Expert Voices: Reda Souirgi (AFD) - Who Pays What for Urban Mobility series (session 2)
Urban mobility systems across the Global South face a fundamental and often unresolved question: who pays for what, through which mechanisms, and with what long-term sustainability? Building on MobiliseYourCity’s latest publication Who Pays What for Urban Mobility? this Expert Voices series consisting of three sessions brings together leading practitioners and financiers to unpack the realities behind funding and financing urban mobility.
Rather than presenting financing as a purely technical issue, the series explores it as a strategic policy question, one that shapes accessibility, equity, and system performance over time. Each session combines insights from the publication with real-world experience from development finance institutions, consultants, and practitioners, addressing how cities can design coherent funding policies, mobilise resources, and structure sustainable investment pipelines.
Session 2: Funding urban mobility infrastructure and transformation
This session focuses on how cities and countries can finance large-scale transformation of their urban mobility systems, from infrastructure investments to operational improvements. It explores the persistent viability gap in public transport, where farebox revenue is insufficient to cover total operational and maintenance costs. From sound budgetary planning, intelligent ticketing systems, fare planning policy, road user charging, employer contributions to land value capture mechanisms, this session will explore the variety of solutions which exist to create viable urban mobility systems.
Reda Souirgi, Head of the Mobility Division at the Agence Française de Développement, will look back on the successes and shortcomings of financing urban mobility projects across the Global South over the last few years. Grounded in examples from AFD’s transport portfolio, he will discuss the role of institutional capacity, risk allocation, public subsidies and PPPs in supporting financially sustainable urban mobility projects.
Our guest speaker – Reda Souirgi (AFD)
Reda Souirgi is the Head of the Mobility Division at the French Development Agency (AFD), with a focus on structuring and financing large-scale urban mobility projects. His work involves supporting countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America in developing bankable projects, mobilising public and private finance, and designing financial solutions adapted to local contexts. His expertise lies in bridging project preparation with financing strategies that ensure both feasibility and long-term sustainability.