Teams from the Ministry of Cities (MCid) and the German international cooperation agency (GIZ, in its German acronym) gathered in Brasília for the event “The City Is the Path to the Future: Achievements and New Directions for Urban Transformation,” held on 13–14 August. The occasion marked the beginning of the transition to a new phase of cooperation in urban projects, as the Cidade Presente and ANDUS projects are scheduled to conclude their activities by the end of 2025.
The event also included the signing of a commitment agreement for the implementation of two new Urban Transformation projects: Cidade Presente 2 and Just Transition in Mobility. The head of the International Affairs Office, Ambassador Antônio da Costa e Silva, and the Director of Sustainability and Special Projects, Alice Carvalho, from the Ministry of Cities, took part in the ceremony, alongside GIZ Brazil Country Director Jochen Quinten, Minister-Counsellor Petra Schmidt, and the Environmental and Climate Affairs Attaché from the German Embassy.
More than 120 participants from various sectors and institutions, including municipalities, strategic partners, and consultancies, attended the two-day event to share experiences and celebrate the results achieved over the course of project implementation.
Programme highlights
The first day of the event featured panels on Integrated Urban Development, Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and climate justice, as well as sessions focused on mentorship experiences with partner municipalities from both projects. Highlights also included an exhibition fair on municipal project structuring and a roundtable with community leaders participating in the Black Women for Climate mentorship initiative under the ANDUS Project.
On the second day, ministries involved in project implementation discussed the national dimension of public-policy development. The panel was followed by a roundtable on collaborative networks, with the participation of strategic partners such as the National Front of Mayors (FNP), Instituto Pólis, WRI Brazil, and the Brazilian Network of Planning Institutes (inREDE).
Climate action
In November 2025, Brazil will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), and the topic was also part of the discussions. Representatives from MCid, UN-Habitat, C40/CFF, and KfW shared expectations for the conference and emphasised how international and multilevel partnerships will be essential to addressing the global climate emergency.
The event concluded by outlining future directions for GIZ Brazil’s work in sustainable urban development. Also participating from the Ministry of Cities were the Director of the Department of Risk Mitigation and Prevention of the National Secretariat for Peripheries, Rodolfo Moura, and the Director of Structuring of the Department of Urban and Metropolitan Development, Cristiana Scorza. The Director of the Department of Urban Environment of the National Secretariat for Urban Environment, Water Resources and Environmental Quality, Maurício Guerra, represented the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA).
Next steps
The conclusion of the Cidade Presente and ANDUS projects does not mark the end of Brazil–Germany cooperation on urban issues, but rather a transition to a new phase. Instead of a closing ceremony, the event served as an opportunity to communicate progress made, align next steps with strategic partners, and strengthen engagement around sustainable urban development.
The continuity of this work will be ensured through new projects that build on accumulated lessons, networks, methodologies, and structures developed over recent years.
About the ANDUS and Cidade Presente projects
The “Cidade Presente – Sustainable Urban Development (DUS)” and ANDUS projects are implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of the Brazil–Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development.
Cidade Presente is a partnership between the Ministry of Cities and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
ANDUS is a partnership between the Ministry of Cities (MCid), the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), under the framework of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
