Who We Are

CDIA is guided by its Strategy 2018-2022. While its remit to help cities prepare infrastructure projects and link them with funders remains valid, the current CDIA focuses more on improving its responsiveness to cities and funders, and stimulating innovations to maximize the benefits of its interventions.

The year 2020 marks the midway point of the implementation of CDIA’s Strategy 2018-2022. The strategy identifies the objectives and strategies for CDIA as it continues to work with cities in Asia and the Pacific, 13 years after it was established.

According to the Strategy, CDIA’s main purpose to assist cities in developing sustainable and bankable infrastructure projects and liaising with funders remains valid. Its overall model is deemed successful based on the feedback from cities it has worked with, and the Midterm Review CDIA has conducted in 2015.

Between 2018-2022, CDIA will focus on improving its responsiveness to the needs of cities as well as financing agencies, and stimulating innovation so that the prepared projects can serve as best practices for other cities in the region.

Towards this, CDIA has implemented key innovative measures, such as:

• Systematic linking between infrastructure project preparation and capacity development initiatives to increase the impact and sustainability of its proposed interventions.
• Broadening the depth and scope of CDIA’s project development support to improve its responsiveness to cities’ and funders’ needs and enhance the quality and innovative capacity of the prepared projects.
• Engaging with selected cities over a prolonged period of time to be able to address the needs of cities as complex socio-economic systems.
• Assessing the potential for financing projects at an early stage and working with a wide range of funders to improve the chances of successful project implementation.
• Collaborating with selected national project development facilities based on transparent criteria to mutually reinforce the capabilities and accelerate project preparation.

CDIA’s strategy fosters partnership with cities, funders, and national and regional partner organizations; and endeavors to broaden CDIA’s donor base particularly those from Asia.

CDIA will update its strategy in the next few months in light of recent developments and to outline its approach in helping cities better prepare and manage future pandemics and health emergencies.