Worldwide lessons from National Urban Policies development and implementation

Urbanization in most developing countries is bringing enormous changes in the spatial distribution of people, resource, as well as the use and consumption of land. Although such a process is strongly linked to social and economic development, many countries lack the supporting policies and frameworks that can leverage the process for increased development gains and guide it towards sustainable patterns.
In order to harness urbanization, mitigate its negative externalities and promote an “urban paradigm shift”, there is need for a coordinated approach and clear policy directions. This is lacking in many countries, where several government departments are dealing with different aspects of the urbanization challenge, for example, the imbalance between its main metropolitan areas and intermediate and small cities; the high rates of informality in urban economies; the persistence of inequality, segregation and insecurity despite the reduction of poverty and the increase in access to housing; environmental impacts and insufficient risk management, among others.
This network event aims to be an open space for the exchange of best practices and the promotion of alliances between national governments representatives that have experience in the elaboration and implementation of National Urban Policies, as well to provide insights and lessons learned about their processes of development of the policies, the involvement of different levels of government and key stakeholders to achieve a successful formalization of the NUP, and to present sectoral policies, or other instruments, that have resulted from the NUP at national and subnational levels.
Furthermore, the event will also showcase the role of National Urban Policies in the contribution to localize global agendas, especially the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda, as well as their to promote more coordinated actions towards more socially and economically equitable territories.
The event will bring together voices of national governments from Africa and Latin America who will share their experiences and exchange key learnings, innovations and specific opportunities resulted from the creation of their NPUs.
The case studies that are proposed to be presented are the following:
• NUP of Honduras, through the Ministry of Government, Justice and Decentralization and the Housing and Human Settlements Program.
• NUP of Cuba, through the National Institute of Land Use and Urban Planning (INOTU).
• NUP of Paraguay through the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing and Habitat.
• NUP of Guinea-Bissau through the Territorial Planning in the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Urbanism.
• NUP of Cabo Verde through the National Territorial Planning Institute.

• NUP of Korea through the Urban Policy Division, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Finally, a case study from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs of Saudi Arabia could be presented in case there is an open space for an additional speaker.