Initiatives pour des Villes Durables et Politiques Nationales Urbaines Dans le Contexte du Nouvel Agenda Urbain – Cas de l’Afrique francophone

The event focuses on experience sharing among participants, and highlights ongoing sustainable cities initiatives across countries. The ‘Initiative de la Francophonie pour des villes durables’, the ‘RESAUD NETWORK’ initiative, and specific sustainable urban management experiences will be presented, including ‘Grand-Bassam Ville durable
moderne’.The event will also cover cooperation, partnership, capacity building and mobilization of finance mechanisms in priority areas: energy, water, sanitation, health, mobility, environmental, housing and tenure securities. It also covers cross-cutting issues of wealth building, equity and gender.Africa is witnessing one of the world fastest growing urbanization. In 2030 one in two Africans will live in cities, mostly in metropolises. More than fifty five per cent of African urban dwellers lack access to basic services, including energy, live in informal settlements, in highly polluted and ecologically sensitive areas. This multidimensional insecurity mainly affecting women a
nd youth is morally indefensible, constitutes a major hindrance for economic development, is a source for major health risks, and fosters crime, violence, and social and political instability. The thematic discussion will point how city planning and urban management meet these challenges in francophone African countries, in view to consolidate country engagements in support of sustainable urban agendas, with a special interest for an African urban agenda. African local leaders understand the stakes and are seeking and implementing strategies to sustainably develop their cities leaving no one behind.Decision-making and implementation are more efficient if taken as closest to citizens as possible. Policy makers are actively innovating to address complex sustainable policy challenges. For relevant and enduring actions, “local and regional policy makers have to act with the benefit of rigorous evidence: what has been tried and proven elsewhere. Which of their own interventions, programs and policies work, which work best, and why” (J. PAL).