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Long Abstract
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Urban planning and governance in Africa are still tied to the colonial tradition, and have not adapted fast enough to the reality of rapid urban change in the post-colonial period. UN-Habitat estimates that Sub-Saharan African cities have close to 200 million slum dwellers, most of who work in the informal sector where they simply do not earn enough to afford a high standard of shelter and services. These slums contrast sharply with elite neighborhoods where the affluent few enjoy high quality housing and residential environment. What does sustainability mean for such cities and townspeople? Many planners and government officials, who aspire to international standards of modernity, tend to dismiss the informal sector as ‘a chaotic jumble of unproductive activities’ that should be removed through forced eviction and other forms of repression. We argue that while these officials have the responsibility to uphold the law that protects public health and the urban environment, current research suggests that the path to urban peace and sustainability in Africa lies in building more inclusive and socially equitable cities “where everybody, irrespective of their economic means, gender, age, ethnic origin or religion are enabled and empowered to participate productively in the social, economic and political opportunities that cities offer”. The Panel invites papers that provide fresh insights on pathways to sustainable African urban futures, and on appropriate urban planning and governance models and visions for the continent; ways to rethink and re-envision the cities in response to rapid urban growth and extensive informality, even as we rightly seek to modernize.
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