We're excited to share insights from the #GOPAGroup Regional Summit, held June 3-6, 2024. This summit was a crucial step in enhancing alignment and empowering our regional operations.

The summit underscored a vital principle that guides us: The exchange and sharing of knowledge are fundamental to unlocking the vast potential our local companies hold. By doing so, we can craft even more effective development solutions on the ground.

Our gathering welcomed colleagues from across the GOPA companies, spanning Africa, Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, highlighting our global footprint and the diversity of thought within our network. In eight thematic panels, country leaders shared valuable strategies for creating sustainable development solutions across our sectors.

This year’s summit wasn't just a meeting of minds; it was a moment of empowerment, collaboration, and innovation, all under the umbrella of a growth mindset.

GOPA Infra, as lead partner of the Consortium with GOPA Worldwide Consultants, Planco Consultants and the local Partner Mostaqbal, is currently implementing the TVET project “Promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Phase I)” in Jordan financed by KfW and the local contribution of the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF). The Jordan branch of GOPA Infra serves as the on-site coordination platform of the project, where our Senior Architect, Mrs. Diala Anabtawi, is the local focal point for the project coordination.

Phase I of the project aims to establish the HTUPLUS campus as a new flagship facility for TVET in Jordan and to rehabilitate two Satellite Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) in Irbid to maintain the flagship model of TVET capacity in the country. The new campus will offer technical education and training for the lower segments of the qualification system (TVET level 4 "craftsmen" and 5 "technicians").

Beginning of 2024, the construction of the Campus Amman started with the ground and foundations works. The construction measures comprise the erection and technical fit-out of a training building complex incl. workshops, labs, dormitories and administration buildings considering state-of-the-art design and technologies with at total build-up area of approx. 20.000 m². The services of the Consultant include all stages of implementation, from the scratch of the master planning up to the concept & detail design, procurement and construction supervision as FIDCI Engineer until the end of DLP.

Mr. Lueg (Managing Director), Mr. Pinciu (Project Director) and Mrs. Monteiro (Backstopper) of GOPA Infra undertook a site visit to get an impression of the progress and conditions on site, and used the opportunity to meet the on-site team to receive a firsthand wrap-up of the ongoing activities. 

This month marked the successful conclusion of the EU-funded "International Urban & Regional Cooperation (IURC) China" project, after an impactful three-year journey. Managed by a consortium led by GOPA Infra GmbH, alongside GOPA-GED and VNG (The Netherlands), the initiative aimed to foster cooperation between European and Chinese cities and regions. Its focus was to collaboratively tackle urban development challenges, promoting knowledge exchange, the execution of pilot projects, and cooperation in areas such as sustainable urban development, regional innovation & smart specialization, industrial transformation, peri-urban agriculture, tourism, and job creation.

The project brought together 18 European and 12 Chinese cities and regions, engaging in intensive knowledge and experience exchange through thematic clusters and bilateral partnerships, some of which were established in the project's previous phases.

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which halted physical site visits until July 2023, the dedicated team of Chinese and European experts, based in both China and Europe, ensured the momentum continued. Over 70 virtual events were organized, including thematic webinars and cooperation workshops, leading to the development of more than 50 knowledge products. The project's final phase saw ten study visits, the creation of ten Cooperation Action Plans (CAPs), and the signing of nine Cooperation Agreements/Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

A highlight of the project was “The 15th EU-China High-level Seminar on Regional Policy Cooperation” held on February 27, 2024, in Taicang, China. This pivotal event, attended by officials including Mr. Mattias LENTZ, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to China, and Mr. XIANG Wei, Deputy Director General, the Coordinated Regional Development, showcased the IURC's achievements. European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, H.E. Ms. Elisa FERREIRA, contributed via a video message. The seminar facilitated the signing of further cooperation agreements between European and Chinese cities/regions and featured three panel discussions on key programme topics.

Both EU and Chinese representatives lauded the project's success and encouraged cities and regions to seek support from an upcoming EU programme focusing on cooperation in Eastern Asia, set to launch later this year. GOPA Infra as Consultant highlighted the trustful and intensive collaboration that defined the project.

Additional highlights

Included are photographs captured by a professional photographer at the event and a vibrant IURC infographic:

Picture 1: The IURC China project team with Alexandra Lehmann, Attaché of the
EU Delegation to China, and Dr. Ronald HALL, Senior Advisor, Directorate General
for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission, as well as Jürgen Paulussen,
Project Director IURC of GOPA Infra (in the middle)

Picture 2: Project results presented by Team Leader Ms Qian Wang

Picture 3: Panel discussion moderated by Ms Keru Feng, Key Expert for IURC China

Sustainable Urban Development (DUS – Desenvolvimento Urbano Sustentável) is a project implemented by GOPA Infra for GIZ to improve the access of Brazilian cities to financing for integrated, inclusive and climate resilient projects.

Although infrastructure needs have increased in urban areas of Brazil, municipalities lack the capacities to develop eligible projects that meet the standards of international financiers or the requirements of the private sector. The project seeks to bridge this implementation gap and improve the alignment between investment needs in cities and financing options. Additionally, it aims to improve the capacities of Brazilian national government institutions in the development of national frameworks, guidelines, and strategies that will support municipal administrations in the structuring of bankable projects.

DUS works with six selected municipalities that have presented integrated, inclusive, and climate resilient projects to be further developed aiming at their financial and economic viability. The municipalities will receive assistance in the development of investment funds, procurement, articulation with financing institutions and fund management authorities, and identification of innovative approaches such as share economy, circular economy and land-based instruments, among others.

The six selected municipalities are Canaã dos Carajás (Pará State), Fortaleza (Ceará State), Nova Friburgo (Rio de Janeiro State), Palmas (Tocantins State), Santo André (São Paulo State) and Uberaba (Minas Gerais State).

The VBI Foreign Committee was founded more than 60 years ago to better represent the interests of German companies abroad and jointly solve overriding issues. The VBI also represents German companies at EFCA and FIDIC. The Foreign Committee is made up of 44 consulting and advisory engineering firms that work abroad for the GIZ and KfW, amongst others, on projects in the field of: Agriculture and Forestry; Construction; Education and Training; Employment; Advisory Services to Public Administrations; Energy/Renewable Energies; Financial Sector Reform; Promotion of the Private Sector; Health; Trade; Climate Protection; Sustainability and Resource Protection; Transport Infrastructure; Hydraulic Engineering/Water Management/Irrigation; Waste Disposal and Recycling; Digital Transformation; Urban Planning and Mobility.

Together, we advocate for fair competition and clear tax regulations for all companies. Against this background, we also look forward to a lively exchange during the GIZ Consulting day on 18.09.2023. 

More information on Die Ausdenker - Verband Beratender Ingenieure (vbi.de)

On 15 August 2023, the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Ms Svenja Schulze, accompanied by a delegation comprising members of the German Bundestag, representatives of BMZ, the EU, the French Development Agency (AFD), KfW Development Bank and GIZ, visited the Vocational School of Construction (EETFP-BTP) in Ryad, Nouakchott.

The EETFP-BTP is part of the TVET Support Programme (PAFTP) financed by German Financial Cooperation through KfW Development Bank and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, in which GOPA Infra is acting as Management Consultant, Design Architect and Construction Supervisor for the rehabilitation and construction of 4-5 TVET schools in Mauritania.

Designed by GOPA Infra’s Architects Daniel Schumann and Oumar Sy, the school will be inaugurated in November 2023 and will have a capacity of 1,200 students and trainees, which could be doubled with future extensions.

Delegates who visited the school praised the Client, DGFTP, and the GOPA Infra team for the remarkable quality of the design and the realisation of an energy-efficient infrastructure that provides a comfortable indoor environment while ensuring good natural lighting.

During a mission to Iraq, Mr Mathias Lueg, Managing Director of GOPA Infra, met with the President of ReFAATO (Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations), Dr Mohammed Al A'ani, to discuss the progress of the KfW-funded German Credit Facility to Support the Return of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in Iraq (GCFI). Both sides expressed their appreciation for the successful cooperation since 2017, and agreed on the desirability of continuing the Management and Monitoring Consulting (MMC) services provided by GOPA Infra. Also present at the meeting were Eng. Layth D. Mahmood, Head of the Grants and International Donations Section of ReFAATO and Dr Fouad Al Momen, the GOPA Infra Team Leader.

After the meeting with the ReFAATO President, Mr Lueg and Dr Fouad travelled on to Mosul in Nineveh Governorate to attend a public information event at which returning IDP women presented their small businesses. The women had received support from the GCFI-programme to develop their business skills and improve the marketing of their products.

And here's more information in our GCFI video from Mosul: 

٢٣ آذار، ٢٠٢٣ - YouTube

As part of the GIZ-funded ConNex project “Provision of Basic Services for Vulnerable Population”, which we are implementing with consortium partner GOPA Middle East, a delegation of 14 staff from project stakeholders in Duhok and Erbil, Iraq, and Saleem Diyar from GIZ Erbil attended at the end of November several meetings with GIZ Jordan and water utility staff to review ongoing and completed water and sanitation projects in Jordan and Erbil.  We were very pleased to have the presence of the GOPA Middle East office in Jordan to support these exchanges.

The main objective of the event was to share knowledge and provide practical insights and advice on best practices, procedures and approaches related to the use of SCADA systems in water facilities, WLR/NRW and O&M, and wastewater management to be used in the development of the water and wastewater sector in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq. Undoubtedly, this was just the beginning of a network platform for information exchange by creating a mutually beneficial network for sharing best practices for improved service delivery in the water and wastewater sector. Many thanks to TL Dr. Andreas Luck for the inspiring contributions during the study tour.

The project aimed to improve public (basic) service delivery to vulnerable populations within the water management boundaries of Duhok Governorate - geographically both in Duhok city and its outskirts/peri-urban extensions and settlements, as well as in selected refugee and IDP camps.

Learn more about GIZ's ConNex project:

ConNex - Provision of basic public services for vulnerable people | GOPA Infra (gopa-infra.de)

We would like to thank our team of experts in the field as well as Ms. Hala Abu Eisheh and Mr. Hashim Abu Salah in Jordan for their remote monitoring during the project implementation.

On 9 May 2022, the President of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities (SCU), Prof. Dr. Mohammed Lotayef, and the Managing Director of GOPA Infra, Mr. Mathias Lueg, signed a contract for the provision of technical and managerial assistance in the context of the KfW/EU-financed project “Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings (Universities)”.

The project will identify, plan and implement investments of 21 million Euro in energy efficiency measures at 17 Egyptian universities. The selected projects will showcase innovative and sustainable solutions and serve educational purposes as well as increase public awareness.

As quality management, environmental protection and occupational health & safety have become essential components of all our projects, GOPA Infra, which has been certified by SGS-TÜV Saar for Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management (ISO 14001:2015) and Occupational Health & Safety Management (ISO 45001:2018) since January 2019, got re-certified for all three standards.

With this integrated Quality, Occupational Safety/Health and Environmental (QSHE) System certification, GOPA Infra will continue to improve its operations and control processes to maintain its high level of quality while ensuring environmental sustainability and respect for occupational health and safety.

Thanks to the strong team effort, we were able to achieve this accreditation again. Many thanks to all!

In the presence of the Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science, Mr Serhiy Shkarlet, as well as Representatives from the European Investment Bank and the EU Delegation, GOPA Infra signed contracts for comprehensive thermal refurbishment with the following six universities on 26 July 2021:

• Chernihiv Polytechnic National University,
• Lviv Polytechnic National University,
• Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute,
• Yuri Kondratiuk Poltava Polytechnic,
• Sumy State University, and
• Vinnytsia National Technical University.

The EUR 59m. investment is financed by the EIB and the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (ESP) and will help to ensure comfortable conditions for students and academic staff. It is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19,200 tons or 48%, decrease energy consumption by 44% and save more than EUR 3.5m. annually.

GOPA Infra and its partners will be responsible for the design and supervision of the measures as well as for the related procurement activities.

Aspiring to improve its remote monitoring and management capabilities, GOPA Infra has initiated a work group that coordinates the introduction of various specialized technologies for construction, financial, as well as impact monitoring. In this context, GOPA Infra initiated a trial of a 360°video documentation tool

This tool, an AI-based software, allows the creation of virtual, high-resolution 360° representations of project construction sites, as well as other indoor and outdoor spaces, similar to Google Street View (actual footage in the photo below).  Generated videos and photographs are mapped to 2D-drawings and/or models designed using BIM (see photo). The operation is simple: a standard 360°camera, attached on top of a hardhat, automatically documents the surrounding site during regular site inspections. Combined with frequent visits, it is possible to capture project development over the lifespan of associated activities. In other words, it enables the (re-)appraisal of construction sites virtually at any recorded point in time, resulting in full project documentation.

GOPA Infra is looking forward to testing this highly promising technology in three pilot projects, starting in February 2021. It is envisioned to be a useful tool to effectively present and illustrate project advancements to clients, technicians and other stakeholders.

We are confident that the remote construction site supervision will ensure progress of ongoing projects as planned, despite country-specific security issues as well as the current Covid19-related travel restrictions.

For more information, feel free to contact Alexander Pinciu (alexander.pinciu [at] gopa-infra.de (subject: alexander.pinciu%40gopa-infra.de) ) and Richard Mutius (richard.vonmutius [at] gopa-infra.de).

​At the beginning of June, GOPA Infra signed a USD 16.7m. contract in Costa Rica to reduce NRW in the country. The project has a duration of 5 years and is funded by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the KfW.

Together with our consortium partner TYPSA, we are working towards an ecologically sustainable and economically efficient management of water resources through:

1. the reduction and continuous control of unbilled water, made up of authorised unbilled consumption and 'real' (physical) and 'apparent' (commercial) water losses, reported in past years to be as high as 50%; and
2. the optimisation of energy efficiency mainly within the water distribution networks, operated by the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA – the Executing Agency of the project).

We can rely on very competent and highly experienced international and national team members to undertake this assignment.

For further information, you may contact Mariamelia.AbellanPerez [at] gopa-infra.de  

This year's World Water Day focuses on the central promiseof the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainabledevelopment progresses, everyone must benefit.

Globally, 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home. 80% of the people who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas. Women and girls are responsible for water co­llection in eight out of ten households with water off their premises and around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams. These facts demonstrate how essential engagement in the water sector is and how far-reaching the impact of international work can be.

Marginalised groups – women, children, refugees, indigenous communities, disabled people and many others – are often overlooked and sometimes face dis­crimination as they try to access and manage the safe water they need. To “leave no one behind”, we must focus our efforts on including people who have been ignored. Water services must meet the needs of marginalised groups and their voices must be heard in decision-making processes.

Not only GOPA Group companies, but also our donors, focus on integrating locals in the project cycle. The involvement of citizens in the project planning and implementation processes helps to raise awareness and sustainably realise projects. Within the next few years the challenges in the water sector will not become less significant. The threat of climate change is so ubiquitous that the topic “leaving no one behind” is as important as ever. Let´s keep this topic in mind while working on our world´s challenges!

Building upon two successfully implemented phases, GOPA Infra has won the third phase of the KfW-financed ”Fund for Peace Consolidation (FCP III)” in DR Congo, together with its consortium partners GOPA Consultants, SUM Consult and AFC Agriculture & Finance Consultants.

Mr Mathias Lueg, Managing Director of GOPA Infra, signed the 4 year contract (with an optional 4 year extension) at KfW’s HQ in Frankfurt on 12 December 2018.

In its 3rd phase, the FCP III is aiming to stabilise and promote peace in the east of the country through targeted, inclusive and conflict-resolution-related investments, economic and social infrastructure activities and poverty reduction schemes. In addition, the FCP III consists of a new component, the "Prevention of Juvenile Violence (PVJ)" programme. Though independent initiatives, this special component will focus on violence prevention in Kinshasa's urban areas. Total investment volume of this contract is EUR 80 million (EUR 70 million FCP III/ EUR 10 million PVJ).

GOPA Infra will be represented on site by one long-term expert filling the position of social expert; she will be based in Goma/DR Congo during the entire project lifetime.

The Logismed Soft Initiative was launched by the EIB, with the financial support of the European Union, and implemented by GOPA Infra as the consultant to help develop the competitiveness of the logistics sector in the Mediterranean region. Logismed in Jordan has successfully attained the following achievements:

Two workshop seminars were held at the Ministry of Transport in July and October for governmental employees and private companies’ managers.

Sixty-one participants coming from the private and public sector have successfully completed their ELA (European Logistics Association) training courses. Three groups have been organised, each one following four modules for 14 days: business principles, transportation, warehousing and supply chain. The training took place at the German Jordan University in Amman, with both local and international instructors.

All participants who are successful in their exams and interview will be awarded the EJLog certificate. Certified participants are going to be the first ELA Certified professionals in Jordan.

Twenty-five participants from the private and public sector have successfully completed the ToT (training of trainers) training course conducted by local instructors over 13 days at the German Jordan University. ToT participants were awarded a participation certificate approved by this university.

Forty-six participants have successfully completed the warehousing management course, covering warehouse organisation, layout, and safety and security, for which two groups were organised. The training sessions took place in Aqaba Logistics Village in Aqaba.

Participants were handed attendance certificates by the Logismed project, approved by GOPA Consultants.

For more than two decades, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) or e-waste has been dumped at the Agbogbloshie site in Accra/Ghana, and handled by the informal sector in terms of recycling and disposal. Agbogbloshie has degraded into a paradigm of the environmental and human health burdens emanating from rapid global increases in electronics use and global trade imbalances. The site was formerly known as Old Fadama and has since been dubbed “Sodom and Gomorrha” by the local residents and international press.

GOPA Infra is leading a consortium comprising of Ramboll Environment & Health GmbH (Munich/Germany), EAP (Accra/Ghana,) and the NGO Technology without Borders (Germany/Ghana). We signed a €2m. contract with Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) for the KFW-financed project, “Recycling and Disposal of Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment in an Environmentally Sound Way”.

The project addresses the sound disposal and recycling of WEEE and aims to reduce damage to the environment and human health caused by unsound recycling of e-waste, and at the same time to ensure livelihoods while channeling the most heavily polluting e-waste processing from the informal sector into sound recycling.

The purpose of the project is to support to Ghanaian partners to set up an incentive mechanism for sound recycling of e-waste, as well as the construction and operation of a so-called ‘Handover-Centre’ (HOC) serving as the logistical basis for reception and storage of the purchased e-wastes. This innovative project seeks to test how an incentive system for sound collection and recycling of e-waste could function and pursue the objective of contributing towards the development of a sustainable national recycling system for e-waste in Ghana.

As Technical Assistance to the Agence National d’Investissements des Collectivités Territoriales (ANICT), GOPA Infra initiated the official kick-off session of the two decentralisation programmes, PACT IV and V-I.  The kick-off was attended by the line ministries and representatives of the German embassy, the KfW Development Bank and different other stakeholders.

In line with the preceding phases of the programme, these two programmes contribute to the decentralisation process and good governance in Mali, through the financing of investments by the territorial communities. PACT IV (volume: €8m.) is designated to provide direct support to four secondary towns and ten local communities, taking a capacity-reinforcement approach. This will enable the beneficiary communities to undertake their role as contracting authority during implementation of the investments financed. While PACT IV works with this hands-on approach, PACT V-I contributes to the decentralisation process through financing by the “national funds to support the territorial communities” (FNACT), and support to the capacity reinforcement of the executing agency ANICT.

Together with its partner AMBERO, GOPA Infra will assist ANICT over the next 36 months in the technical and financial management of both programmes. It is possible that the PACT V-I approach will then be extended by a further 36 months.

Mr Claus Hager (GOPA Consultants, department Rural Development and Environment), Mr Rainer Riha (GOPA Infra) and Mr Mathias Lueg (GOPA Infra) (from left to right) undertook a pre-inception mission to the Selous Game Reserve. Despite challenging weather and road conditions, they managed to reach the SGR headquarters at Matambwe where they met representatives of the park management and Frankfurt Zoological Society. Discussions on the implementation of the project funded by the KfW Development Bank were also held at the headquarters of the Tanzania Wildlife Authority in Morogoro (see picture below).

The project aims to improve the infrastructure of Selous by rehabilitating roads, bridges and airstrips, as well as constructing workshops and accommodation for rangers. The provision of equipment is an additional element.

In the sensitive environment of a UNESCO world heritage site that is larger than Switzerland, the interventions require careful planning and execution.

The inauguration of the industrial training center was celebrated in the presence of the German Ambassador, dignitaries from Bago State, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Education, as well as representatives from KfW Development Bank and GIZ.

Mr. Mathias Lueg and Ms. Tara Sann represented the GOPA Infra/Planco consortium which has provided the consultancy services for construction, rehabilitation, and the provision of advanced equipment and training.

In addition to Afghanistan and Turkey, GOPA Infra has successfully opened a registered branch office in Uganda. The office is located in Kololo, close to the city centre of Kampala and houses project staff as well as our country representative, Ms Sabine Böltken.

GOPA Infra is currently implementing three projects, for KfW Development Bank and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and is well prepared for upcoming challenges in its service areas.

All of us at GOPA Infra would like to thank you for your trust and the successful cooperation!

We extend our warmest wishes to the Festive Season to all our experts, partners and clients.

May the NEW YEAR be filled with peace, happiness & good health!

After a successful start, and only 5 months of implementation of our KfW-financed project in Burkina Faso (Prestations de Consultant dans le cadre du Programme d’Approvisionnement en Eau Potable et Assainissement dans les petites et moyennes villes dans les Régions de la Boucle du Mouhon, Cascades, Hauts-Bassin et Sud-Ouest), a delegation of representatives from KfW and ONEA met GOPA Infra’s team on site in mid-September. Several visits were made and meetings held in different project towns, in order to allow the KfW delegation, in particular, to better understand the project’s needs and constraints, as well as our primary findings.

During GOPA Infra’s summarising presentation at the final meeting in our project office in Bobo-Dioulasso, KfW announced that substantial additional funds have been recently granted to our project by the BMZ, increasing the already remarkable budget of the water-supply infrastructure works by roughly 45%.

GOPA Infra is glad that technical assistance and engineering tasks are also planned to be increased – and, even more importantly, that the project will be much more coherent with the additional budget. This will help enhance, in a sustainable way, water-supply systems in the 16 middle-sized towns spread over the four regions in the south-western part of Burkina Faso, and consequently achieve the rather ambitious project indicators.

The GIDC Industrial Estate at Vapi in the State of Gujarat in the western part of India is one of the three project sites of our GIZ-financed project “Sustainable & Environment-Friendly Industrial Production” (SEIP). This site is a critically polluted industrial area, causing severe pollution to the surroundings, including the adjoining river Damanganga. GOPA Infra is providing technically and financially viable solutions to reduce the environmental impact in cooperation with the industries.

Dr Ulrich Schmitz from GOPA Infra, Germany, visited GIDC Industrial Estate Vapi for the second time, together with the local GIZ SEIP cell. This formed part of the activities to suggest improvements for wastewater treatment processes in Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) in selected industries.

His one-week trip included meetings, field visits and discussions on the results of samples collected and findings during his first visit in February. These came from ten ETPs where the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) identified problems in keeping one or more pollution-control parameters within limit. Questionnaires, design documents, data records and visual inspection enabled the expert to assess the condition and performance of each plant. He personally met the staff of each industrial branch, and made suggestions for improving their ETPs: for example, optimising the aeration tank; applying the correct chemical dosage to improve the settling of sludge; and new, tertiary treatment technology to reduce colour and total dissolved solids.

A workshop was arranged with GPCB at Vapi. The thirty-five participants gained ideas on improvements that industries can bring about in their ETPs.

On the basis of inputs by the German expert, the GIZ will come up with suggestions for improvement measures, and also for future technologies which can be implemented in similar industries.

Strategic meetings, successful discussions and team-building events took place during our workshop to further improve GOPA Infra’s efficiency.

GOPA Infra was awarded the contract for consultancy support to the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF). C40 is a network of the world’s mega-cities, committed to addressing climate change. C40 therefore provides support to cities for collaborating effectively, sharing knowledge and driving meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate change. In 2015, the C40 Cities Finance Facility was presented jointly by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), and the Inter-American Development Bank. The aim of the CFF is to assist C40 cities in developing and emerging countries, in the design and implementation of projects that will help tackle climate-change issues.

The cities of Bogota and Mexico City are being given support by the CFF as part of a pilot phase. GOPA Infra is acting as the consultant for technical assistance, to enable sustainable financing of urban climate-change investments in the two pilot projects. In Mexico City, for example, the CFF will foster the implementation of a 22-km-long bus lane which includes 80 new electric buses to serve an average of 430,000 passengers per day.