{"id":6131,"date":"2026-04-10T13:46:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powershiftafrica.org\/in-the-news\/second-africa-urban-forum-building-african-cities-of-the-futurenbspnbsp"},"modified":"2026-10-28T09:02:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T09:02:51","slug":"second-africa-urban-forum-building-african-cities-of-the-futurenbspnbsp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/in-the-news\/second-africa-urban-forum-building-african-cities-of-the-futurenbspnbsp\/","title":{"rendered":"Second Africa Urban Forum: Building African cities of the future"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"
Nairobi is hosting the Second Africa Urban Forum. | Department of Human Settlements, Kenya<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BY\u00a0MARY\u00a0KYANYI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 19\u00a0percent of\u00a0the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0population, or 1.5 billion\u00a0people,\u00a0live\u00a0in\u00a0Africa.\u00a0Demographic\u00a0projections\u00a0by the United Nation\u2019s Economic Commission for Africa\u00a0(UNECA)\u00a0suggest that at least a quarter of\u00a0humanity\u00a0will be\u00a0residing\u00a0on\u00a0the continent by 2050.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even\u00a0more staggering is that\u00a0over three-quarters\u00a0of\u00a0Africa\u2019s population will be living in cities\u00a0by mid-century.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Africa\u2019s Urbanization Dynamics\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a02025\u00a0shows\u00a0that Africa\u2019s urban population will double\u00a0to hit\u00a01.4 billion by 2050, becoming the world\u2019s second-most urbanized continent after Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These\u00a0statistics are\u00a0a\u00a0stark\u00a0pointer\u00a0to\u00a0the timeliness of the second Africa\u00a0Urban\u00a0Forum (AUF2),\u00a0happening in\u00a0Nairobi\u00a0this week.\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0crux of the forum\u00a0is\u00a0discussion\u00a0on gaps\u00a0in urban settlements\u00a0and opportunities\u00a0that Africa\u00a0can seize\u00a0to accelerate\u00a0the provision of\u00a0adequate housing for all under Agenda 2063.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One\u00a0of the expected\u00a0key\u00a0outcomes\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0development of Africa\u2019s Urban positions\u00a0and priorities which will be mapped in the framework to be adopted during this session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what does this year\u2019s\u00a0forum mean to a vulnerable continent this season?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measures of human prosperity,\u00a0especially the Human Development Index (HDI), show\u00a0that\u00a0health, knowledge, and standard of living\u00a0are key matrix indicators of well-being.\u00a0Housing is a\u00a0key determinant of\u00a0people\u2019s standard of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the exponential growth of the continent\u2019s urban population, the\u00a0forum\u2019s\u00a0focus\u00a0on\u00a0adequate and\u00a0livable\u00a0housing\u00a0in urban\u00a0areas\u00a0is visionary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The urban forum\u00a0provides\u00a0an opportunity for countries to address their vulnerable urban ecosystems, informal settlements, combat floods, heatwaves, and restore\u00a0ecological environments in the cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today,\u00a0African cities, from Johannesburg to Kampala,\u00a0Luanda and Lagos, are marked by\u00a0sprawling informal\u00a0dwellings,\u00a0poor\u00a0access\u00a0to sanitation services,\u00a0and inadequate social amenities\u00a0including\u00a0recreational\u00a0spaces and non-motorized\u00a0ways.\u00a0Collectively, these\u00a0inadequacies stand\u00a0in the way of\u00a0Sustainable Development Goal 11\u00a0(SDG11) on\u00a0inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable\u00a0cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

African cities of the future should not only be able to accommodate the burgeoning population but\u00a0also provide\u00a0adequate\u00a0sanitation, social\u00a0amenities, climate-proofed\u00a0infrastructure\u00a0and\u00a0seamless mobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides providing proper housing for citizens, it is equally important for African governments to map their populations. Having a reliable address system and knowing who\u00a0lives where\u00a0allows authorities to\u00a0design\u00a0better for\u00a0critical amenities such as hospitals, public transport, and schools. Across Africa, the urban population, mostly the young working class, is the heartbeat of a country\u2019s economy. Providing adequately for them sustains their contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for a thriving economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be a turning point for Africa\u2019s\u00a0urbanization, the\u00a0forum\u00a0must\u00a0e<\/strong>levate\u00a0sustainable and resilient\u00a0infrastructural\u00a0development across\u00a0the continent.\u00a0Data from the UN-Habitat shows that\u00a0more than\u00a060\u00a0percent<\/a>\u00a0of the African population\u00a0currently\u00a0lives\u00a0in informal settlements.\u00a0This denies\u00a0citizens\u00a0access to public services and predisposes\u00a0them\u00a0to\u00a0associated\u00a0risks,\u00a0including\u00a0sanitation-related health complications,\u00a0urban poverty,\u00a0and\u00a0generally\u00a0low\u00a0standards of\u00a0living.\u00a0Ways to alleviate poverty for the 50 million urban dwellers in Africa should be a key goal of this forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many years, most\u00a0African informal\u00a0settlements\u00a0have been synonymous with\u00a0underdevelopment.\u00a0To\u00a0turn\u00a0the\u00a0tide,\u00a0the\u00a0forum\u00a0declaration\u00a0must provide a pathway\u00a0for tackling\u00a0basic infrastructure\u00a0gaps, especially\u00a0water, electricity,\u00a0sanitation,\u00a0waste collection,\u00a0and roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0rainy season is a nightmare for most slum dwellers, as their shacks\u00a0get washed away. Many of them are too poor and too vulnerable to withstand flooding and other extreme weather events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slum upgrade\u00a0programmes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To\u00a0help urban populations\u00a0absorb\u00a0climate shocks\u00a0better, African cities\u00a0must implement\u00a0and integrate\u00a0climate resilience strategies into urban planning and development.\u00a0Installing passive\u00a0cooling techniques\u00a0that cut\u00a0energy costs\u00a0is critical\u00a0to lower carbon emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a need for Africa to upgrade slums and provide strategies for pro-poor housing. This will not only encourage community action planning but also prepare low-income populations before\u00a0the\u00a0onset of climate impacts, especially flooding and heatwaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affordable\u00a0Housing is\u00a0a Gamer Changer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Providing\u00a0affordable housing in Africa\u00a0in an era\u00a0of\u00a0urbanizing rural\u00a0areas\u00a0can solve the twin problem\u00a0of food insecurity and housing deficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As rural areas\u00a0turn into\u00a0towns and\u00a0cities, immense pressure will be\u00a0put on land to\u00a0accommodate\u00a0settlements and\u00a0still provide\u00a0food and\u00a0nutrition to\u00a0urban\u00a0dwellers. Planned\u00a0affordable\u00a0housing\u00a0programmes\u00a0are essential\u00a0to prevent\u00a0excessive pressure\u00a0on land resources\u00a0and slow down\u00a0the growth of urban\u00a0poverty to\u00a0ensure\u00a0people stay\u00a0within\u00a0dignified\u00a0standards of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designing resilient infrastructure and urban systems is important for protecting the people of the continent from climate shocks.\u00a0To do\u00a0this,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0an opportunity for\u00a0African\u00a0government\u00a0to partner\u00a0with the private sector\u00a0for synergies\u00a0and subsidies\u00a0to\u00a0help\u00a0bridge the\u00a0housing\u00a0gap, particularly for\u00a0low-income\u00a0householders.\u00a0Likewise, governments must work closely with urban and physical planners and researchers to bring this dream home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecosystem Restoration in cities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green areas\u00a0are\u00a0vital\u00a0components\u00a0of city\u00a0living. Urban forests\u00a0purify the air,\u00a0absorb\u00a0pollutants from\u00a0vehicles\u00a0and industrial\u00a0fumes, allowing people to breathe fresh air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Even\u00a0so, encroachment\u00a0of forests and other green\u00a0is a major problem in many African cities.\u00a0Parks and other\u00a0biodiverse\u00a0areas\u00a0are\u00a0invaded,\u00a0and houses\u00a0are built\u00a0to accommodate the bulging population.\u00a0This invasion has led to\u00a0severe loss\u00a0of biodiversity\u00a0and destruction\u00a0of\u00a0wildlife habitats and\u00a0ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forum\u00a0in Nairobi\u00a0must, therefore,\u00a0develop\u00a0a\u00a0roadmap for\u00a0restoring and conserving natural habitats\u00a0and\u00a0ecosystems\u00a0as\u00a0well\u00a0as\u00a0upgrading green infrastructure.\u00a0As we approach\u00a02050, we should\u00a0work\u00a0not only\u00a0towards\u00a0meeting the demand for housing for 2.5 billion people. We must be deliberate about\u00a0accommodating\u00a0them\u00a0in a manner that is dignifying, sustainable,\u00a0and\u00a0climate-proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That journey starts this week with the adoption of the AUF2 Nairobi Declaration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary\u00a0Kyanyi\u00a0is an Adaptation and Resilience Fellow at Power Shift Africa<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Second Africa Urban Forum is an opportunity for countries on the continent to address inadequate housing challenges, vulnerable urban ecosystems, informal settlements, and restore ecological environments in cities. This piece details how Africa can build livable, climate-resilient and sustainable cities of the future.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":832,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[28],"topic":[],"class_list":["post-6131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-news","tag-adaptation"],"acf":{"url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6131"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9486,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6131\/revisions\/9486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6131"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powershiftafrica.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=6131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}