World Bank international experts will advise the Podkarpackie region in Poland on the design of the spatial development strategy for the Rzeszów Functional Urban Area, according to an agreement signed today. This one-year collaborative effort will help the Rzeszów agglomeration better prepare for further dynamic development with improved quality of life for people, environmental benefits, and enhanced conditions for new investments, including in the area of a green economy.
The agreement was signed by Marcus Heinz, Resident Representative of the World Bank for Poland and the Baltic States, and Władysław Ortyl, Marshal of Podkarpackie Region, in Rzeszów.
Rzeszów and the surrounding municipalities, which together form the Rzeszów Functional Urban Area, is one of the fastest-growing agglomerations in Poland. Thanks to bold infrastructure projects, human capital investments, and a good business climate, the Region has succeeded in attracting new residents and creating new jobs. It is also known for research and development projects, such as the Podkarpackie Innovation Center, established on World Bank recommendation under the Catching-up Regions Initiative, now completed.
“Rzeszów is a growth engine of southern Poland. We are confident that wise spatial planning and excellent collaboration between neighboring municipalities in planning new infrastructure and managing natural resources will maintain momentum and keep the fast pace of development in this agglomeration. Such a cooperative approach is essential to competing with other functional areas – domestically or internationally – and for attracting new firms and residents alike,” says Marcus Heinz, Resident Representative of the World Bank for Poland and the Baltic States.
World Bank experts, in close cooperation with local stakeholders, will help gather and analyze the data related to the spatial development of the Rzeszów Functional Urban Area; identify strategic development areas; and estimate investment needs and potential funding sources, among other things. The project will include broad-based consultations with the Area’s municipalities and cities.
“Thanks to the establishment of the Rzeszów Functional Urban Area, its founding cities and municipalities have entered a completely new level of development. The support from the World Bank will accelerate this process even further. This is an opportunity to attract more attractive projects and investments that will be beneficial for both entrepreneurs and residents,” says Władysław Ortyl, Marshal of the Podkarpackie Region.
The advisory project for Podkarpackie is aligned with the World Bank’s strategy for Poland and its strategic priorities, including providing support for developing regions focused on building and strengthening their functional areas. The World Bank has vast experience in the field of spatial development gathered while working in many countries around the world, including in Latin America, South-East Asia, and the Middle East. Knowledge gained in Podkarpackie will be also a lesson for other countries and regions that cooperate with the Bank in this area.