The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme – Partnerships, Policy Change, Improved Knowledge and Capacity as well as Community-Driven Projects in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Towards an Inclusive Pro-Poor Urban Agenda

The Networking Event will be initiated by the Government of Jamaica and is aim at bringing the global PSUP network together. The event will provide a platform for PSUP partners to exchange on achievements, lessons learnt and a future vision of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) implementing the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda. The Government of Jamaica as host will specifically share the country’s experience with addressing slum issues at policy and programme levels and the value of the PSUP approach and network in this process. Further, it will provide input into the HABITAT III follow-up process and the need for a stronger regional urban vision for the Caribbean for operationalizing the New Urban Agenda. This will be complemented by interventions from the other panel members on how PSUP can activate drivers of change for inclusive urbanization such as pro-poor urban and housing policies ""putting housing at the centre"", planning principles for sustainable neighbourhood upgrading, multi-financing mechanisms for slum upgrading, linking inclusive economic growth to slum upgrading, technology-based solutions contributing to the data revolution and participatory approaches and community-driven initiatives. Further the event will highlight the importance of international partnerships: 1) triangular partnerships 2) global learning and exchange and; 3) peer learning between urban practitioners, planners and universities. It will give the example of a strong tripartite partnership between the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the European Commission and UN-Habitat and how this translates into a demand-driven country support. This will also include showcasing the city-to-city network consisting of Mayors from ACP countries and launching it globally. The event will close by further disseminating the message of the UN-Habitat global campaign “Up for Slum Dwellers – Transforming a billion lives” in particular to also highlight the role of private sector as a partner and as contributor to sustainable development to achieve sustainable change on scale.