Urbanization and National Development Planning in Africa

1. Urbanization and National Development Planning in Africa Edlam Yemeru Chief, Urbanization Section ECA 13 December 2017 Addis Ababa Regional Validation Workshop: An Urban Lens in National Development Planning

2. CHAPTER | TITLE • Outline • Key messages • National development planning for structural transformation • Importance of urbanization for national development planning • Status of urbanization in national development planning- highlights • Policy implications Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

3. Key messages • Urbanization is not only a spatial, local or sectoral issue, but also has significant impacts acrosssectors as well as on the multiple dimensions of sustainable development. • In Africa, urbanization is a mega trend with profound implications for structural transformation and should thus be integrated into national development planning from a strategic and cross-sectoral perspective. • Productive, competitive, inclusive and sustainable cities and human settlements are necessary for the achievement of long term targets for growth and transformation in Africa. • National development planning in Africa has to fully appreciate the potential of urbanization to drive inclusive growth through increased productivity and wealth creation. CHAPTER | TITLE Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

4. CHAPTER | TITLE • National Development Planning for Structural Transformation • Structural transformation is a top policy priority for Africa to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and sustainable • National development planning is a key vehicle for the achievement of structural transformation • Positive experiences of Asian countries illustrate the potential of national development planning to strategically direct scarce national resources toward growth development goals • There has thus been a revival of national development planning across many African countries • Currently, 34 African countries have long term, whilst 50 have medium term national development plans Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

5. Importance of Urbanization for National Development Planning • Africa’s rapid urban transition as profound implications for all aspects of growth and transformation • Theory and experience show that urbanization is both a driver and outcome of the structural transformation process • No country has reached middle income status of achieved industrialization without urbanization • Where it is well planned and managed, urbanization offers considerable opportunities to accelerate the expansion of productive sectors (modern manufacturing and services) • Poorly managed urbanization can in fact lead to rising poverty, inequality, informality CHAPTER | TITLE Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

6. Status of Urbanization in National Development Planning: Highlights • Rwanda’s Vision 2020 considers urbanization a key component for taking the country to middle-income country status, with a targeted 30 per cent urban population share achieved through planned development of Kigali and six secondary cities • The Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy states that six secondary cities will be developed as growth poles and hubs of non-agricultural activity as part of the priorities for economic transformation. • Strategic economic projects and improved connectivity to other towns and rural areas are planned, as is upgraded hard and soft infrastructure, but the strategy continues to underline the critical role of Kigali as a subregional hub. The strategy also makes explicit the links between structural transformation and urbanization. CHAPTER | TITLE Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

7. Status of Urbanization in National Development Planning: Highlights • South Africa’s 2030 National Development Plan • urban growth an opportunity and as part of its analysis of mega-trends and the global economy, and it looks at the impact of the growing middle class on consumption and business opportunities. • It also notes that urbanization not only reduces the number of people engaged in small-scale agriculture; it also facilitates economic diversification. • The plan further mentions the expected rise in discretionary income related to urban trends and the positive impacts of consumer spending on banks, telecommunications firms and manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods. • The plan lays out a spatial development approach that creates “functionally integrated, balanced and vibrant urban settlements” CHAPTER | TITLE Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

8. Policy implications • mainstream urbanization in national development planning as a cross-sectoral issue in the overall development strategy • recognize that urbanization is largely an irreversible and irrepressible process, and invariably both an enabler and an indicator of economic development • maximize agglomeration effects and minimize negative externalities through nurturing of well-functioning cities as well as national urban systems • set targets for the promotion of forward and backward linkages between cities, towns and villages in order to optimize synergies between urban and rural areas CHAPTER | TITLE Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

9. CHAPTER | TITLE • Policy implications • establish and strengthen cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms to enable comprehensive and multidimensional planning of urbanization aligned to broader development objectives • strengthen economic data at the city-level to illustrate and monitor the role of cities in economic development Title of the presentation goes here | Sub-Title goes here UNECA.ORG

10. THANK YOU! more info: <Yemeru@un.org> UNECA.ORG