In Ethiopia, the profiling was undertaken under the leadership of national and local authorities. This initiative has been carried out locally in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Ambo, as well as nationally. The Ethiopia National Profile focuses on the findings of a desk-study, interviews with key actors, and country-wide consultations with key urban actors and institutions.

Consultation participants agreed to address the salient urban issues including poverty, insecurity, corruption, pollution and crime - all problems that negatively affect investments and economic development. A consensus was reached on priority interventions in the form of programme and project proposals to be implemented.

In Ethiopia, the profiling was undertaken under the leadership of national and local authorities. This initiative has been carried out locally in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Ambo, as well as nationally. The Ethiopia National Profile focuses on the findings of a desk-study, interviews with key actors, and country-wide consultations with key urban actors and institutions.

Consultation participants agreed to address the salient urban issues including poverty, insecurity, corruption, pollution and crime - all problems that negatively affect investments and economic development. A consensus was reached on priority interventions in the form of programme and project proposals to be implemented.

The National Urban Profile focuses on the findings of a desk study, interviews with key actors and a town consultation with key urban actors and institutions. Consultation participants agreed to address the salient urban issues including poverty, insecurity, corruption, pollution and crime all problems that negatively affect investments and economic development.

A consensus was reached on priority interventions in the form of programme and project proposals to be implemented.

In Accra, the profiling was undertaken under the leadership of national and local authorities. This initiative has been carried out locally in Accra, Tamale, Ho as well as nationally. The National Urban Profile focuses on the findings of a desk-study, interviews with key actors and a town consultation with key urban actors and institutions.

Consultation participants agreed to address the salient urban issues including poverty, insecurity, corruption, pollution and crime all problems that negatively affect investments and economic development. A consensus was reached on priority interventions in the form of programme and project proposals to be implemented.

Costa Rica is in the process of implementing its urban development planning system. Its priorities for the next two years are the improvement of urban management and decentralization processes in order to strengthen local governments; reduce the number of population living in slums, improving conditions of houses considered temporary, mobiles or in poor condition; build more infrastructure and strengthening financial systems for slum improvement and urban gentrification of the center of San Jose.

The cooperation program, between UN-Habitat and the Government of Costa Rica includes capacity building projects for risk reduction and vulnerability, and the creation of safer cities. Apart from the National and the Local governments, UN-Habitat is already working with associates like IFAM, FOMUDE, groups of Women and other UN agencies in the country.

The Government of Ecuador is in the process of creating a new Constitution that will change the laws and regulations, public policies and institutions will change as a result. Within this context, the HCPD is aim to support this process and its efforts and to formulate a strategy to best approach the urban sector.

The document provides and overview of the national context and the intervention areas to address urban development challenges for the next two years. The intervention areas are: Urban planning and management, governance, land and housing; basic services, urban development and urban environment and capacity building for development.

Within these areas, and according to the National Development Plan, four specific lines of work have been decided: water and sanitation, housing, urban planning and management and citizen participation. With the collaboration of partners such as SENPLADES, MIDUVI and social organizations such as Contrato Social por la Vivienda and Foro Urbano Ecuador, it is expected that UN-HABITAT will continue its active role in urban policies and projects.

The UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document for Ghana outlines the main objectives and priorities of UN-HABITAT. In collaboration with the Government and other United Nations Agencies, the overall aim of this UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document is to promote the HABITAT Agenda. UN-HABITAT plays an active role in urban development and urban policy.

Through partnerships with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and the Environment and the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, UN-HABITAT has assisted in identifying key urban issues and areas of support for improvement of the urban situation in Ghana.

Apart from a dynamic economy, social indicators still highlight the insecure living conditions of Malagasy people, mainly because of inadequate social infrastructures (schools, health centers, etc.) and dysfunctional public services. In addition, living conditions differ from one location to another, but are typically more challenging in rural than in urban areas, with a definite advantage for the capital, Antananarivo, compared with the rest of the country.

Poverty is markedly more severe in the southern regions of the country. Females are more prone to poverty: 80 per cent of female-headed households are poor, compared with 60 for male-headed.

The Habitat Country Programme Document for Malawi outlines the main development objectives and priorities in the area of shelter and human settlements in Malawi. In collaboration with the Government, local and international partners, and other UN Agencies, the overall aim of this HCPD is to attain sustainable urbanisation and reduce urban poverty.

Through an analysis of seven key sectors including: Governance, Land, Housing, Water and Sanitation, Urban planning and management and HIV/ AIDS and through partnerships with the Malawi Local Government Association, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Housing, and Ministries responsible for Land, Housing and Local Government, UN-HABITAT has assisted to identify key urban issues and areas of support to improve the urban situation in Malawi.

The Namibia Habitat Country Programme Document is the result of a collaborative effort between various agencies in Namibia, namely, the United Nations Development Programme and UN-HABITAT, in consultation and in collaboration with the government of Namibia.

This UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document was produced after a series of consultative meetings were held with the United Nations Development Programme country office and the UN-HABITAT programme. Over a two-year period, the country programme will be implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework and will coincide with the formulation of the Third National Development Plan, or National Development Plan 3.