AFRICITIES Archives - The African Mirror

Dec

03

2023

Cities face huge climate finance gap, study says

AFRICITIES

CITIES are receiving only a fraction of the climate finance they need, especially in low-income countries, according to a study published on the sidelines of the COP28 climate talks. The Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) said cities are on the front line of climate hazards and responsible for three-quarters of global emissions, but multilateral development banks (MDB) needed to adopt new strategies to address a gaping financing gap. Cities were receiving only 1% of the climate finance they required, which is estimated to be as high as $5.4 trillion per year up to 2030, according to the study, the…

Dec

02

2023

By The African Mirror

Building African cities that cope with climate shocks – experts outline what it will take

AFRICITIES

THE international climate change negotiations began almost three decades ago when many were still hesitant to accept that human activities were changing the planet. Now the scientific evidence is unequivocal. Climate change is a major threat to our wellbeing, the health of the planet and the ecosystems we rely on. DEBRA ROBERTS, Head: Sustainable and Resilient City Initiatives Unit, EThekwini Municipality; Honorary Professor, University of KwaZulu Natal and Co-Chair of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, University of KwaZulu-Natal MEGGAN SPIRES, Director: Climate Change, Energy & Resilience, ICLEI Africa, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability But…

Sep

22

2023

By The African Mirror

Addis Ababa faces growing climate change risks like heat, drought and floods, study warns

AFRICITIES

ADDIS Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, will likely face increased heatwaves, droughts and severe flooding over the next 67 years. These changes will pose risks to public health and infrastructure. They’ll also be felt most acutely by the city’s most vulnerable residents: those living in informal settlements. ABAY YIMERE, Postdoctoral Scholar in International Environment and Resource Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University Addis Ababa is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa, and its current metropolitan population of about 5.4 million is projected to reach close to 9 million by 2035. This increase in the city’s population will be absorbed by…

Jul

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Somaliland: Berbera city’s growth is being held back by a power supply monopoly

AFRICITIES

SOMALILAND’S main port, at the city of Berbera, accounted for two-thirds of the country’s revenues in 2020. Over the years, these revenues have mostly gone into the central state coffers, while the development of Berbera has been neglected. NASIR M. ALI, Lecturer of Political Science and International Relations, University of Hargeisa AYAN YUSUF ALI, Research Manager at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Hargeisa JUTTA BAKONYI, Professor in Development and Conflict, Durham University When we visited the city for our research project on port infrastructure, international politics, and everyday life, this neglect was immediately visible. Buildings in…

Jun

24

2023

By The African Mirror

Cities are central to our future – they have the power to make, or break, society’s advances

AFRICITIES

WE live in tumultuous times. In the space of just a few years, we have witnessed a surge in populist politics across the world, a global pandemic, a spike in environmental disasters and a fraying of geopolitical relations demonstrated by the tragic war in Ukraine and escalating tensions over Taiwan. That has all occurred against a backdrop of dramatic technological changes that are fundamentally altering the way we work and relate to one another. Our future is in the balance. Cities will be central to our fate, for two reasons. IAN GOLDIN, Professor of Globalisation and Development; Director of the…

May

30

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

Urban Fusion: Nairobi and Cape Town as sister cities

AFRICITIES

NAIROBI and Cape Town recently signed a city-to-city cooperation agreement to enhance development collaboration. An event hosted in Nairobi brought together Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to mark the occasion. "This [agreement] will allow us to remove any remaining obstacle to the free flow of people, skills and services between the two cities," Sakaja said. On the other hand, Hill-Lewis acknowledged the common agenda in both cities centred on global competitiveness. "Both our regions are tourism giants on the African continent, and both our cities are considered gateways to our countries' many attractions. Nairobi and…

Mar

17

2023

By The African Mirror

Farms in cities: new study offers planners and growers food for thought

AFRICITIES

URBAN agriculture as a global phenomenon is widely promoted as a sustainable land use practice. On small plots and in big projects, using sophisticated technology or simple solutions, city dwellers around the world are producing food. Growing food in a city can improve local food security and express local culture. Authors JAN HUGO, Senior lecturer in Sustainable and Climate Responsive Architecture, University of Pretoria ANDY VAN DEN DOBBELSTEEN, Professor of Climate Design & Sustainability, Delft University of Technology CHRISNA DU PLESSIS, Professor and Head of Department, Architecture, University of Pretoria Little information is available, though, on what kinds of spaces…

Mar

14

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s cities are growing fast: family planning must be part of urban development plans

AFRICITIES

NIGERIA is rapidly urbanising, with more people living in urban areas than in rural communities. A recent World Bank estimate shows that 53% of the 213 million Nigerians live in urban areas. That’s projected to rise above 70% by 2050. Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city, already has over 15.9 million people. The country’s urban growth rate is 6% and the general population growth rate is about 2.4%. Author SUNDAY ADEDINI, Associate Professor, Federal University, Oye Ekiti Although urban areas are hubs for socioeconomic development, many large cities are unsafe and unhealthy. Unfortunately, infrastructure development and service delivery aren’t keeping pace with…

Feb

24

2023

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

DR Congo revamps its rail system as more African cities rethink public transit

AFRICITIES

THE Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the latest African country to initiate plans to refurbish its rail network after entering into a multi-million dollar project with the Africa Finance Corporation to renew Kinshasa's mass rail transit system. The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Trans Connexion Congo (TCC) will jointly develop the rail network, covering a linear route of 300km of the railroad in Kinshasa. According to Amadu Wadda, Senior Director, Project Development & Technical Solutions at Africa Finance Corporation, "the project aims to rapidly industrialise DRC's capital city, Kinshasa, through its rail transportation system." "The project will support local…

Feb

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Dakar’s clandestine taxis are essential for daily travel – but they’re illegal

AFRICITIES

PAPE SAKHO, GAELE LESTEVEN, MOMAR DIONGUE and PASCAL POCHET AFRICA'S major cities are growing at a rapid pace. In Dakar, Senegal’s capital, for instance, the population has almost doubled in 20 years, reaching 4 million inhabitants today. But in most metropolises, like Dakar, planning isn’t keeping up with the expansion. One example of this is the city’s transport system. Public transport plays a fundamental role in providing access to any city. However, in many cities, it’s lacking, particularly in areas of urban sprawl. This worsens the quality of life for people living in these areas, where there is a shortage…