Creating Space for A Better Life

A United Nation Habitat Report “State of the world Cities 2010/2011”, mentioned that the world is increasingly becoming urban. By 2050, urban population in the developed and developing region will reach 86% and 67% respectively of their total population. By the year 2030, in all developing countries – including Asia and Africa there will be more people living in urban than in rural areas. Cities, large or small, city centers, sub urban or per urban, offer people the opportunity to share the urban space, participate in public and private events, exercise both duties and rights. From discussion of the different cities and their characteristics and requirement for sustainability, lessons learned to be used as basis for identifying policies in the future, the way forward, key lessons learned among others are the need to: − Plan long term − Build good quality infrastructure − Be prepared to make major changes in response to new challenges, and − City policy makes and leaders should involve citizens − Main areas for improvement and intervention include: − City’s environmental quality − Neighborhood amenity − Individual well being The way forward, indicate that it is important to first, focus on approach that concentrate on implementation of development of physical, social environmental infrastructure, and establishing enabling frameworks. Second, it is imperative to maintain balance between economic, environmental and social development to reach sustainability. Third, it needs to be supported by capacity building to improve and implement urban management with finance.