By Heizel Gathoni
The Africa Urban Forum kicked off in Addis Ababa this week, bringing together leaders, urban planners, and policy experts from across the continent to address the critical challenges facing urban development in Africa.
The forum, held from September 4th-6th, 2024 aimed to tackle issues such as habitability, safety, and resilience in rapidly growing urban areaThe Africa Urban Forum served as a platform for stakeholders from across Africa and beyond to convene, exchange ideas, and chart a path towards sustainable urban growth.
Adanech Abebe, the mayor of Adis Ababa emphasized the forum’s primary goal. “Ensuring habitability, safety and resilience in our cities is our top priority,” Abebe stated during the opening ceremony.
She highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to create sustainable urban environments capable of withstanding various socio-economic pressures.
“The forum is an instrumental platform where African brothers and sisters deliberate about transforming their cities and preparing for the upcoming wave of urbanization. We converse to make our cities engines of development and beacons of prosperity,” stated Abebe.
Anaclaudia Rossbach, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Boston, United States, underscored the importance of effective urban planning.
“Urbanization presents vast challenges but also opportunities for prosperity,” she noted.
The forum also features workshops and networking sessions aimed at fostering regional cooperation and sharing successful models from other parts of the globe. As urbanization accelerates across Africa, the discussions and resolutions from this forum are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of African cities.
The Africa Urban Forum marks a significant step toward fostering a more collaborative approach to urban development, setting the stage for transformative change in cities across the continent.