Africa’s Urbanization Challenge: An Opportunity for Green Growth

Policy Brief Number 11
July 2013

Africa’s Urbanization Challenge: An Opportunity for Green Growth

Author: Mila Freire

As Africa urbanizes, cities have the opportunity to plan ahead and ensure that investments and policies are well suited for sustainable development. A key ingredient for successful cities (in a post-manufacturing world) is their capacity to attract talented, educated, and creative people who will bring economic growth to their city. Written in July 2013, this note examines what would be needed for making urban areas green, inclusive, and resilient, in order for cities to be successful in the short and medium term.