“World is rapidly becoming predominantly urban. Cities offer opportunities for unleashing economic potential, increasing energy efficiency, reducinginequities, and creating sustainable livelihoods for all. History has shown that urbanization leadsto development. It is also clear that urbanization is a source rather than simply a by-product ofdevelopment. While Africa and Asia are among the least urbanized continents, they also have thefastest rates of urbanization in the world.

Growing cities and towns in developing countries face additional challenges, such as high percentages of peopleliving in slums; expansion and dominance of the informal sector; inadequate urban basic services,especially water, sanitation and energy; unplanned peri-urban expansion; social and political conflict over land resources; high levels of vulnerability to natural disasters; and poor mobility systems. If cities are to play their role as drivers of economic and social development, these challenges have tobe addressed…