Rapid demographic growth and urban expansion are transforming intermediary cities in Kenya and Mozambique. However, limited governance and planning capacity – along with scarce financial resources – are driving these cities towards car-dependent systems, which lock in carbon emissions, reduce accessibility and undermine quality of life. Without timely intervention, current choices risk embedding high emissions and social inequalities for decades to come.

Building on the OECD…

The Shanghai Manual 2024 Annual Report showcases globally implemented urban best practices that present urban actors with innovative solutions to help cities navigate the complex challenges that they face today. Following the theme of ‘youth leading climate and local action for cities’, the report explores the potential of young people as urban change makers with a particular regard to climate action and urban environmental sustainability.

The Kakuma Regeneration Strategy promotes economic growth, sustainability, self-reliance, and integration of hosts and refugees in the new Kakuma Municipality in Kenya. It offers a path to overcoming economic, environmental, and socio-cultural challenges through physical revitalisation, improved governance, and a transition away from traditional models of hosting refugees in camps.

This report provides an overview of the cooperation between the European Union and UN-Habitat over from 2014-2020 which corresponds to the EU’s last Multiannual Financial Framework. It provides key data on funding received by UN-Habitat for programmes around the world and gives impact stories from a selection of programmes. It also outlines next steps for cooperation.

Since 2020, UN-Habitat has been funded by the EUTF Programme entitled ‘Enhancing self-reliance for refugees and host communities in Kenya’. The spatial profiles produced during the first phase of the project have focused on establishing the existing conditions of the refugee hosting areas, identifying challenges and opportunities for inclusive development, and outline recommendations for improvement of the settlements.

Since 2020, UN-Habitat has been funded by the EUTF Programme entitled ‘Enhancing self-reliance for refugees and host communities in Kenya’. The spatial profiles produced during the first phase of the project has focused on establishing the existing conditions of the refugee hosting areas, identifying challenges and opportunities for inclusive development, and outline recommendations for improvement of the settlements.

In cities and urban areas in East Africa, livelihoods and incomes of populations are seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for those living in informal settlements. These urban populations are more vulnerable to food insecurity and unstable livelihoods as they mainly depend on the informal sector. It is estimated that the number of food insecure people in East Africa will increase to more than 41 million people because of COVID-19 including 14 million urban dwellers.

This guide provides governments with practical opportunities for incorporating urban climate action and human settlement issues into NDC revision and enhancement processes. It is primarily targeted at national governments, specifically NDC coordination teams, but also provides insights for sub-national governments, the wider urban community, networks and non-governmental organisations aiming to support NDC enhancement and implementation process. It includes promising examples from submitted…

The Financial Sustainability Strategy for Kalobeyei Settlement aims to support the implementation of the “Kalobeyei Settlement Advisory Development Plan” developed by UN-Habitat, which provides a long-term and integrative approach to guide appropriate development for the Kalobeyei Settlement in Turkana, Kenya.