This report looks at urbanisation trends across emerging and developing economies in Africa; Asia and the Pacific; emerging Europe, Central Asia and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean; and Latin America and the Caribbean. It suggests that governments take a proactive, integrated, long-term, and agile planning approach to urban development. While the solutions presented in this report showcase lessons and good practices, we recognize that each city is unique and requires its own set of initiatives and investments to adapt to its socioeconomic, geographic, and ecological realities.
The four regional development banks (RDBs)—African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)—are working with emerging and developing countries in their regions to address the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities for making cities more livable. These four regional development banks address urbanization challenges and approach urban development through their specific plans and projects. They support national and subnational governments, the private sector, and civil society in identifying transformative investments, strengthening planning and regulatory systems, advising on policies and strategies, and developing the capacities of people and institutions to better plan and manage highly dynamic urbanization forces.