Policy Workshop – The Politics of Urban Governance in Africa: Pathways to Inclusivity

Rapid urbanisation poses multiple challenges for African cities in terms of urban planning and the provision and financing of infrastructure and services. While most debates focus on technical solutions to address these challenges, the political dimension of urbanisation receives less attention. This is one explanation for the discrepancy between optimistic rhetoric of municipal, national, and international stakeholders and the often harsh socio-economic realities on the ground.

Our Megatrends Afrika policy workshop addresses this gap and engages with the political dimension of urbanisation by presenting three papers on the panellists’ latest research on urban governance in Africa.

They address the following questions:

• How do different stakeholders such as municipalities, national governments, civil society organisations, the private sector, and international donors influence the politics of urban governance in Africa?
• Which kinds of local competition and bargaining for political and economic power exist in urban settings and how do they affect policy outcomes?
• Which governance approaches or institutional reforms can be used to address the identified challenges and facilitate more inclusive urban governance?

3.30 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.
Registration

4.00 p.m. – 4.05. p.m.
Welcoming remarks

4.05 p.m. – 4.45. p.m.
Expert Inputs and Panel Discussion

• Sina Schlimmer, IFRI, Paris: Building African cities from scratch? ‚New‘ urban megaprojects between afro-optimist discourses and socio-economic realities
• Michael Roll, IDOS, Bonn: Urban visions, political practices, and social realities in Lagos: Where could change come from? (online)
• Astrid R. N. Haas, Urban Economist and Advisor, Kampala: Institutional reforms for city financing: improving cities’ creditworthiness and expanding the tax base

Facilitation:
Lena Gutheil, Associate, IDOS

4.45 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Open discussion

5.30 p.m.
Reception

Please note