From Plans to Progress: How MobiliseYourCity is Powering Implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility

When a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) or a National Urban Mobility Policy (NUMP) is adopted, the real challenge begins: transition into implementation. Early stages of this transition from vision to action needs special attention, and MobiliseYourCity has understood this need. Across cities like Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Dakar, Senegal; and Yaoundé, Cameroon; and at the national level in Peru, the Partnership is catalysing change by helping transform plans and policies into tangible improvements - through a tailored approach under the service area Implementation Support. 

Implementation: The Ultimate Goal of Mobility Planning 

Since the adoption of its 2022 Strategy, MobiliseYourCity has expanded its work beyond mobility planning to actively support implementation of sustainable urban mobility projects. Recognising that member cities and countries often lack institutional capacities, financial resources, and technical expertise to act on their mobility plans, the Partnership has developed a comprehensive offer to meet such needs. This includes project preparation, institutional strengthening, pilot projects, and continued capacity building. 

In each context, the approach is adapted to local challenges. The result? A more agile, demand-driven service that meets local needs where they are, ensuring SUMPs and NUMPs don’t gather dust on shelves, but instead become blueprints for sustainable change. 

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Transforming Vision into Action 

The city of Santo Domingo chose an ambitious scenario for its SUMP, investing heavily in a multimodal public transport system, active mobility infrastructure, and traffic reform. With over $1.25 billion already secured out of a $2.6 billion total budget, the city is undergoing one of the region’s most robust mobility transformations. 

MobiliseYourCity's AIPMUS project, financed by the EU and implemented by AFD, is at the heart of this shift. From 2021 to 2024, the first phase laid the groundwork through capacity building, transport modelling, and pilot initiatives such as the formalisation of paratransit “conchos,” with 900 vehicles replaced by 141 buses across three corridors. 

Now in its second phase (2024–2026), the project focuses on infrastructure design and integrated fare policy. With support for a BRT corridor design and studies for an intermodal terminal, the city is taking concrete steps towards operationalising its vision. INTRANT, the national urban transport authority, is increasingly leading this effort, supported by training, technical tools, and institutional coordination fostered by the Partnership. 

Yaoundé, Cameroon: Implementation Built on Data and Local Ownership 

Yaoundé’s SUMP laid a strong analytical foundation, but it was the MoVe-Yaoundé project that truly kicked off implementation. Supported by the EU, BMZ, and AFD, the €10.87 million initiative is now advancing a suite of projects - including BRT preparation, paratransit professionalisation, urban space redevelopment, and pilot initiatives for safer and greener mobility. 

The first major milestone came in 2024 with the project’s formal launch, signalling a turning point in the city’s ability to move from strategy to execution. Yaoundé’s local institutions now use the SUMP’s data and diagnostics to guide decision-making, demonstrating how the document continues to shape public discourse and policy. 

The MoVe-Yaoundé initiative also embodies a people-first approach: safer downtown streets, gender-based violence reporting tools, and studies on street vendor integration are all part of its implementation roadmap. With construction on the BRT system expected to begin in 2026, the city is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable mobility in Central Africa. 

Dakar, Senegal: Active Mobility Anchors a Multimodal Vision 

Dakar’s mobility ecosystem is undergoing a dramatic overhaul. While massive investments such as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Regional Express Train (TER) have dominated headlines, the city’s SUMP - finalised in 2024 - provides the strategic spine tying these projects together. 

The MoVe Senegal project, backed by BMZ and implemented by GIZ, complements these flagship initiatives by focusing on active mobility. With a €5 million budget, the project is preparing action plans for walking and cycling, launching a pilot bike-sharing scheme, and training residents in cycling practices. This approach ensures that while major infrastructure is developed, human-scaled mobility isn’t left behind. 

The role of the Executive Council for Sustainable Urban Transport (CETUD) has been central. As a mature transport authority, CETUD led the SUMP’s development and now coordinates its implementation. This leadership, combined with participatory processes, has helped anchor the plan in public consciousness and foster a sense of ownership critical for long-term success. 

Peru: Driving NUMP Implementation in Secondary Cities 

In Peru, MobiliseYourCity is supporting the national programme Promovilidad in implementing the country’s NUMP through the FEXTE II project. With €800,000 in funding from AFD and implementation by CODATU, the initiative is guiding six provincial cities toward resilient, integrated transport systems. 

Progress is already visible: training cycles, regional workshops, and the First National Forum on Safe and Sustainable Urban Mobility (FONAMUSS) have created a vibrant knowledge-sharing ecosystem. Technical assistance has enabled feasibility studies in Piura, Huamanga, and Juliaca, and a monitoring tool now tracks the implementation of SUMPs across the country. 

Yet, institutional fragmentation remains a key challenge. Ministries often compete rather than collaborate, and local governments struggle with limited financial and technical capacity. MobiliseYourCity’s support is crucial in navigating these barriers, helping national and local actors align efforts and establish a pipeline of investable, sustainable mobility projects. 

Lessons and the Road Ahead 

The experiences drawn from Santo Domingo, Yaoundé, Dakar, and Peru clearly illustrate how MobiliseYourCity’s implementation support is closing the gap between planning and action. These diverse cases demonstrate that a universal template does not work; rather, success depends on tailoring support to each context. Countries and cities differ in their levels of institutional development, political dynamics, and strategic priorities, and the Partnership’s ability to adapt to these nuances has been central to its effectiveness. 

A critical factor across all cases is the strength of institutional capacity. Whether it is INTRANT in Santo Domingo or CETUD in Dakar, progress has been made possible because of empowered local institutions capable of coordinating stakeholders, leading project execution, and sustaining reforms. These institutions, when adequately supported, become the engines that drive implementation forward. 

Pilot projects have also emerged as powerful tools for sustaining momentum. Early, visible interventions - like formalising bus routes or launching new cycling infrastructure - not only build confidence among decision-makers and citizens but also serve as tangible proof that change is underway. They create a sense of progress and help generate the political and public will needed for broader reform. 

Finally, the importance of data and robust diagnostics cannot be overstated. Well-structured planning documents that include clear baselines and measurable targets lend credibility to proposed actions. They also help attract financing and guide implementation with a level of clarity that facilitates coordination across actors. In this way, data becomes not just a planning tool but a strategic asset for implementation. MobiliseYourCity is proving that sustainable mobility doesn’t stop at planning - it accelerates with implementation. And as cities and countries confront a climate and urbanisation crisis, that acceleration has never been more necessary.