13 January 2020
Strasbourg-Kairouan-Mahdia cooperation: a major project to promote active mobility is being prepared
The project AUTREMENT
The AUTREMENT project is part of the decentralized cooperation Strasbourg-Kairouan that CODATU has been supporting since 2015 on the following axes: road safety, promotion of active modes, promotion of public space and development of neighbourhood life.
In 2018, the Eurometropole in Strasbourg responded to the European Union’s Call for Projects entitled “Local Authorities: Partnerships for Sustainable Cities” in partnership with the Cities of Kairouan and Mahdia, CODATU, ALDA and CEREMA. The submitted project, titled “AUTREMENT”, was retained. It proposes to start from the 4 work themes identified between 2015 and 2018 and to implement the 7 micro-development projects identified in Kairouan, and to extend cooperation to the city of Mahdia (Tunisia) to promote regional cooperation.
This project of 3 million euros, 95% subsidized by the European Union, will start in April 2020 for a duration of 30 months. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable urban development in Kairouan and Mahdia and thereby improve the quality of life of their inhabitants and the economic and tourist attractiveness. The development of active mobility, mainly cycling, through the implementation of dedicated facilities, and the strengthening of citizen participation in local governance, are the cornerstones around which the project will be built.
The main deliverables are: a training program for elected officials and agents, the development of a Sustainable and Shared Urban Mobility Plan (PMUDP) in Kairouan, the implementation of pilot projects for the development of public space in Kairouan and Mahdia, the creation of a bike house in Kairouan as well as numerous events of mobilization and public awareness.
CODATU will recruit the head of mission of the Kairouan-based project office in close collaboration with the general coordinator and other project partners. This person will be responsible for coordinating activities in Tunisia in connection with the municipal teams of Kairouan and Mahdia and with the general coordinator of the project. The job offer will be published in January 2020.
CODATU will notably provide part of the training programme and support the development of the Sustainable and Shared Urban Mobility Plan (PMUDP) in Kairouan. For the proper implementation of the project, CODATU will have the opportunity to mobilize its network of members as well as external consultants.
Preparatory mission
A preparatory mission for the AUTREMENT project took place from 25 to 29 November 2019. It was an opportunity to meet the Mayors of Kairouan and Mahdia, to review the project with all the partners, to agree on administrative and financial management arrangements and to visit the sites which will be the subject of micro-development projects in Kairouan and Mahdia. CODATU was able to make a presentation of the various activities carried out in Tunisia showing similarities with the activities planned in the project AUTREMENT (Car Free Day, Urban Mobility Forum, Mobiliseyourcity Partnership, Sfax-Grenoble Cooperation, etc.). Finally, the delegation was able to meet in Tunis, the Embassy of France, the National Federation of Tunisian Cities (FNVT), the Delegation of the European Union as well as the association Vélorution Tunisia of which CODATU is partner.
