UN-Habitat: High urbanization, dependence on tourism create new risks in urban development

High urbanization and dependence on tourism are creating new challenges for urban development, Evandro Holz, deputy director of the West Africa Hub for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), said at an event at WUF13 in Baku, Report informs.

He cited Cabo Verde as an example.

"Cabo Verde is located on the west coast of Africa, a nation of 10 islands with a population of approximately 460,000. It has a high degree of urbanization: approximately 70% of the population already lives in cities. The country is classified as a middle- or upper-middle-income country. High dependence on tourism also increases the vulnerability of the economy: for example, during the COVID pandemic, GDP fell by almost 30%," he noted.

According to him, the country also faces a number of other challenges.

"It is located on the drug trafficking route from South America to Europe, which impacts crime rates, especially among young people," Holz added.