Ethiopia remains one of the least urbanized countries in Africa and almost 80 per cent of the population reside in rural areas where they eke out a living from subsistence agriculture. However, rapid population growth, a sluggish agricultural performance and increased rural-urban migration have been countering this. The pace of urban growth is expected to  accelerate in the coming decades and this will largely be in small- and medium-size cities with low resilienceto climate change shocks.

This report presents an overview of the state of planning in Africa. It is the result of research carried out by the African Planners Association among 15 of its affiliate member countries - Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The research, carried out in 2012, provides a perspective of the roles of urban and regional planners within the process of settlement formation, urbanization and rural development. It focuses on the spatial manifestation of the problems Africa faces and assesses the legislative, policy, human, institutional and educational capacity that exist within the planning profession.

Anambra, with its population of over 4 million people in 2006, is the second most urbanized states in the country, having 62% of its total population living in urban areas. Unfortunately, past Governments since creation of the State in 1991 have failed to adopt city development strategies for the many fast growing cities in the State to cope with rapid urbanization.

Following decades of neglect and poor urban governance, the profiles of these cities indicate that they are characterized by decayed inner and suburban sprawling slums, inadequate sanitation, uncontrolled street trading, mountains of uncollected wastes, overcrowded and congested transport systems and roads with poor drainages, noise and air pollution.

It was for the purpose of reversing this ugly and undesirable trend that His Excellency Government of Peter Obi forged a viable technical cooperation agreement with the UN-HABITAT in 2007 to provide technical assistance in the preparation of structure plans for three cities, namely Awka Capital Territory, Nnewi and Onitsha.

The goals of the structure plans are towards achieving environmental sustainability in the context of achieving State and Local Economic Development Strategies, Millennium Development Goals and Habitat Agenda, orderly and healthy development, the contributions of cities to sustained economic growth, poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods, good governance and gender empowerment.

This Report, which is the structure plan for Awka, is a tangible outcome of this cooperative effort. For the next 20 years, the Structure Plan envisions that Awka Capital will be planned and developed to greatly enhance its ‘administrative, industrial, commercial and educational roles and its rapid contributions to poverty reduction, employment generation, participatory development, good governance, tourism development and environmental sustainability.

La generación, administración, utilización, mantenimiento, recuperación, conservaci ón y protección del espacio público físico es un aspecto clave en la calidad de vida de los habitantes de una ciudad y, por tanto, de la gobernabilidad de ésta.

La regulación de su aprovechamiento económico es, en esa lógica, una cuestión nuclear, no solo de cara a lograr un espacio público físico accesible y cualificado, sino tambi én en lo que hace referencia a la reducción de la pobreza y la desigualdad desde la perspectiva del desarrollo humano y el derecho a la ciudad.

The publication documents the steps undertaken by the Bossaso Municipality in collaboration with UN-HABITAT towards a sustainable urban management. A strategic development plan for the city is indicated, and projects implemented are illustrated.

Every day we all make choices to improve our lives. And that applies anywhere in the world. So how we do it here in Southern Sudan is important. Think hard of the public services that enable us to live safer, cleaner, healthier and better lives. Maintain them well everyone benefits.

This paper reviews the dramatic transformations which have taken place in the cities of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union since the collapse of communist regimes in the region twenty years ago.

The paper further analyzes how urban planning 'the indispensable public function which aims to guide and manage urban change' evolved in response to the new urban challenges.

The publication is a documentation of the process, achievements and lessons learnt in the development of city development strategies for cities in Phase I of the Lake Victoria City Development Strategies initiative.

The publication draws on the results of participative workshops such as the Burao City Profile and the Burao City Consultation and offers local and international agencies, donors and in particular local communities and civil society stakeholders the opportunity to identify critical problems and strategic objectives in the area of sustainable and post-conflict city planning.