Ahead of the Habitat III Africa regional meeting scheduled for the end of this month, H.E. Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union (AU), on Friday 12 February 2016, received in audience H.E. Dr. Joan Clos, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), to exchange views on the important event. The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs and   the UN Official discussed the challenges and opportunities for African countries to manage urbanization and human settlements development among other related issues.

According to both personalities, Africa is the world’s least urbanized region, yet its urban growth and urbanization rates are among the highest in the world. Projections indicate that half of Africa’s population will reside in urban areas within the next 20 years.

In October, the United Nations will convene the Habitat III conference. Participants at the conference will discuss and formulate the New Urban Agenda, which will guide urban development and human settlements policy worldwide for the next 20 years.

Commissioner Abdullahi and Dr. Clos expressed their hope for a successful outcome to the Habitat III conference and the elaboration of policies that will harness the power of urbanization for growth and sustainable development. Both parties reaffirmed their mutual commitment to collaborate to find solutions for the challenges of urban development and human settlements in Africa and worldwide.