Economic Development

Spotlight on: Just Transition

Trading to Eat: How The Informal Economy is Hunger-Proofing Africa’s Cities

By |2023-02-20T14:30:47+01:00January 31st 2023|Decent Work, Economic Development, Youth & Gender, , , |

In many African cities, informal food traders sell everything from fresh produce to fried chicken feet at affordable prices to people who need the food most. Luke Metelerkamp is convinced: informal trading is hunger-proofing Africa's cities, arguably providing the continent's largest nutritional safety net.

Spotlight on: Risk and Crisis Management

From Burden to Economic Asset: Palestine Refugee Camps in Jordan

By |2022-10-20T14:08:41+02:00October 20th 2022|Economic Development, Global Urban Debates, , , , |

When faced with stereotypical images of refugee camps as isolated places without ways of contribution or interaction the example of Palestine refugee camp Marka proves these expectations wrong. Dina Dahood Dabash sheds light on factors that contributed to the current agency of the Marka camp in Jordan.

SPOTLIGHT ON: AFFORDABLE CITIES

Offering Affordable Housing in Egypt Through Microfinance

By |2022-07-26T09:21:56+02:00July 26th 2022|Economic Development, Governance & Finance, Housing & Informality, , , , |

Access to housing finance is an enormous challenge in Egyptian cities. Raed Fares and Safa Ashoub portray the approach by Habitat for Humanity Egypt: a microfinancing programme that also offers technical assistance and ensures to include local communities.

SPOTLIGHT ON: WORLD URBAN FORUM

The New Image of Polish Cities

By |2022-06-09T08:57:12+02:00June 9th 2022|Economic Development, Green & Smart Development, , , , , , |

Grzegorz Puda, Polish Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, writes on how Polish cities have managed to transform into friendly metropolises bustling with city life. What were the development paths, how did they learn to capitalise on their advantages? Those questions will certainly be among topics that Poland will be presenting at the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Katowice.

SPOTLIGHT ON: LIVEABLE CITIES

Rebuilding Aleppo as a Liveable City: The Role Of Cultural Heritage

By |2022-05-29T20:34:32+02:00May 24th 2022|Economic Development, , , , , |

How to rebuild a city after a devastating war? Dalia Mokayed emphasises the crucial role of cultural heritage.

SPOTLIGHT ON: URBAN LABS AND INNOVATION

The Urban Living Labs Implementation for the Displaced Community in Garut, Indonesia

By |2022-04-07T10:18:53+02:00April 6th 2022|Climate Change & Resilience, Economic Development, Global Urban Debates, , , |

With disasters forcing people to move, how can host cities ensure adequate living conditions for displaced communities? Saut Sagala, Danang Azhari, and Medhiansyah Putra make a case for Urban Living Labs.

SPOTLIGHT ON: WOMEN IN CITIES

Learn to Empower: Damietta Embraces Education for Gender Equality

By |2022-03-24T12:08:36+01:00March 24th 2022|Economic Development, Youth & Gender, , , |

Education and learning are key to empowering women, says Damietta's Mayor Manal Awad in an interview with URBANET.

SPOTLIGHT ON: DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE

How To Do Digital Government: Experiences From E-Mongolia

By |2022-02-08T10:23:51+01:00February 8th 2022|Economic Development, Smart & Digital Development, , , |

Almost a year ago, Mongolia launched the e-Mongolia platform to streamline public service delivery. The goals were to reduce bureaucracy, decrease duplication of effort between government organisations, and counter citizens' frustration with inefficient public services. Bolor-Erdene Battsengel on learnings and successes.

Community Engagement in Accra: Playgrounds Meet Markets

By |2022-01-31T11:48:19+01:00January 27th 2022|Economic Development, Youth & Gender, , , , |

With children spending their days at their parents' market stalls, how can we turn markets into safe places for them, where they are free to learn and play? Amowi Phillips from the Mmofra Foundation shares an inspiring example of community engagement in Accra, Ghana.

To Advance Access to Education, Communities Need to Focus on Financial Equity and Literacy

By |2021-11-25T11:02:50+01:00November 25th 2021|Economic Development, Youth & Gender, , , |

How to improve access to education in small municipalities? Scott Frank and Ronald Kibirige from the InteRoots Initiative present a community-led example from Kasasa, Uganda.

Thinking Together Urbanisation and Agriculture: What do Farmers do Under Rapid Urban Growth?

By |2021-11-11T09:36:47+01:00November 11th 2021|Economic Development, , , , |

The global debate on agriculture under urbanisation has often focused a priori on the replacement of agricultural uses by built-up space. It thereby often overlooks new opportunities for agriculture at the urban periphery.

Revolutionising Economic Systems: Meet Circular Turku

By |2021-10-07T09:50:20+02:00October 7th 2021|Climate Change & Resilience, Economic Development, , , , |

Transitioning to holistic economic systems that support the 1.5 °C target is key for cities. The Circular Turku Roadmap is an excellent example of radical institutional support in favour of circular production and consumption systems. By Marion Guénard from ICLEI

To Build An Urban Future, Dare Looking At The Basics

By |2021-08-19T09:18:27+02:00August 19th 2021|Economic Development, Energy & Waste, , , |

The future of our cities is circular, argues Maíra Valladares from 3R - Reduzir, Reusar e Reciclar, a recycling company aiming to circularise Mozambican cities' waste management.

Meeting the Challenge of Gender Equality in Burkina Faso

By |2021-07-22T12:35:35+02:00July 22nd 2021|Economic Development, Youth & Gender, , , |

In Burkina Faso, women are taking up the challenge of diversifying their professional choices. With the support of CFIAM, they are proving that non-traditional occupations are not the exclusive domain of men. Bernard Zongo shares the main lessons learned.

The Monoculture of Midtown Manhattan

By |2021-07-14T08:48:49+02:00June 15th 2021|Economic Development, Global Urban Debates, , , |

Highlighting yet another long-lasting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, Phil Myrick takes a look at the concept of central business districts – and argues that its upcoming end is something to look forward to.

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