About MFTF

In order for cities to be able to scale up their slum upgrading programs or implement their city development strategies, a significant amount of long term capital investment will need to be mobilized. Capital will be needed to extend basic services such as water and sanitation into under-served slum communities, to pave streets and pathways in slum communities, as well as to provide street lights and solid waste collection equipment. City development strategies will require capital to create affordable serviced land in high priority growth areas. Capital will also be needed to construct facilities such as schools, clinics, markets, and transport stations so that cities can develop their economic potential. To achieve cities without slums on a national scale, virtually all urban areas will need to be able to mobilize capital to pursue their development.

The mobilization of local long term private capital is essential in light of the scarce resources from multilateral development banks and other donor organizations aimed at long term capital requirements for slum upgrading. As a result, the objective of the Municipal Finance Task Force (MFTF) is to identify ways to increase the flow of domestic long term private capital to developing cities in support of their slum upgrading and city development strategies. The Task Force will operate in an advisory capacity to the Cities Alliance members and others who wish to make use of their ideas and guidance. The Task Force will serve as a forum for collecting the experience and views of international experts on municipal finance and private capital mobilization. The MFTF will proactively engage with multilateral and bilateral donors, the private sector, and host country counterparts to increase the linkages between MFTF activities and the design and implementation of human settlement programs.