In Zambia, the profiling was undertaken under the leadership of national and local authorities. This initiative has been carried out locally in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Kitwe as well as nationally. The Kitwe Urban Profile focuses on the findings of a desk-study, interviews with key actors and a citywide 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.

This profile offers an overview of the urban situation in each participating city through a series of interviews with key urban actors. This is followed by a city consultation where priorities are agreed.

City-level findings provide input for the national profiling that is combined with a national assessment of institutional, legislative, financial and overall enabling frameworks and response mechanisms. The profiles at all levels result in supporting the formation of city and national strategies and policy development.

Unsustainable migration trends in Zambia have led to high population growth in the urban areas without the accompanying improvement in infrastructure for service provision.

Towns and cities have continued to attract large numbers of people from rural areas. High levels of migration into the cities can be attributed to a diversified economy, relatively better access to social services and employment opportunities.

Hosting 30 percent of the urban population of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia and the diplomatic centre of Africa, is one of the fastest growing cities on the continent. Its population is currently thought to be 4 million. Its geographic location, combined with its political and socio-economic status have made it a melting pot to hundreds of thousands of people coming from all corners of the country in search of employment opportunities and services.

High rate of unemployment (31%), concentration of slum dwellings, and poor housing, infrastructure and sanitary development, characterize Addis Ababa more than the few good features it posses. The challenge is not only to reverse current situation through balancing the economic growth with the population increase, but also to catch up with decades of neglect.

It is Ethiopia's second largest city with 384 000 inhabitants and with the rapid urban growth witnessed in the city, Dire Dawa's urban population is expected to grow by nearly 50 percent by the year 2015. One third of the urban population has no access to water.

Three quarters of marginalised groups reported having an acute lack of ability to satisfy food and clothing needs. There were 5643 street children as of 1997, a number most likely to have quadrupled since. There are at least 15 000 dwellers living in high-risk flooding areas. There are an additional 160 000 living in slums, or sub-standard housing.

Moçambique situa-se na costa oriental de África, é um país com uma população aproximada de 20 milhões de habitantes. Saído de uma Guerra civil devastadora em 1992, o país tem crescido a uma taxa anual de quase10%.

A sua recuperação pós-guerra tem sido referenciada como um processo exemplar. Moçambique à imagem de outros países em vias de desenvolvimento enfrenta uma nova problemática, relacionada com os novos migrantes para os centros urbanos, a população urbana em Moçambique é constituída por cerca de 7 milhões de habitantes.

A maioria da população urbana de Moçambique vive em áreas de ocupação informal onde o acesso a serviços básicos é complexo. Moçambique é um parceiro da UN-Habitat com o objectivo conjunto de melhorarem as condições de vida das populações mais pobres.

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.

Le profil national est la synthèse des conclusions d’un bureau d’études, d’entretiens avec les acteurs clés et d’informations communiquées par les autorités. Les différents participants aux consultations se sont entendus sur la nécessité de délimiter leurs domaines de recherche sur les aspects marquants des problèmes rencontrés dans les villes, à savoir la pauvreté urbaine, les problèmes d’organisation notamment en ce qui concerne la gouvernance, l’accès aux services de base, les différentes formes de discrimination, la pollution etc.

Un consensus fut ensuite obtenu sur les interventions prioritaires, sur ce qui devait être entrepris que ce soit sous la forme de programme d’action ou des projets à mettre en oeuvre.

La structure urbaine de la plupart des centres urbains du Niger est caractérisée par l’existence de noyaux d’habitat anciens, auxquels se sont juxtaposés des lotissements successifs. La filière de l’auto-construction constitue le mode dominant de production des logements. La quasi-totalité des logements locatifs sont fournis par le secteur informel, les normes de confort et d’hygiène y étant souvent déplorables.

L’occupation régulière de l’espace a permis d’y réaliser des réseaux d’adduction d’eau potable et d’alimentation en électricité. Les déficits en services sociaux de base ne cessent cependant de s’accumuler. Cette situation touche particulièrement les populations résidant dans les quartiers pauvres des centres-villes et des quartiers périphériques. Au niveau environnemental, la poussée des extensions urbaines dans certaines localités, menace de pollution la nappe phréatique servant à l’alimentation en eau potable de ces localités.

L’existence de nombreuses mares dans bon nombre de centres urbains, constitue une sérieuse source de préoccupation sanitaire, mais aussi une menace physique (inondation – effondrement) pour les populations riveraines.

Kisumu is Kenya's third largest city and is located in the Western Highlands on Lake Victoria. Kisumu's status as a stronghold of the opposition has negatively impacted its development, as the area was largely neglected until the emergence of multi party democracy in Kenya.

Despite its rich resource base, Kisumu is one of the poorest cities in Kenya and food insecurity, growing urban poverty and the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS are key concerns.