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.

The role of planning schools in shaping development in their cities, country and regions cannot be overstated at a time when Africa continues to confront major challenges of urbanization like unplanned urban development, traffic congestion,  urbanization of poverty and pollution.

One major question asked is: where and what are planning schools and planners doing?

The workshop provided a forum for the schools of planning to explore better ways of promoting the association’s objectives in Kenya and increase collaboration with UN-Habitat.

Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Mobility argues that the development of sustainable urban transport systems requires a conceptual leap. The purpose 'transportation' and 'mobility' is to gain access to destinations, activities, services and goods. Thus access is the ultimate objective of transportation.

As a result, urban planning and design should focus on how to bring people and places together, by creating cities that focus on accessibility, rather than simply increasing the length of urban transport infrastructure or increasing the movement of people or gods. Urban form and the functionality of the city are therefore a major focus of this report, which highlights the importance of integrated land-use and transport planning.

While many cities are hubs of economic growth, employment, and cultural life, urbanization has resulted in pronounced socioeconomic inequalities, exclusion, and segregation. The objective of this gender issue guide on urban planning and design is to:

• Increase understanding of gender concerns and needs in urban planning and design;
• Develop capacity to address gender issues in select human settlement areas 
• Encourage integration of gender perspectives into policies, projects, and programmes for sustainable urban development 
• Support institutionalization of the culture of gender mainstreaming and gender equality through the implementation of gender-sensitive projects/programmes and the monitoring of gender mainstreaming progress

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.

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.