Asia Urbs

The Asia Urbs Programme was a humanitarian development programme, funded by EuropeAid Co-operation Office of the European Commission. It aims at a decentralised (city-to-city) cooperation between Europe and Asia. Established in 1998. The programme provided grants to local governments, non-governmental organizations for every aspect of urban life and municipal planning developing.

The budget is € 33.2 million (first phase) and €10 million (second phase, from 2004). The programme involved many of the Asian countries, including China, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, and others.

Objectives

• Promote mutual understanding between Asia and Europe,
• Support the alleviation of poverty,
• Develop economic partnerships.

Key areas of cooperation

• Urban management
• Urban socio-economic development
• Urban environment
• Urban social infrastructure^[1]

The programme was closed for proposals in 2005, but some of its projects were still ongoing as of 2007.^[2]