Working PaperCitiesRegion & Country Studies

Developing Prosperous and Inclusive Cities in Africa – National Urban Policies to the Rescue?

Anton Cartwright, Ian Palmer, Anna Taylor, Edgar Pieterse, Susan Parnell, Sarah Colenbrander

New research by the African Centre for Cities for the Coalition for Urban Transitions sets out the specific role African national governments can play to to guide the transformation of cities, support municipal authorities, and unlock major investment for infrastructure.

Authors

Anton Cartwright African Centre for Cities

Ian Palmer African Centre for Cities

Anna Taylor African Centre for Cities

Edgar Pieterse African Centre for Cities

Susan Parnell African Centre for Cities

Sarah Colenbrander Coalition for Urban Transitions

Overview

Africa’s cities are set to grow by nearly a billion people by 2050. Strategic leadership and planning by government leaders now can make the difference between those cities being dynamic, healthy, climate-resilient hubs driving nationwide prosperity, or sprawling, polluted, congested sites of poverty and insecurity.

New research by the African Centre for Cities for the Coalition for Urban Transitions sets out the specific role African national governments can play to to guide the transformation of cities, support municipal authorities, and unlock major investment for infrastructure. It identifies key principles to shape the development of successful National Urban Policies in Africa and points to examples where such approaches have been successful.

Associated graphics

African NUPs fig 1

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African NUPs fig 4

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