SMG launches ‘Seoul ODA Challenge’ as part of Mayor Oh’s initiative to go together with the socially neglected around the world

– Seoul receives ODA program proposals for cities in developing countries and selects three recipients. – SMG plans to share its urban policies and development know-how based on its experience with compressed growth and urban development. – The city government will also provide policy advisory and capacity-building programs designed to address urban issues in developing countries. Seoul launches an open-call program to provide ODA to cities in developing countries under the title ‘Seoul ODA Challenge.’ The program forms a part of the city’s vision, ‘Going Together with the Socially Neglected Around the World’, the globalized version of ‘Going Together with the Socially Neglected,’ one of the focuses of Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s 8th city administration. * Official Development Assistance (ODA): Assistance provided by countries, local governments, and public institutions to developing countries and international organizations to promote economic development and social welfare in the recipient countries designated by the OECD. The ‘Seoul ODA Challenge’ Program is aimed at utilizing Seoul’s compressed growth know-how on urban development and various urban policies to help developing countries under similar urban issues. Different from conventional ODA programs led by central governments or multilateral development banks, the Challenge uses Seoul’s own fiscal resources to look for cities in developing countries that wish to address their urban issues. For the challenge, Seoul is open to proposals from local governments in developing countries (recipient countries designated by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC)). Proposals should be sent online by Fri, Apr. 5. The SMG will select three recipient cities, up to KRW 300 million (around USD 250,000) per project. Further information about the program is available from the SMG website and the Seoul Urban Solutions Agency (SUSA) website (https://susa.or.kr/home_eng/). Seoul will select the recipient cities by evaluating the project plans proposed by the applicant cities in terms of appropriateness, effectiveness, and sustainability. Then, a Korean consulting firm will be assigned to each project to assist with urban planning, capability building for public employees, policy consultation, feasibility study for key infrastructures, and pilot projects. Through the Challenge, the SMG expects to improve the efficiency of the selected projects. The city will also strengthen collaboration with Korean ODA agencies and other multilateral development banks to find out and link various international development cooperation projects. Seoul expects that the Challenge will bring Seoul closer to becoming one of the world’s top five cities by contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) jointly pursued by the global community and expanding its network with city governments in developing countries. □ ODA Challenge Call for Applications Seoul Metropolitan Government Public Announcement No. 2024-704 Call for Proposals: ‘2024 Seoul ODA Challenge Program’ The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announces this call for applications for the 2024 Seoul ODA Challenge to actively promote sustainable urban development and improve the quality of life in developing countries. Mar. 6, 2024 □ Program Overview ㅇ Title: 2024 Seoul ODA Challenge Program ㅇ Funding: Up to KRW 300 million (around USD 250,000) per city / Seoul to select 3 cities ㅇ Program Type: master planning (M/P), preliminary feasibility studies (pre-F/S), policy advisory, pilot system, capacity building, etc. ㅇ Purpose: address critical challenges faced by cities in developing countries to promote sustainable urban development ㅇ Purpose of Project: Projects that can solve urban problems in developing countries using Seoul’s best practices □ Eligibility and Purpose of Project ㅇ Eligibility: local governments of ODA recipient countries (designated by OECD DAC) – Only local governments in developing countries, or public institutions under local governments ㅇ Application Period: Mar. 6 to Apr. 5, 2024 ㅇ Application Documents: an official letter signed by the mayor/governor of the city and a program application ㅇ How to Apply: Send online to the Seoul ODA Challenge email (SeoulODA@seoul.go.kr). □ Schedule Program notice/application submission (Mar. 2024) Selection of projects (Apr. 2024) Field trip (May-Jun., 2024) Selection of consultant (Jul.-Aug., 2024) Project implementation (Sep. 2024)