Luanda – The Angolan ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative at the African Union (AU), Miguel Bembe, has participated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the Africa Urban Forum, which is a high level platform for discussions about the continent’s rapid urban growth and housing challenges.
The forum, organised by the Ethiopian government and the African Union (AU), Addis Ababa Declaration, reads a press note released by the Angolan Permanent Mission to the AU.
The Declaration stresses that the “AU Agenda2063” depends on the manner African cities are planned and governed, so that they become real propellers of economic growth, social inclusion and sustainable development.
It also underscores that there is a need to organise the sharing of experiences among Member States on the implementation of efficient territorial plans and the support structure for urban policies, such as financing for dignifying housing.
The document equally highlights the need to make sure cities and municipalities can play an active role in speeding the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through co-ordinated cross-border investment strategies that promote mutual alignment and advantageous co-operation.
Ambassador Miguel Bembe, alongside other participants in the forum, appealed to the African academic institutions to implement training and upgrading programmes for local administration staffs, town planners, community and civil society organisation leaders, with the support of local and national governments, as well as the support of co-operation partners and international organisations.
They have incentivised Member States to create a system of monitoiring, informing and verification that enables the evaluation of results and challenges at local, regional and national levels regarding the implementation process of urban policies which are aligned with new urban agenda of the United Nations.
DC/jmc
