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Recycling and Valorization of the Wastewater Treatment By-products

Discover the findings of “Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2024.” We’ll explore projected urban growth trends and their implications for planning and governance, discussing how to leverage this growth for sustainable development across Africa.

Stefan Atchia

Moderator

François YATTA

Moderator

date November 8, 2024 | 11:00 - 12:30
place
SDGs in Action - room C
organization
African Development Bank
language
English
Reference: 
SDG-C 17

Summary

"Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2024, Planning for Urban Expansion” is a joint publication by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development / Sahel and West Africa Club (OECD/SWAC), United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), and Cities Alliance that highlights the transformative impact of urbanisation across Africa in the 21st century. This urban growth presents significant opportunities to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Leveraging urbanisation and the growing importance of cities can foster continental integration, as cities become hubs for initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). To leverage the full potential of urbanisation, African countries need to tackle the multiple and important challenges that rapid urban growth entails.
In the next three decades, urban growth will be uniquely rapid and massive, with an expected increase of over 700 million urban residents by 2050, the emergence of over 2 000 new cities, and a 3-fold increase in urban surface area (OECD/SWAC 2024, Africapolis).

The session will first present in detail the data and dynamics of projected urban growth from 2020 and 2050, examining its implications for urban planning, governance, and financing—crucial elements in achieving the SDGs. Following this, a panel discussion will feature representatives from the organizing institutions, along with experts and policymakers who contributed to the report. They will enrich the discussion by bringing their vision and compelling evidence on the challenges and opportunities of urban growth. The concluding remarks of the event will focus on the practical implications of the report for public policies, underscoring how cities can be catalysts for achieving the SDGs and enhancing the well-being of urban populations across Africa.

Objectives

The key objective of the event is to present the Africa’s Urbanization Dynamics 2024 report and its findings on urban planning, governance, and finance, while catalyzing discussions towards enhancing the fiscal capacity of African governments for sustainable urban development. It will raise awareness about the importance of financing urbanization, advocating for policy reforms to empower local governments in generating own-source revenues and accessing debt financing, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to mobilize resources effectively in support of the SDGs. The discussion will also focus on the implications of the report’s findings on public policies. This will allow for the exploration of the actionable strategies and policy recommendations derived from the report in addressing the challenges and opportunities of urbanization in the continent and to align them with the SDG’s

Session panelists

Panelist
Role
Organization
Country
Mr. Philipp HEINRIGS
head division
SWAC-OECD
Mr. Julian BASKIN
Principle Urban Advisor
Cities Alliance
Ms. Nancy Odendaal
Chair of AAPS-University Cape Town
Association of African Planning Schools