As part of the UN framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19, and in close cooperation with five UN regional economic commissions (UNECE, UNECA, UNESCAP, UNECLAC and UNESCWA) and UN-Habitat, the UN Capital Development Fund participates in a Joint UN project Building Urban Economic Resilience during and after COVID-19. The project focuses on strengthening the capacities of local governments in 16 cities globally to design, implement and monitor sustainable, resilient and inclusive COVID-19 economic and financial responses, recovery and rebuilding plans. The immediate impact of the project is the provision of good global practices from other cities which will inform the pilot cities in their activities to develop and implement their immediate response and recovery plans to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a contribution to this project, UNCDF developed Guiding principles and practices for urban economic recovery and resilience. This guidance note is based on a review of literature and consultations between the participating UN partners and with the partner cities and reflect policy recommendations of two global webinars on urban economic resilience with the partner cities and other relevant stakeholders on 12^th and 17^th August 2020. The guidance note explains general and specific principles for building economic resilience and managing COVID-19 response and recovery; discussed lessons from selected cities; and summarizes key practices for response, recovery and resilience building in four key dimensions of urban economic resilience: economic governance, financial systems, business environment and labour market conditions. Together with the earlier Conceptual Framework for Building Urban Economic Resilience During and after the COVID-19 Crisis, this note serves as a resource for local governments as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences to accelerate a better recovery.

For more information please contact:

Dmitry Pozhidaev
Head of Office UNCDF in Uganda/ Regional Technical Advisor
dmitry.pozhidaev@uncdf.org