Africa is urbanising fast. By the mid-2030s, a majority of Africans will live in urban areas. But productive jobs and quality public services are not keeping up with the fast growth of cities and towns. Yet urbanisation holds huge potential for accelerating economic, social and environmental development; even rural areas would benefit from the development of vibrant, sustainable African cities. Harnessing this potential requires new, ambitious national urban strategies. While priorities will depend on each country's specific context, all need to clarify land rights, provide better infrastructure and services, and manage the growth of intermediary cities.
On 20 July 2016 (2:00 PM CEST), the GGKP, together with the OECD Development Centre and WWF, held a webinar exploring these issues through a presentation of this year's African Economic Outlook (AEO). The AEO, currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, is an essential reference for monitoring the economic, social and political developments of the continent. This years edition contains: original economic analysis and forecasts; a special focus on sustainable cities and structural transformation; individual country notes for each of the continent's 54 countries; and a rich statistical annex.
Speakers listed below are shown here from left to right.
Moderator: Benjamin Simmons, Head, Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP)
Presentations by:
Henri-Bernard Solignac-Lecomte, Senior Economist, Head of Unit – Africa, OECD
Kookie Habtegaber, Independent Expert
Discussant:
Anton Cartwright, Green Economy Researcher, African Centre for Cities (UCT)
WEBINAR SLIDES
