African Union outlines five areas for transforming urban development in Africa

African countries need five fundamental transformations in urban development, African Union representative Issaka Garba Abdou said at the regional ministerial meeting for African countries during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

"First, integrate housing and urban development policy priorities into national strategies and climate programs. Second, implement mechanisms for land rent collection and modernize land administration systems. Third, strengthen fiscal mechanisms to expand the powers of city authorities and local governments. Fourth, ensure greater access to affordable housing finance and capital markets. Fifth, include informal settlements, youth, and the shadow economy in the formal urban planning system," he noted.