9th Urbanization & Development Conference (South Africa)

The 9th Urbanization and Development Conference is the first iteration of the conference with a regional focus on Africa. It will bring together academics, development practitioners, and urban policy makers to present and discuss questions relating to how research in the growing field of urban economics can help inform difficult policy decisions and the allocation of scarce resources to build productive, livable, and sustainable cities in Africa.

African countries are urbanizing at faster rates than any other region in history. This offers an important opportunity for growth and development. By bringing people and firms together, cities enable industrialization, the sharing of ideas and innovation, and opportunities for trade. Cities also offer the promise of access to critical goods and services, and in the face of the climate crisis, they play an important role in adaptation and mitigation. However, if the downsides of density are not managed well, this can result in congestion, pollution, and the exacerbation of poverty.

Cape Town, South Africa | June 11-12

The conference is co-sponsored by the World Bank, George Washington University (Institute for International Economic Policy and Local Sustainable Governance Policy Lab), the Development Research Group, the International Growth Centre, and the City of Cape Town.