Strengthening Resilience in Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: a Participatory Approach for Reducing Risks in Fast-Growing Small and Intermediate Cities

Urban challenges in Africa are being exacerbated by vulnerabilities and threats associated with climate change. Small and intermediate-sized cities in sub-Saharan Africa - localities with the highest absolute urban growth as well as often weak governance capacities - are most susceptible to shocks and stresses. This panel session aims at presenting and discussing operational tools and approaches for small and intermediate cities to understand, plan and act for improving urban resilience, with a focus on the main challenges and opportunities linked to unprecedented urban growth as well as vulnerability to climate change. To that end, UN-Habitat will present the City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) Tool, a phased process based on participatory methodologies that leads to the development of a Resilience Framework for Action that provides a path for mainstreaming resilience and adaptation in urban management. The tool has been implemented in 5 small and intermediate sized cities in sub-Saharan Africa, and also within a district of a capital city. The session is expected to promote a debate on how cities and partners can take advantage of urban growth and translate ideas and information into concrete actions for reducing vulnerabilities.