(AfDB) - The African Development Bank has extended a $3 million grant from the Transition Support Facility (TSF) to the Republic of The Gambia for sustainable urban development of the greater Banjul Area.

The activities will include capacity building and the formulation of a master plan for urban development using digital technologies which are intended to greatly improve the operational efficiency of the three municipalities (Banjul, Kanifing and Brikama), and also provide support to the Banjul port expansion.

The Greater Banjul Area: Sustainable Urban Development Programme 2020-40 will serve as a pilot with implications for the roll-out country-wide.

The United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS) in The Gambia is implementing the project and already carried out a stakeholder workshop in conjunction with the Bank on the 17^th and 18^th June 2019 at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul during which local stakeholders provided inputs to the master plan and the launch of the project.

Stakeholder consultations are still ongoing and more data is being captured to assure a successful development of an integrated and well informed greater Banjul area digital master plan.

A tripartite project signing ceremony between the Ministry of Finance, UNOPS and the African Development Bank took place on 22^nd July 2019 at 10am in Banjul at the Ministry of Finance.