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ACRONYMS
AND ABBREVIATIONS
AU African Union
GC Governing Council
Habitat III The Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
UN-Habitat would like to acknowledge all Habitat Agenda Partners and all Government representatives (including
Ministers and Focal Points for Land, Housing and Urban Development) as well as the following panellist who represented
their institutions: The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), United Cities and Local Governments
of Africa (UCLGA), CSOs and National Governments.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v
1.0 INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND 2
2. 0 EVENT PRESENTATIONS 5
4.0 RECOMENDATIONS 10
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Honourable Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development of Nigeria Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi welcomed
Colombian Minister of Housing Luis Felipe Hernao Cardor, UN-Habitat Executive Director Joan Clos, and
Mayor of Medellin Anibal Gaviria Correa to the Nigerian exhibition during the WUF7.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is a global forum, with need to actively involve their populations in designing
participants from regions of the world including Africa, the future of urban areas.
convened by the United Nations Human Settlements
This would help not only in addressing the challenges
Programme (UN-Habitat), hosted in a different city every
of providing basic needs to the urban population, but
two years, to examine the most pressing issues facing the
it would also advance a collective effort to harness the
world today in the area of human settlements, including
transformative power of urbanisation for sustainable
rapid urbanization and its impact on cities, communities,
urban development.
economies, climate change and policies. It is the World’s
premier conference on cities. UN-Habitat, in its “The State of African Cities
2010” report, estimates that the continent’s current
The Seventh session of the Forum (WUF7), under the theme
population of one billion will double by 2050 and six out
“Urban Equity in Development - Cities for Life”, took place
of ten of those people will live in cities. The proportion
from 5-11 April 2014 in the city of Medellin, Colombia.
of urban population in Africa would double by 2050.
At WUF7, Africa was represented by both state and non-
Being the least urbanized region in the world, Africa
state representatives at various sessions which provided
has an opportune moment to harness the potentials
opportunities for organizers and participants to;
of urbanization by prudently developing policies
(i) discuss the state of our cities today; and comprehensively fashioned towards addressing
present challenges and developing an inclusive and
(ii) report on progress made and lay out next steps
participatory continentally endorsed urban agenda
towards advancing the Post-2015 Development
stating priorities of the next 20 years.
Agenda and the New Urban Agenda at the third United
Nations Conference on Housing and sustainable urban The Federal Government of Nigeria and the
development (Habitat III) which will be held in the Government of the Republic of Ghana have both risen
month of June 2016. to the challenge by leading the Africa Urban Agenda
as both a bottom-up and top-down process. This
Cities, without doubt, are engines of growth and
process is cyclic in nature, combines strengthening
development. Sustainable urban development is key in
partnerships and also provides for a presidential
maximum realization of opportunities brought about by
initiative for the continent.
urbanisation. In the present urban world, it is important for
the central governments and d ecision makers to realize the
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The Africa Urban Agenda (AUA)
The African Urban Agenda (AUA) is an initiative by when they adopted a New Pact, to maximize the Urban
UN-Habitat tailored to establish and strengthen Advantage, by committing to execute four main pillars . At
partnerships between state and non-state actors (AMCHUD V) held in N’Djamena in February 2014, they
towards advancing a new urban agenda. reiterated their support for the Africa Urban Agenda and
established a framework for the New Pact.
The project aims at raising the profile of urbanization
as an imperative for development in Africa. It The mandate for UN-Habitat to effectively involve Habitat
contributes to promoting democratic governance Agenda Partners (HAPs) especially in the preparations
through mobilization, sensitization and strengthening for Habitat III is contained in paragraphs 11 and 15 of
of non-state actors to partner effectively with the General Assembly Resolution 67/216; paragraphs 10 and
national governments of sub-Sahara African countries 16 of UN-Habitat Governing Council Resolution 24/14, and
in articulating Africa’s priorities for the next 20 years paragraph 3 of Governing Council Resolution 24/6.
with a focus on a transformative national urban
UN-Habitat recognizes that with adequate resource
policy, compact cities at a human scale, undertaking
allocation and strategic management, involvement of HAPs
institutional and legal reform and improved
in policy dialogues facilitates the achievement of inclusive
collaboration.
and effective policies. The involvement of all HAPs including
It also aims at building an understanding between youth and women, in all steps of the preparatory process
non-state actors and national governments, thereby would guarantee a sustainable process and an outcome that
building an African consensus with a strong momentum truly responds to people’s needs.
of support for a continent-wide urban agenda for the
Since its inception at the Take-off Conference on the SPP
next 20 years.
in Nairobi from 4 to 6 December 2013, the project has
The project will especially contribute to building coordinated the involvement of Habitat Agenda Partners
collaboration between state and non-state actors (HAPs) including Local Authorities and Civil Society
through inclusive and participatory preparation for the Organizations (CSOs) in preparation of National Habitat III
Post-2015 agenda and national reports for Habitat III, reports.
creating a strong balance for the urbanization tripod
Through the project and funding support by the Federal
of Government, CSOs-including academia and the
Government of Nigeria, UN-Habitat sponsored 31
private sector.
participants (HAPs and Government representatives) from
The strategic importance of urbanization was 23 sub-Saharan African least Developed Countries to the
underscored by the African Ministers of Housing and WUF7 event.
Urban Development at their fourth session (AMCHUD
IV) of their biannual conference, held in Nairobi,
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The World Urban Forum
“Our world is increasingly urban. This presents great opportunities for sustainable
development – equitable social progress, inclusive economic growth and sound
environmental stewardship. But the challenges remain profound. Among them is
rising urban inequality.”
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon at WUF7.
An audit and analysis of the state and perception of The event comprised of different segments including; (i)
present situation of the world in respect to urbanization Exhibitions; (ii) Round tables; (iii) Dialogues; (iv) Special
and the concept of equity were the main objectives of Sessions; (v) Assemblies; (vi) Plenary Sessions; (vii) Side
the WUF7 conference. Events; and (viii) Cultural Displays. The City Changer event
The conference, attended by over 22,000 participants wasjointly organized by the Federal Ministry of Lands,
from 142 countries, provided an opportune moment Housing and Urban Development, Nigeria and the UN-
for discussions on achieving a socially and ecologically Habitat implemented” the Africa Urban Agenda”.
equitable urban future as the world approaches Post
-2015 Development Agenda and Habitat III milestones.
“Today, cities are facing an accelerated process of urban growth, which leads us
to reflect on their ability to meet the needs of their inhabitants and to propose
actions to generate inclusive models that allow us to create change towards more
equitable, sustainable and safe territories”
Minister of Housing, City and Territory of Colombia, Luis Felipe Henao.
The City Changer event, attended by 75 participants and HAPs on the need to strengthen their partnerships in
representing HAPs and governments from Africa, order to effectively engage towards advancing the Africa
was held on 9 April 2014. The event was designed to Urban Agenda.
mobilize more African Government decision makers
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2.0 PRESENTATIONS
2.1 OPENING OF THE EVENT some of the major challenges, which include the attendant
poor living conditions, had been attributed to, among other
In her opening remarks and presentation on Urban reasons, overall policy neglect by governments.
Equity and the Africa Urban Agenda project, Ms.
Mariam Yunusa Head of Partners and Interagency According to her, this was a result of failure to prioritize and
Coordination Branch at UN-Habitat and manager of understand the phenomenon of urbanization in national
the Afica Urban Agenda stated that urbanization rate development. She further asserted that urbanization,
in Africa rising phenomenally and the continent was being the transformative force that it is, offers great
the frontier of urbanization. opportunities which can be maximized if the process were
comprehensively handled by all relevant players.
The process is accompanied by chaotic increase of
informal settlements which has become a dominant Ms. Yunusa reported on the progress and achievements
future of the continent’s urbanization. She said that of the Africa Urban Agenda project since its inception.
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She informed the audience that the Presidents of Nigeria 2.3 LEVERAGING THE PRIVATE
and Ghana took on the mantle to provide leadership, offer SECTOR
support and commit to the process of promoting the cause
of the New African Urban Agenda to ensure a sustainable In his intervention on Leveraging the Private Sector,
urban future for Africa, and in so doing were walking their Mr. Jose Tonato of the Afdb stressed on the need for
talk. policy reform and the institution of good governance
as a means to support private sector activities.
She informed the audience about the attention the project
was receiving from other regions especially the European He said that the private sector had to be involved since
Union (EU), and that UN-Habitat had used the invitation to it was not possible for public funding to meet all the
attend the EU Africa Summit in Brussels to push for support development needs of African nations.
from partners in the North. She outlined the next steps of
Mr. Tonato added that AfDB supports infrastructure
the programme to include: preparation of national Habitat
development across the continent which is coherent
III reports, an Africa regional PrepCom and a series of
with the bank’s long term strategy for Africa, and focuses
partners’ fora leading up to Habitat III in 2016.
on improving the investment environment; reinforcing
local financial markets; assisting in the development
2.2 REGIONAL INTEGRATION of medium-sized companies; active engagement with
private sector and effective governance by promoting
Ms Semia Solange of UNECA spoke on regional integration.
accountability and transparency.
She highlighted the mandate of UNECA in supporting
inclusive and sustainable development in Africa, and that
UNECA had diagnosed key challenges facing the continent;
2.4 THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL
low economic growth, pressure from the youth bulge
GOVERNMENTS
and a high urbanization rate. UNECA focuses on Africa’s
Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbasi of United Cities and
transition due to the need for diversification to sustain
Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) stressed
growth, transformation of the rural areas, decentralization,
that development policies could not be effectively
and promotion of urban planning among others.
discussed if cities were not on the agenda. He also
She added that urbanization has become an important stressed on the need for Africa to act immediately if
feature of Africa’s development and that ensuring the importance of the urban agenda was to be realized
sustainable urbanization was no longer a choice but an in generations to come.
imperative; thus the need for new programmes that will
Mr. Mbasi commended the programme for actively
enable mitigation and adaptation to address emerging
engaging local authorities in developing the region’s
challenges.
Urban Agenda and stated that this was necessary to
paint Africa’s face of independence to other regions.
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2.5 SYNERGY BETWEEN Habitat Committee had been inaugurated to coordinate all
GOVERNMENT AND activities in the sector.
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS
He revealed that the Nigerian government was creating
In elaborating the importance of Synergy between an agency for satellite cities which would regulate
Government and CSOs, Ms. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim infrastructure, waste management and transportation.
of the Association of the Indigenous Women and People
The satellite towns that had been already established, he
of Chad, representing the Civil Society Organisations,
said, are sustainable and contribute to the nation’s GDP. The
said that in order to effectively address challenges of
country had plans to invest pension funds in constructing
urbanization, there was need to go beyond the regional
affordable commercial houses to help generate the nations
institutions and reach out to CSOs.
income and solve the current housing problem.
Her advice on strengthening the delicate nature of
Amb. Oyateru emphasized on the importance of
engagement between governments and CSOs was for
urbanization as a tool for national development and as an
governments to view CSOs as important partners who
economic driver as cited in the theme of the WUF7 theme,
could be trusted. She also supported the project’s
“Urban Equity in Development – Cities for Life.” He called
message on the importance of politicians explaining
for a feedback relationship between the central government
policies and actions better and ensuring that everyone
and the rural population and stated that rural areas were
is carried along including the rural population. She
also able to contribute effectively to Local Economic
concluded by saying that the Africa Urban Agenda
Development and National Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
required financial support for an effective and
when properly integrated with urban development.
representative participation of CSOs.
The Ambassador added that Nigeria was supporting the
Africa Urban Agenda with three million United States
2.6 THE ROLE OF POLICTICAL
Dollars (USD 3M) with an aim of working closely with UN-
LEADERSHIP AND MOBILIZING
SUCCESS Habitat for effective engagement of the Africa population
in urban planning. He invited other African countries to join
H.E Akin Oyateru Permanent Representative of Nigeria the initiative and support Nigeria and Ghana’s partnership
to UN- Habitat cited the worrying trend of urbanisation with UN-Habitat.
and called for the need to inclusively develop national
In his concluding statement, the Ambassador agreed with
urban policies and establish frameworks that would
Ms Semia Solange’s call for regional integration and urged
effectively guide implementation.
African countries to review their policies as these were the
He cited the case of Nigeria, and explained how all needed steps in creating the right atmosphere for urban
tiers of the Government are involved through the development.
National Council on Housing and that a National
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3.0 INTERACTIVE SEGMENT
The audience actively engaged the panel with comments H.E Martin Kimani, the Permanent Representative
and questions regarding the AUA programme and the state of Kenya to UN-Habitat highlighted the need for
of urbanization in Africa. multiple stakeholders to further survey and research
on the state of urbanization in Africa so that interested
Ms. Monica Golinzes of the the Department of Housing,
players (institutions, governments and regions) would
South Africa, commended the governments of Nigeria
have reliable data to report and design projects.
and Ghana for supporting the project and stated that the
Africa Urban Agenda project would help strengthen the This comment led to vibrant debate in the audience
partnerships between CSOs, CBOs and governments. who compared the state of African cities to that of
other highly urbanized parts of the world; and finally
She emphasized that Africa was ready for engagement with
agreed that the AUA programme was launched at
its population and referred to housing and urban developed
an opportune time for Africa to design and settle on
ministers’ adoption of the initiative at AMCHUD V as a
proper and comprehensive planning for sustainable
boost to the project.
urban development and human settlements and avoid
the chaotic trends experienced by other regions.
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An ongoing construction of water tunnel that is supported by UN-HABITAT
and ONE UN in Bugesera, Rwanda 2012 © UN-Habitat /Julius Mwelu
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
a) Recommendations from the Session (viii) African nations must see urbanization as a
critical aspect of development and the planning
During the session, the following recommended inference
human settlements strategically geared towards
was captured on the Africa Urban Agenda project
addressing the challenges of urbanization in
and Africa in particular/general. A total of twenty-five
Africa.
recommendations were captured and they are outlined
below: (ix) There is need to define the roles of medium
and low urban centers in Africa to better the
(i) African countries need to regulate their lending rates
structures for maximum economic output.
so that investors may access loans for development
Africa should prioritize cities in future
of affordable housing and infrastructure. Effective
Development Goals
mortgage systems should also be put in place.
(ix) African urban centers should be made to
(ii) More organizations were called upon to actively
be competitive and self-sustaining in order
participate in researching on the urbanization trends
for them to implement policies meant to
in Africa to provide multiple data sources for use in
manage the rapid urbanization rate currently
reporting and project design.
experienced in Africa.
(iii) It was necessary for the urban agenda to be
(x) Most African cities have common challenges
established through an inclusive process of national
which can best be managed if the region’s
governments engaging with HAPs.
central governments and HAPs could establish
(iv) The need for comprehensive and inclusive urban networks for sharing of best practices.
governance is paramount in advancing the new
(xi) There is need for intensive advocacy campaigns
urban agenda.
and e-debates in the drafting of Africa’s urban
(v) African countries were encouraged to formulate agenda.
their urban development policies and other
(xii) For sustainability to be achieved, it is
institutional and statutory frameworks for effective
necessary that Africa adopts a holistic
development and management of urban areas.
approach in the planning and development
(vii) Other African countries should partner with of human settlements and urban areas which
Nigeria and Ghana to enable an effective a timely would prioritize slum upgrading and urban
implementation process. regeneration.
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(xiii) African governments need to develop and (xvii) African governments should strive to promote
implement national urban plans and policies participatory and inclusive local governance
that would link the region’s current urban that would recognize key contributions of levels
development with its future needs and are of government, strengthen formal coordination
solidly grounded in the fundamental principles mechanisms, define joint responsibilities and provide
of equity, justice and human rights. each levels of government with the necessary
resources and incentives to carry out respective
(xiv) The Role of small and medium (intermediate/
roles effectively.
secondary cities) as well as big cities must be
acknowledged. Intermediaries will require (xviii) Poverty alleviation and slum upgrading should be
greater attention in the coming years, given that prominently featured in national urban policies and
local governments must prepare for rapid urban should also be advocated for at the regional level.
growth and the major challenges to be faced
(xix) Governments and Cities ought to strive for
in the future, namely, political and financial
strengthened resilience to climate change and
dependence, limited capacity and scarce
natural disasters. If well planned and developed,
financial resources. Governments, especially
cities would have lower carbon footprints per capita,
local and regional governments, should come
thus withstand rising sea levels and intense storms.
together to address the shortcomings and
However, if planned otherwise, they can lead to
needs in urban planning through a greater
more dependency and in constant need of external
understanding of the challenges and the
aid and intervention any time climatic disaster strike.
perspectives of local governments.
(xx) The AUA project should advocate for and promote
(xv) Africa must design compact and connected
active and committed participation of HAPs through
cities by explicitly integrating spatial planning
strengthened partnerships to ensure broad-based
into municipal and national policies. The
economic and social development, in order to
continent can no longer afford to build sprawling
reduce poverty and create jobs for all.
dependent cities but should establish dense,
walkable and transit-serviced cities that would (xxi) African governments should make intensive efforts
spur innovation, growth and also improve on at improving sustainable urban infrastructure by
the state of the environment. inviting HAPs for dialogue in decisions relating to
investment of public and private funds.
(xvi) Africa’s new urban agenda should recognize
cities as engines of economic growth. An (xxii) Unlocking Urban Finance: In order to build compact
improved level of productivity is necessary and well integrated cities, Africa must to unlock
since this would enable cities be in a position to urban financing. Cities should have multiple revenue
provide for the needs of its future population. sources to help protect state owned property.
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Developing and adopting well-designed property b) Recommendations Regarding the City
taxes and development fees would increase Changer event.
investment in smart infrastructure.
Participants of the event recommended that future
(xxiii) African governments should invest in improving the events actively engage all media channels and that the
capacity of human resources in the field of urban Africa Urban Agenda a project of global interest should
planning and city management. There is thus need be organized as one of the main events of such fora. A
to provide institutional and monetary support for participant also recommended that the event venues
leadership training and the development of tools that be bigger in size with proper ventilation especially
can massively upgrade the state of urban leadership at future global platforms of this nature. A proposal
and practice of urbanism across the continent. on the audience interacting with the panellists for
possible considerations of their inputs before and after
(xxiv) African population has shown interest in the
the event was also rooted by one of the participants.
continent’s urbanization. It is therefore essential for
The concluding suggestion was that he AUA project
governments to educate the people and carry them
should also sponsor 30 HAPs to all regional and global
along in their empowered capacity.
milestones as part of empowerment, networking and
(xxv) The AUA project should advocate for the capacity building.
participation of the marginalized groups including
disabled persons, youth and women.
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A traditional house, or “maloca” built at the seventh World Urban Forum by an
Amazonian family © UN-Habitat/Sergio Gonzalez
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5.0 PARTNERS FEEDBACK
This is what some participants sponsored by the SPP had to for a New African Urban Agenda cannot be over
say about their experience at WUF7: emphasized. It will afford the sub-Sahara Africa region
the opportunity to speak with one voice and push
“While at the Forum, I had a chance to network with interact for an agenda that will address the challenges that
with participants and organizers and also got an opportunity have hindered the Regions’ Human Settlements
to visit other stalls” Development at Habitat III.”.
– Prof A.C Mosha, University of Bostwana. -Uwakwe Roland Ikechukwu, Federal Ministry of Land
and Urban Development, Abuja, Nigeria.
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told me how useful the session was and how much “Participating in the World Urban Forum gave me
they enjoyed it. Hopefully that means they went away the opportunity to draw from experiences shared by
empowered in their capacity to do their bit towards an other countries which would allow me make meaningful
effective African Urban Agenda. It was a privilege to be contribution to Ghana’s participating activities for
part of such a lively engaging session”. the promotion of the new African Urban Agenda and
- Bilikisu Labaran, New Editor, BBC London (Session also contribute to the Habitat III reports and Post
Moderator) 2015 development agenda to ensure sustainability in
development of Africa as a whole and Ghana as a country”.
–Ellen Oteng Nsiah, Executive Director of Housing the
Masses, Ghana.
Urbanisation is a demographic and spatial phenomenon The African Ministerial conference on Housing and
which has the potential to be a transformative force capable Urban Development (AMCHUD) at its 5th session
of enhancing economic growth, innovation, productivity of their biennium conference, held in N’Djamena,
and wealth, which will in turn reduce poverty, increase Chad, in February 2014 elaborated the importance of
life expectancy among other beneficial effects in various urbanization, with a view to providing inputs towards
development sectors when proper planning and vectors are the finalization of Africa Agenda 2063 document.
implemented properly.
Ministers reiterated that a unique feature of
On the other hand, the reverse is the case when planning urbanization in Africa is its overall impact on the entire
and enabling vectors are not in place; urbanization continuum of settlements from the smallest size in the
then instead becomes a negative vice that promotes rural areas to the largest metropolises of the capital
concentration of poverty, crime and violence, over and commercial centres.
stretching of infrastructure, e.tc.
Among other spheres, Africa’s long term vision will
In a bid to harness the potentials of urbanization the be manifested in the manner in her which 2.5 billion
Progress Report of the Commission on the African Union people by 2063 will be accommodated, provided
Agenda 2063, and the Report of the High Level Committee with services, with means of livelihood, as well as
on the Post-2015 Development Agenda submitted to the consolidating linkages and connectivity among them
22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African for enhanced regional integration.
Union in January 2014, identified the positive dynamism
It is in inference from the outcome of the City Changer
of urban and human settlement development for achieving
event at World Urban Forum VII, the Progress Report
the desired vision of Africa Agenda 2063.
of the Commission on the African Union Agenda 2063,
It highlighted the urgency of overcoming the challenges Report of the High Level Committee on the Post-2015
and setbacks emanating from the rapid population increase Development Agenda the Habitat Agenda, Agenda 21
that the continent is set to experience over the next five and AMCHUD declarations, that the vectors for a new
decades. Africa Urban Agenda are derived and defined through
a bottom up approach incorporating the findings of the
Evidence produced earlier by the Economic Commission
national reports for HABITAT III.
for Africa as well as by UN-Habitat reveals that over 60% of
the Continent’s gross domestic product (GDP) is generated
from urban based activities.
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Outlined below are the enabling vectors for a New based on their peculiar socio- economic challenges and
Africa Urban Agenda: emerging trends in urbanization.
1. National urban policies. Africa too needs to actively engage in the conference with
one voice on its priorities of the approaching urban years.
2. Multiple stakeholder consultative forums.
3. Realization of urban economy and cities as Beyond the Habitat III Conference, Africa must prepare
engines of growth; and the mandate of spatial planning as a core excercise through
which the continents wealth of natural and human resources
Three operational vectors; must be deployed to the overall sustained development of
(i) Spatial planning; the continent.
(ii) Provision of urban basic services; In this regard, the pattern of human settlements and their
role in space must be addressed in a system of national
(iii) Fiscal system for decentralized authorities.
policies that are cascaded from the center to the sub-
Key elements to be considered at Habitat III in creating regional, down to local and community levels.
a pattern of sustainable urban growth include:
The expected transformation will be achieved with all
a) National Urban Policies; partners and stakeholders playing their roles and engaging
with each other in a mutually beneficial manner. This is the
b) Laws, Institutions and Systems of governance;
vision of the agenda 2063.
c) Urban Economy.
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7.0 ANNEX: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
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Residents of Kibera Slum relocate to the newly constructed houses in
Nairobi, Kenya. © UN-Habitat / Nathan Kihara
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UNITED NATION S HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME
P.O.Box 30030,Nairobi 00100,Kenya;
Tel: +254-20-7626742; Fax: +254-20-7625015;
infohabitat@unhabitat.org www.unhabitat.org