ground”, play a crucial role in connecting different territorial levels, from rural to urban, and local to regional. While they tend to receive less attention than major metropolises, these “in-between” cities have gradually become the focus of key territorial issues, especially on the economic, social and political levels. However, the diversity of these urban areas and the limited financial and human resources of local governments make it difficult to fully address their specific development challenges on an international scale.

This publication aims to share lessons learned from these projects and provide actionable recommendations for AFD representatives and partners. Drawing on two decades of experience in financing, it reflects on intervention strategies in intermediary cities and suggests ways to maximize the impact of future investments to better support their development in AFD’s countries of operation.