Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership

Albania has made strides in public sector modernization and digital transformation, enhancing public services and driving economic growth. But there’s more to achieve! With support from The World Bank and contributions from the #QII Partnership, Albania will harness cutting-edge reforms and digital innovations to further improve service delivery, boost human capital, and foster sustainable, inclusive growth. Learn more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/eatGFDjs

How can cities become more livable and inclusive for all? This blog from The World Bank dives into the lessons learned in designing cities that prioritize accessibility, sustainability, and resilience. By incorporating inclusive urban design, we can create environments where people of all abilities can thrive and fully participate in urban life. This is aligned with #QII Principle 5: Integrating social considerations in infrastructure investment. Read the full article for examples from Viet Nam and Indonesia and more insights on creating inclusive cities: https://lnkd.in/e4A729AV

Digital transformation is revolutionizing urban development, with urban leaders in developing countries leveraging real-time data and advanced technology to improve infrastructure, create jobs, and enhance services for their expanding populations. However, this shift also heightens cybersecurity risks. Smart cities are increasingly vulnerable to threats such as financial losses, service disruptions, data breaches, user safety concerns, and erosion of public trust. The Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership is supporting the Global Smart City Partnership Program in creating a robust cybersecurity toolkit to help smart cities tackle these challenges effectively. https://lnkd.in/e2ExkJ8z

**Consulting Opportunity** #G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment #QII were developed to provide a voluntary framework to assist countries in maximizing the economic, social, environmental, and development impact of #infrastructure. To build greater awareness of QII and how to implement the QII principles, The World Bank is seeking to recruit a firm with specialist expertise in designing and developing accessible, user-friendly knowledge content. Specifically, the firm will lead the design of an online “QII Reference Guide” that will enable users to learn about QII and access best practice tools, case studies, and other knowledge resources. The firm will develop supporting visual and/or interactive content to assist users in their learning. Applications close 5 September - more information here: https://lnkd.in/er4wAwP5

Emerging economies need $2.8 trillion annually to shift to low-carbon solutions and protect their populations from climate change shocks. However, global climate finance flows only total $1.3 trillion, with a small fraction reaching developing countries. Global banks and institutional investors can help bridge this gap. Check out this IFC - International Finance Corporation’s article on unlocking private capital to tackle climate change: http://wrld.bg/Kg7t50STYUA

People with cognitive, intellectual, psychosocial, sensorial, and physical disabilities are especially vulnerable to poverty and social stigma. The challenges they face are exacerbated by conflicts, natural disasters, and climate change, putting their lives and livelihoods at risk. The new guide "Mainstreaming Universal Accessibility in Urban Infrastructure Projects in Yemen: Practical Guidelines for Yemen" aims to enhance the built environment in Yemen by ensuring that basic infrastructure and services are accessible to all. By applying #universalaccessibility principles from the planning and programming phases of construction projects, we can enable persons with disabilities to fully participate in society and access economic, educational, and vocational opportunities. The initiative was made possible through a grant from the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership, reinforcing our commitment to #QII Principle 5: Integrating social considerations in infrastructure investment. Download the full report now: https://lnkd.in/eCrKVXYS 

🚰 Introducing "Digital Water": A New Knowledge and Technical Assistance Platform at The World Bank! We are excited to share the launch of "Digital Water," a groundbreaking platform supported by a Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership grant. This initiative is designed to enhance the digital capabilities of water operators worldwide. "Digital Water" offers digital maturity assessments, trainings, and knowledge products to support specific project components and help operators modernize and improve their performance. Watch the short video below to discover more about the platform's background and objectives. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dtZPV4Gp https://lnkd.in/eevEBKsB

What does a future look like where inclusive design is at the heart of urban development initiatives, integrated from the outset? A QII Partnership grant for a The World Bank project in Viet Nam provided technical advice and supported the application of universally accessible design principles—core to QII Principle 5 #QII5, which calls for integrating social considerations in infrastructure investment. The experience in Viet Nam opened the door to a larger opportunity in Indonesia with the World Bank's National Slum Upgrading Project, better known as KOTAKU (“our city”). These projects are now informing other World Bank initiatives regionally and globally and building age-ready cities has become an important part of the World Bank's mission. Read our blog by Yuko Arai to learn more about these successes and how they’ve influenced a Universal Accessibility Toolkit and other practical resources: https://lnkd.in/e4A729AV

The QII Partnership was delighted to join the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)'s Focus Day event at the Understanding Risk Forum in Himeji, Japan, on "How Much Resilience? Tools for Disaster Risk Assessment to Promote Resilience in Infrastructure Investments." QII Program Manager Jane Jamieson joined GFDRR's Niels Holm-Nielsen and Frederico Pedroso in a panel discussion to weigh in on best practices for navigating investment constraints and climate change uncertainties in infrastructure development through the application of the #QII Principles. #UR24

Last week, Jane Jamieson, Program Manager for the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership and Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), participated in the "Risky Business: Attracting Private Finance for Adaptation" plenary at the Understanding Risk Forum in Himeji, Japan. Jane highlighted the need to transform the perception of adaptation investments from being an additional business cost to being actually good for business, given the long lifecycle of infrastructure #PPPs that make them likely to be exposed to climate hazard impacts throughout the contract duration. Jane also showcased QII and PPIAF cases, underlining the significance of early climate risk planning in technical assessments, engineering designs, KPIs, and contractual clauses. This approach embeds resilience into PPP projects and ensures economic efficiency throughout the #infrastructure lifecycle. The dynamic panel included Zoe Trohanis of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) as moderator, with insights from Astrid Manroth of Global Infrastructure Facility, Carolina Diaz Giraldo of Departamento Nacional de Planeación, and Wilfrid Goh of Swiss Re. Watch the session recording here: https://lnkd.in/ejzDjE5R #UR24