UNDP announces new cohort of cities for the City Experiment Fund 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Europe and Central Asia has announced the next cohort of 10 cities selected for the City Experiment Fund (CEF), a regional initiative that brings cities together to reimagine and shape sustainable urban development through strategic innovation and transformative solutions. It is supported and funded by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, a longstanding partner in urban development and systemic innovation in the region. 

The selected cities – Stepanavan and Tashir (Armenia), Kavadarci and Gostivar (North Macedonia), Pristina and Obiliq (Kosovo), Kovel and Nizhyn (Ukraine), and Pljevlja and Podgorica (Montenegro) – will develop and test new approaches to some of the most pressing urban issues today. 

Over the next two years, these cities will co-create and implement strategic innovation portfolios that take a holistic approach to urban development. With a focus on the Twin Transition – leveraging digital and green innovations – the initiative will equip cities to redesign key urban systems, from infrastructure and public services to climate resilience and sustainability. 

Building future-ready cities 

CEF is designed to empower cities to experiment, adapt, and innovate, equipping them with systems thinking tools, methodologies, and frameworks needed to navigate urban transitions. By leveraging data-driven insights, collaborative problem-solving, and real-world testing, cities will refine strategies tailored to their local challenges and sustainability goals. Key focus areas include: 

• Driving sustainability – Supporting cities in their green transition, reducing emissions, and promoting low-carbon and environmentally friendly urban development. 

• Enabling circular economy – Transforming urban resource flows, business models, and consumption patterns to create more closed-loop and sustainable systems. 

• Improving quality of life – Enhancing air quality, access to green spaces, and sustainable mobility, ensuring urban areas are more livable, inclusive, and equitable. 

• Reshaping urban systems – Rethinking energy, transportation, waste management, and land use to build more resilient, efficient, and people-centered cities. 

• Fostering resilience – Strengthening cities’ ability to withstand climate shocks, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss through green infrastructure, renewable energy, and nature-based solutions. 

The 2025–2028 phase of CEF will provide funding and expert support to support city-level projects and implementation. A key feature of the initiative is capacity building, with UNDP and city teams receiving tailored training, mentorship, and access to BOOST impact acceleration programmes to strengthen local innovation ecosystems. Additionally, participating cities will explore innovative financing mechanisms, ensuring the long-term sustainability of their initiatives. 

Since its inception, the initiative has contributed to driving urban transformation across Europe and Central Asia, enabling cities to accelerate systemic change and pioneer new models of sustainable development.