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< Back L’utilisation de l’outil numérique, pour des projets de développement plus justes en Afrique Peter Hochet, Joyce Mavoungou Le développement dynamique des villes africaines implique bien souvent l’expropriation de populations vivant ou travaillant dans les emprises des projets . Il existe, depuis les années 1990 plusieurs dispositifs normatifs permettant d’assurer le droit de ces populations à des dédommagements pour leur déplacement de leurs lieux de vie et d’activités. Le recourt à ces normes implique la production et la gestion de nombreuses de données dont dépend la justesse des dédommagements. Les données à produire concernent les profils socio-économiques des personnes déplacées, leurs biens ainsi que les droits de propriété qui y sont associés. Or, en milieu urbain les niveaux de complexité de ces données rendent la détermination des dédommagements d’autant plus sensible. Parallèlement, si l’utilisation des questionnaires et de bases de données électroniques a débuté dans les pays du Nord dans les années 1980 , elle se développe largement en Afrique depuis les années 2000-2010. Nous avons vu le développement de logiciels d’élaboration et d’administration de questionnaires sur mobile, des plateformes en ligne d’agrégation des données, ainsi que des logiciels de traitement, d’analyse et de visualisation des données. Dans cet article, nous montrerons en quoi ces outils digitaux mobiles et en ligne nous aident à produire des données et à déterminer des dédommagements plus justes, en nous basant sur l’expérience d’Insuco dans deux projets de route urbaine en Afrique centrale. Les outils numériques améliorent la précision et l'équité des indemnisations dans les projets de réinstallation urbaine en Afrique en garantissant une gestion et une analyse fiables des données. Les villes africaines sont le terrain de multiples projets de développement et d’aménagement qui impliquent l’expropriation pour cause d’utilité publique des populations riveraines. Celles-ci sont réinstallées hors des lieux où elles vivent et/ou travaillent, de manière permanente ou pour la durée des travaux. D’après la Société Financière Internationale (SFI), « la réinstallation involontaire désigne à la fois un déplacement physique (déménagement ou perte d’un abri) et le déplacement économique (perte d’actifs ou d’accès à des actifs donnant lieu à une perte de source de revenus ou de moyens d’existence) par suite d’une acquisition de terres et/ou d’une restriction d’utilisation de terres liées au projet ». Elle est involontaire car les Personnes Affectées par le Projet (PAP) ne peuvent pas refuser l’acquisition des terres sur lesquelles elles sont installées, légalement ou illégalement. Il est donc primordial de mettre en œuvre des mesures opérationnelles permettant d’éviter, de minimiser et de dédommager les impacts négatifs de la réinstallation involontaire. De manière générale, les politiques foncières et les procédures de l’expropriation pour cause d’utilité publique des États africains présentent des difficultés de définition et d’application. Ainsi, pour pallier celles-ci, depuis les années 1990-2000 les bailleurs internationaux ont élaboré des normes, pour encadrer la réinstallation involontaire impliquée par les projets qu’ils financent. Il s’agit des normes du groupe Banque Mondiale, et des banques régionales de développement comme la Banque Africaine de développement (BAD) , la Banque de développement des États d’Afrique de l’Ouest (BDAO ) et la Banque de développement des États d’Afrique Centrale (BDEAC). La réinstallation involontaire est un processus complexe et sensible. Il nécessite une planification rigoureuse à partir de données de première main et d’un dialogue suivi avec les personnes affectées par le projet (PAP). On réalise ainsi des Études d’Impact Environnemental et Social (EIES) pour repérer l’ampleur et les impacts de la réinstallation. Puis, on élabore un Plan d’Action de Réinstallation (PAR) pour recenser les PAP, inventorier leurs biens, décrire leur situation socio-économique, et établir les dédommagements selon les normes internationales et la réglementation nationale. Il y a ainsi un lien direct entre la fiabilité des données produites, la pertinence des analyses et la justesse du calcul des dédommagements . Aujourd’hui, les outils digitaux sont utilisés afin de simplifier la production, l’archivage et la gestion des données. On parle de Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) ou de Electronic Data Collection (EDC). Il s’agit d’applications sur tablettes et téléphones mobiles permettant d’appliquer des questionnaires et d’alimenter automatiquement des bases de données en ligne, permettant de gérer et traiter en temps réel les informations. En plus de la simplification de la production des informations, l’usage des outils digitaux permet de produire des données sûres et contrôlées, ainsi qu’une meilleure analyse de celles-ci, car l’archivage informatique assure une sécurisation des données collectées, moins facilement altérables que les bases de données papier. Il en découle un dédommagement plus précis et donc juste des populations réinstallées. Les outils numériques simplifient les projets complexes de réinstallation en Afrique, améliorant la précision des données, l'équité des indemnisations et l'efficacité de la prise de décision. Insuco élabore des PAR et des EIES en Afrique depuis près de 15 ans. Entre 2021 et 2023, nous avons réalisé deux PAR à Libreville (Gabon) pour deux projets de routes urbaines qui occasionnent des déplacements temporaires et définitifs pour plus d’un millier de ménages. Pour cela, nous avons eu recours aux outils digitaux. Les informations ont été enregistrées sur place et approuvées par les PAP. Toutes les données ont été gérées conformément à la Politique de Protection des Données Personnelles d'Insuco. Pour ces deux projets nous avons recensé les PAP, inventorié leurs biens et établit leur profil socio-économique pour définir et calibrer les dédommagements et les mesures complémentaires d’accompagnement. Ce type d’enquête est toujours long et complexe, en particulier en ville, où sont combinées une diversité de types de biens et une densité importante de la population. Cela implique trois niveaux de complexité : les façons d’habiter sont plurielles, la composition des ménages est hétérogène, les droits de propriété qui s’exercent sont multiples et superposés. Nous rencontrons ainsi très souvent sur une même parcelle d’habitation des familles élargies, plusieurs constructions, un propriétaire foncier différent du propriétaire de la maison, des locataires et des sous-locataires. Dans ce type de cas complexes, les avantages de l’outil digital sont multiples. D’abord, à l’étape d’élaboration des questionnaires, il permet une meilleure gestion de la logique des questions et des contraintes des réponses fermées, ainsi que le calcul automatique des formules, et le contrôle de liaison entre les questions est facilité. Ensuite, sur le terrain, il n’y a plus de risque de pertes des questionnaires ou qu’ils ne soient pas reproduits en quantité suffisante. Également, la correction des réponses est aisée, et se fait directement sur le terrain avec l’interlocuteur. La liaison entre les personnes enquêtées et leurs biens est automatisée au moyen d’un code unique généré par l’application. Ainsi, les différents statuts fonciers sont facilement liés à une même parcelle. Enfin, à l’étape de traitement, il n’y a plus de transcription manuelle des questionnaires dans les bases de données (informations collectées sur les profils des PAP et leurs biens), ce qui limite les erreurs, tandis que les logiciels de traitement permettent de nettoyer et de calculer rapidement un grand nombre de données. Par ailleurs, les risques de pertes de données sont minimisés lors de l’archivage. Les bases de données ainsi créées rendent le nettoyage, le traitement et l’analyse des données, plus facile. En termes de résultats, le recours aux outils digitaux permet tout d’abord, de calculer au plus juste les dédommagements à délivrer aux PAP. Il permet ensuite de générer rapidement et en grande quantité toute la documentation contractuelle telles que les fiches d’inventaire et les contrats d’indemnisation est automatisée. Les corrections éventuelles peuvent se faire sur place, avec les personnes affectées par le projet (PAP). Enfin, les enquêtes digitales facilitent la décision et le suivi grâce à l’utilisation de plusieurs logiciels spécialisés permettant la mise en place d’un Système d’Information Géographique (SIG), l’établissement d’analyses complexes, et l’élaboration des modes de visualisation innovants. Les outils de sondage numérique assurent une indemnisation plus équitable pour les personnes réinstallées et renforcent la capacité institutionnelle dans les processus de réinstallation urbaine. La solution numérique d’administration des enquêtes dans le cadre des processus de réinstallation physique et économique en milieu urbain a un impact positif sur le plan social. En simplifiant la gestion des données socio-économiques et des biens des PAP ainsi qu’en les sécurisant, les dédommagements à mettre en œuvre sont calculés de manière fiable sur la base de données collectées et validées publiquement. Les PAP sont assurées de recevoir des compensations à hauteur de la valeur des biens impactés, les risques de fraudes ou de sous-paiement sont limités. En effet, quand les bases de données ne sont pas informatisées, il est plus facile de modifier les montants évalués d’un bien ou de se tromper dans l’affectation d’une évaluation et d’un niveau d’indemnisation pour un bien. Parcelle du projet et identification des parcelles impactées 2022 Insuco Du point de vue institutionnel, la mise en œuvre des Plan d’action de réinstallation et les enquêtes d’inventaires intègrent généralement des volets de renforcement des capacités. Ainsi, le personnel des ministères et des agences publiques peut être formé à l’utilisation des outils digitaux d’enquêtes, à la gestion de base de données, et au traitement des données. D’autre part, la multiplication des applications et des solutions en ligne, permet le développement de la maîtrise des outils technologiques chez les enquêteurs créant ainsi un pool de personnes de plus en plus expérimentées dans le domaine. Les outils numériques dans les projets urbains garantissent une indemnisation équitable et renforcent la capacité technologique locale, assurant ainsi l'acceptation sociale. Le potentiel de la technologie numérique pour la transformation urbaine en Afrique se révèle ainsi dans la réinstallation des populations due à des projets de développement. Depuis une vingtaine d’années, le recours au CAPI se diffuse dans l’élaboration et l’administration de questionnaires d’enquêtes et d’inventaires des biens. Malgré quelques limites comme la nécessité d’une connexion internet stable et les réticences éventuelles de certains enquêtés, l’utilisation des outils digitaux permet de sécuriser les données et ainsi d’assurer des dédommagements justes des personnes affectées par les projets. Elle permet aussi de développer les compétences locales en matière de technologie et traitement de données, d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de dédommagements justes, et en conséquence d’assurer la légitimité et l’adhésion sociale à des projets urbains d’ampleur. Prise en photo de la carte nationale d’identité d’un PAP lors des enquêtes sociales à Kinshasa 2024 par BienvenuMuchukiwa Previous Next

< Back CPDI Africa EXPO 2022: Workshop & Excursion Nmadili Okwumabua CPDI Africa EXPO 2022 aims to develop new African architectural languages inspired by traditional and contemporary African societies. The workshop surveys innovations in African and Diaspora-built environments, introducing young design professionals and students to research initiatives of CPDI Africa. The 5 Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture, defined by culture, aesthetics, spirituality, materials, and community engagement, provide insight through African designed lenses to counter Eurocentric curricula in architecture, construction, and urban planning. The event concludes with a tour of Afrocentric built projects in Abuja. The CPDI Africa EXPO Workshop and Excursion hosted 45 delegates and students from private architecture practices, universities, and the University of Amsterdam. The workshops focused on using the CPDI Africa 5 Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture to solve real environmental issues and improve design briefs in school and professional practice. The workshops addressed cultural, aesthetic, spiritual, materials, and community engagement issues in Nigerian built environments. Feedback from the event showed how students will incorporate this research into their projects, tackling heritage preservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development from African-centered perspectives. This CPDI Africa Workshop introduces participants to the concepts for developing new African architectural languages, inspired by the culture and technology of traditional and contemporary African societies. We harness solutions to today’s-built environment problems, that are sourced from African science and design philosophies. The workshop surveys innovations in both the African and Diaspora-built environment, introducing young design professionals and students to the research initiatives of CPDI Africa, using the Art of African Architecture exhibition as a theoretical reference for the workshop outcomes. The Expo concluded with a tour of Afrocentric built projects in Abuja, FCT, with certificates awarded, PLUS 20 credits in ARCON continued professional development credits – Architects Registration Council of Nigeria. Highlights included: Workshop & Certificates, Meetings with CPDI Africa instructors, Excursions to Afrocentric Architecture in Abuja, Art of African Architecture Exhibition. The theme for CPDI Africa EXPO 2022 was developed around the need to identify ways of preserving heritage in the African built environment, by sourcing the solutions from indigenous science, technology, and design philosophies. CPDI Africa EXPO 2022 Nike Art Gallery According to our research, gathered from heritage preservation practitioners, sustainable design professionals, and cultural studies professors in institutions of higher learning, the aesthetically displeasing / lack of affordable housing / poor utilization of design personnel / disharmony in community space / poor functionality of our built spaces, are all due to the lack of an African centered pedagogy taught in our curriculums of architecture, construction and urban planning. As a result, the CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture, through its live and virtual workshops, has begun to resolve the current crisis, by bringing African centered education to the student and professional via its independently run academic platform. Defined by what CPDI Africa coins as the 5 Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture: culture, aesthetics, spirituality, materials and community engagement, our students receive insight through these African designed lenses, to counter the crippling Eurocentric curriculums used in built environment faculties and programs, not only in Africa but throughout the Diaspora. ‘The CPDI Africa EXPO 2022 Workshop and Excursion builds upon our organizations vision to research, develop and preserve African architectural languages, that are culturally and environmentally sustainable. The EXPO welcomed young architects and students of the allied built environment professions to engage in the development of this pedagogy, and experience firsthand various built projects developed with these African design principals. The Community Planning & Design Initiative – CPDI Africa - was launched in 2014, to host African architecture competitions, Afrocentric design internships and certificate programs.’ Nmadili Okwumabua, Founder, Director CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture CPDI Africa identified that the result of a lack of inward facing curriculums, universities in Africa, graduate design professionals that have spent the better part of their educational career, imbibing knowledge of the built environment developed by and for people in cultures and geographical locations outside of African spaces. These ideologies, materials, aesthetics, professional processes, and regulations are then replicated and practiced throughout Africa, creating built landscapes that are dysfunctional for the people they are built for. They create problems never experienced before on the continent, that require yet another foray into seeking solutions from Eurocentric pedagogy and practices, that further compound the already failing system. The cycle repeats itself, leaving both the end user and the design professional without comfortable, affordable spaces built, and lack of employment for the local labor force. The workshops were suited towards exposing how the students could use the CPDI Africa 5 Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture, to solve real issues in the environment, thereby improving on how they propose real solutions, via their design briefs in school and in professional practice. If Afrocentric architecture does not provide solutions to the people’s problem, then it is irrelevant, offers zero value to the community. For instance, the first pillar: culture. Students were asked to list some of the top problems they have with the way our homes are designed, or their communities were master planned. For Aesthetics, they were to list some of the unpleasant ways our buildings look, in terms of beauty, finishing, maintenance, the feeling they evoke visually. For spirituality, they were to identify some challenges they have with how faith-based practices impact the built environment, or how special sensitivities to religious practices were not being met in public spaces. For Materials, they listed some of the top issues they had with the type of materials, ease of use and cost of materials, and the negative impact on health and housing accessibility. And finally for community engagement, they articulated some of the ways they felt the community has been disengaged from participating in providing a safe, clean, affordable, creative neighborhood. For the exercise, they were to select one built environment listed and provide an African inspired solution, using either an example from their own cultural heritage, or from any other source from within the African Diaspora. Keynote lectures, group and individual activities where guided by CPDI Africa founder Nmadili Okwumbua, the event Partners and CPDI Africa team of cultural architects. The CPDI Africa EXPO Workshop and Excursion hosted 45 delegates and students from private architecture practices, universities throughout Nigeria, as well as the University of Amsterdam. Keynote lectures, individual and group workshop exercises were conducted, and the field trips to five Nigerian inspired built projects were completed. The educational content was innovative in its problem-solving approach. “The CPDI Africa EXPO was not only a life changing but also a soul unravelling experience for me. Walking around different spaces that reflected the culture, tradition, aesthetics and spirituality of my people, helped me fully understand my existence as a native within the ‘Nigeria environment’. For the first time in a long time, I felt excited for the future of Nigeria’s Architecture. The EXPO rekindled my passion to retell the stories of my people through Architecture…” Salimat Yewande Bakare, Eastern Mediterranean University “The CPDI Africa EXPO was nourishing – it was nourishing sharing a space with young like minded individuals so keen on absorbing knowledge on our roots. We were re-thinking and imagining our built environment in a way that called the past into our now, and the future into our present. I felt the power of what it means to say ‘this is possible, we can do this, we can do this now!’. I felt nourished at the prospect of a Beautifully designed Nigeria; the workshop highlighted the very collectivity and individuality of such a dream.” Chimira Obiefule, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands The important takeaways from the two-day exercise were the feedback from the delegates and students, speaking on how they will incorporate this research and way of thinking about architecture and urban design, into their individual projects. Their testimonials begin to show how they will use this knowledge to tackle heritage preservation, environmental protection and sustainable development from African centered perspectives. The most critical areas highlighted by the students was the improvement made in sacred spaces, and the cost saving implications of using locally sourced, standardized building materials. We will continue to host internships, workshops and excursions that bring this pedagogy to a larger audience, moving the sites to countries around Africa and the diaspora. Providing the Certificates in Afrocentric Architecture also helps to validate the scholarship, as we continue to promote its inclusion in the curriculums in our major architecture programs Africa wide. “CPDI Africa Expo "22 was probably the most exciting event I have attended this year, it was not just fun but educative as well, and an eye opener. Seeing a lot of architects or rather Afrocentric architects come together to discuss deep issues in the industry and how best to implement these discuss in our designs was probably the best part of the event. The community is growing, and I am glad to be part of it, 5yrs from now the community will be so large that one would wish he had joined sooner, I am certain of this. We just have to be true to ourselves, because Afrocentric Architecture lives in sincerity, and this expo has made me realize that.” Ikechukwu Godspower, University of Nigeria, Nuskka Previous Next

L'île de Gorée, située au large de la côte de Dakar, Sénégal, est un site emblématique marqué par son histoire poignante et son architecture unique. Connu principalement pour sa Maison des Esclaves, Gorée est un symbole poignant de la traite transatlantique des esclaves. Ses ruelles étroites et ses maisons colorées, souvent en pierre de basalte et aux toits rouges, témoignent de son passé colonial. L'urbanisme de l'île conserve un charme historique avec un aménagement qui maximise l'espace tout en préservant son patrimoine architectural. Gorée est aujourd'hui un centre culturel et mémoriel, attirant des visiteurs du monde entier pour ses musées, ses galeries d'art et ses vues spectaculaires sur l'océan Atlantique. Gorée-Senegal L'île de Gorée, située au large de la côte de Dakar, Sénégal, est un site emblématique marqué par son histoire poignante et son architecture unique. Connu principalement pour sa Maison des Esclaves, Gorée est un symbole poignant de la traite transatlantique des esclaves. Ses ruelles étroites et ses maisons colorées, souvent en pierre de basalte et aux toits rouges, témoignent de son passé colonial. L'urbanisme de l'île conserve un charme historique avec un aménagement qui maximise l'espace tout en préservant son patrimoine architectural. Gorée est aujourd'hui un centre culturel et mémoriel, attirant des visiteurs du monde entier pour ses musées, ses galeries d'art et ses vues spectaculaires sur l'océan Atlantique.

Foumban is a city located in the west region of Cameroon, with a population of 83,522. It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture. This series presents some shots of this museum as well as the urban landscape of the city. Foumban-Cameroon Foumban is a city located in the west region of Cameroon, with a population of 83,522. It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture. This series presents some shots of this museum as well as the urban landscape of the city.

< Back La Pépinière urbaine d’Antananarivo: concevoir des aménagements de proximité avec les habitant.e.s Clémentine Laratte Warde; Rina Soafara; Olivier Bedu Antananarivo, capitale et principal pôle économique de Madagascar, connaît une urbanisation rapide et peu maîtrisée. Cette dynamique exerce une forte pression sur les infrastructures et accentue des déséquilibres socio-spatiaux. L’extension informelle et la densification des quartiers périphériques se traduisent par un habitat précaire, la réduction des espaces collectifs et l’aggravation des inégalités. Les rares espaces ouverts jouent un rôle social crucial mais sont fortement disputés entre groupes sociaux et activités, fragilisant leur fonction inclusive, notamment au détriment des populations vulnérables. Parallèlement, la congestion routière chronique et la dégradation des infrastructures piétonnes limitent fortement la mobilité, alors même que plus de 70 % des habitants recourent à la marche pour leurs déplacements quotidiens. Face à ces défis la « Pépinière Urbaine d’Antananarivo » porte une démarche expérimentale d’aménagement participatif sur des espaces publics et des aménagements de mobilité douce. Mise en œuvre par le Gret et Cabanon Vertical en partenariat avec la Commune Urbaine et financée par l’Agence française de développement, elle constitue un projet pilote visant à expérimenter des micro-aménagements conçus avec les habitant.e.s. Le projet adopte une approche fondée sur la co-construction avec les usagers et l’inclusion des groupes sociaux vulnérables, afin de promouvoir la cohésion sociale et des pratiques innovantes de gestion des communs urbains. En associant étroitement les autorités locales, la PUA vise à garantir la durabilité des interventions et à constituer un modèle reproductible pour les interventions urbaines futures. Une ville confrontée à de nombreux défis, mais qui manifeste une volonté de construire la ville différemment Antananarivo une ville dense. Par LARATTE, 2025 L’agglomération d’Antananarivo absorbe la majorité des nouveaux habitants urbains et concentre près de la moitié de la population urbaine de Madagascar. La capitale connaît une croissance démographique rapide, avec un taux annuel de +4,9 %. L’aire urbaine rassemble aujourd’hui plus de 3,5 millions d’habitants, contre 175 000 en 1950. Cette dynamique, liée au rôle économique central de la capitale – où se concentre environ 40 % du PIB national – exerce une pression croissante sur les infrastructures et les réseaux urbains. La congestion routière, déjà importante, s’accentue d’année en année et constitue un enjeu majeur pour le développement futur de la ville. La croissance urbaine d’Antananarivo se traduit par une extension souvent informelle et mal planifiée des quartiers périphériques. La forte pression foncière favorise l’essor d’un habitat précaire, au détriment de l’espace collectif, limitant les lieux de rencontre, de repos et de circulation piétonne. L’absence de régulation foncière et d’aménagement adapté accentue les inégalités spatiales. Les quartiers populaires des 2e, 3e, 5e et 6e arrondissements, où se concentre une grande partie de la population à faibles revenus, incarnent particulièrement cette densification spontanée et la disparition des «espaces de respiration» urbains. À Antananarivo, comme dans de nombreuses villes africaines, coexistent des espaces publics formels (parcs, stades, places de marché) et des espaces vacants, souvent en friche ou utilisés comme dépotoirs, mais parfois spontanément investis par différents groupes pour des usages sportifs, culturels, sociaux ou commerciaux. La complexité foncière de ces terrains limite leur valorisation mais en fait des lieux de rencontre stratégiques, particulièrement dans les quartiers populaires denses. Compte tenu de la configuration des logements, souvent limités à une pièce par ménage, l’essentiel du temps libre se passe dans l’espace public. Leur rareté engendre une forte compétition entre groupes sociaux et activités, créant des inégalités dans l’accès et la jouissance de ces espaces, souvent au détriment des populations vulnérables (femmes, personnes âgées, enfants, minorités culturelles ou ethniques). Ces lieux jouent néanmoins un rôle majeur dans la cohésion sociale, favorisent les dynamiques collectives et apparaissent comme des leviers d’intégration sociale. Les effets de l’urbanisation non maîtrisée se répercutent directement sur les conditions de circulation, marquées par des embouteillages chroniques et une insuffisance des transports en commun. La mobilité quotidienne est difficile et dangereuse, en particulier pour les usagers non motorisés. Alors que plus de 70 % des Tananariviens ont recours à la marche dans leurs déplacements quotidiens, les infrastructures piétonnes sont souvent dégradées ou occupées par des marchands et des véhicules en stationnement. La Commune Urbaine d’Antananarivo (CUA), compétente en matière de planification urbaine, souhaite expérimenter des approches différentes pour la mise en œuvre des projets urbains et l’aménagement d’espaces publics. Consciente des limites des approches classiques de sensibilisation, elle souhaite faire évoluer ses pratiques en associant d’avantage les habitants de la conception à la gestion. Mettre en valeur la maîtrise d’usage et l’inclusion des divers usagers, et encourager la co-gestion entre les usagers et les autorités locales La démarche des pépinières urbaines place les habitants au centre des réflexions et des actions en mobilisant des méthodes sensibles aux usages et aux expériences des habitants, la « maitrise d’usage ». Cette approche pragmatique et ascendante permet d’innover vis-à-vis d’interventions classiques où les solutions émergent d’analyses réalisées par des techniciens. Elle permet plus largement de mobiliser les populations et les encourager à davantage s’investir dans le bon usage et l’entretien des aménagements. A Antananarivo, une stratégie genre a été formulée et une attention particulière a été apportée à l’inclusion des différentes catégories d’usagers. Lors du diagnostic, des consultations ont été organisées pour faire émerger les besoins spécifiques des femmes et des jeunes et les traduire dans les propositions d’aménagements. Un fond d’appui a été mis en place pour appuyer l’organisation d’activités favorisant la mixité des usages et des publics, notamment portées par des associations de jeunesse, sportives et des collectifs féminins. Des formations en entreprenariat et des ateliers sur le leadership féminin et l’égalité des genres ont été organisés pour explorer la confiance en soi et déconstruire les stéréotypes. Parallèlement aux chantiers de travaux, des comités de gestion sont constitués sur chaque site en impliquant des acteurs représentatifs des usagers et les autorités publiques. Les rôles et responsabilités de chaque partie prenante dans l’entretien et la maintenance des sites sont définis dans des conventions de cogestion. Ses membres font formés et accompagnés en vue d’assurer leurs responsabilités dans la durée et de mobiliser des financements dédiés à la gestion du site. Les agents municipaux sont associés à toutes les activités en vue de favoriser l’appropriation de cette démarche par la CUA et sa dissémination dans d’autres interventions urbaines. Des infrastructures améliorées et renforcées, des sites plus attrayants pour les femmes, les enfants et les personnes âgées, ainsi que des usagers plus responsables Dans les deux premiers sites aménagés (Andraisoro et Mandroseza), les espaces publics étaient traditionnellement fréquentés par une population majoritairement masculine, autour des terrains de basket et de pétanque. Cette situation limitait l’accès des femmes, des enfants et d’autres groupes, qui percevaient ces lieux comme peu accueillants ou peu adaptés à leurs besoins. L’intervention de la Pépinière Urbaine a visé à transformer ces sites en véritables espaces communs, favorisant la mixité sociale et générationnelle par des aménagements inclusifs, la diversification des usages et une gouvernance partagée. Les aménagements réalisés sur les deux sites ont transformé ces lieux en espaces plus sûrs, accessibles et confortables pour une diversité de publics. Avant (2022) et après (2025) les transformations d’Andraisoro. Par BEDU Les besoins des femmes, des enfants et d’autres groupes ont été intégrés à travers l’ajout d’infrastructures adaptées : gradins ombragés, pare-ballons, aires de jeux sécurisés pour enfants, fresques décoratives. Ces évolutions ont ouvert la voie à de nouveaux usages spontanés – repos, prises de selfies, tournages de clips, jeux de société, lecture, danse – et renforcé le caractère inclusif des sites Cette transformation a été amplifiée par l’accompagnement d’une vingtaine d’associations locales dans le cadre du fonds d’appui, permettant d’organiser à Andraisoro une dizaine d’animations ponctuelles et des activités récurrentes telles que des tournois d’échecs, cours de zumba, foires de crochet, formations à la pâtisserie et au charbon écologique. Cette offre élargie attire des publics plus variés : la fréquentation féminine a progressé de 20 % avant-projet à 35–45 % selon les jours et activités. Les enfants représentent jusqu’à 50 % des usagers lors des animations, et les seniors occupent désormais les zones de repos ombragées. Les femmes s’investissement davantage dans l’organisation d’activités et portent des initiatives. Cette dynamique favorise de nouvelles interactions sociales: solidarités entre parents, échanges intergénérationnels, événements collectifs. Le partage des espaces se fait par la négociation et l’entente, réduisant tensions et conflits d’usages notamment entre sportifs et marchandes. Avant (2022) et après (2025) les transformations de Mandroseza. Par BEDU La gouvernance participative des sites a également permis d’instaurer des formes de co-responsabilité entre usagers, associations et municipalité. À Andraisoro, le comité de gestion compte une participation féminine encore minoritaire mais réelle (2 femmes sur 6) et la mixité est inscrite dans le règlement intérieur. Ses membres assurent l’entretien et la régulation des usages, et les initiatives locales de nettoyage et de sensibilisation se sont multipliées. 100% des usagers interrogés déclarent vouloir prendre soin des équipements. Ces dynamiques traduisent un changement progressif dans la perception et l’appropriation des espaces publics. La CUA note un intérêt croissant des jeunes pour être impliqués dans la gestion des espaces publics, ouvrant la voie à la dissémination de la démarche dans d’autres quartiers. Les deux sites confirment le rôle central des espaces publics dans la cohésion sociale. La comparaison entre Andraisoro -où les activités du fonds d’appui ont été déployées- et Mandroseza – où ces activités sont en cours de préparation - souligne l’importance d’articuler aménagements, animation et gouvernance inclusive pour transformer durablement l’espace public en commun urbain. Diversité des usages et des utilisateurs sur le site Mandroseza. Par BEDU 2025 La Pépinière urbaine démontre que les approches participatives et expérimentales peuvent transformer durablement la fabrique des villes africaines L’expérience de la PUA illustre le potentiel des approches participatives et expérimentales dans le contexte africain marqué par une urbanisation rapide et souvent non maîtrisée. En redonnant une place centrale aux habitant.e.s, ce projet contribue à la réhabilitation des espaces publics comme leviers de cohésion sociale, d’inclusion et d’innovation urbaine. L’émergence de formes de co-gestion entre habitant.e.s, associations et municipalité souligne également un changement dans la perception et l’appropriation des communs urbains. Les dynamiques initiées restent toutefois fragiles et méritent d’être accompagnées pour s’ancrer durablement dans les perceptions et pratiques. Des défis demeurent, notamment en matière de sécurisation foncière dans un cadre juridique complexe. En effet, la PUA avait initialement prévu de travailler sur des terrains domaniaux mais les efforts de médiation engagés avec les propriétaires fonciers pour l’établissement des conventions d’occupation n’ont pas abouti et les sites ont dû être abandonnés au profit de sites appartenant à la CUA. Ces obstacles révèlent l’importance d’un dialogue renforcé entre acteurs publics et privés pour inscrire ce type d’initiative dans les pratiques locales. L’enjeu est désormais de consolider ces acquis et de faire de la Pépinière urbaine un modèle reproductible, non seulement pour Antananarivo mais aussi pour d’autres villes malgaches et africaines. Une question clé reste ouverte : comment institutionnaliser et financer ces démarches tout en préservant leur caractère inclusif et expérimental ? La version complète du magazine est accessible ici Télécharger l’article complet clementine-magazine-african_cities_magazine_6_francais-20260118 .pdf Download PDF • 5.15MB Previous Next

Obala is a city located in the Centre Region of Cameroon, positioned near the capital, Yaoundé. It serves primarily as a local administrative and trade center, vital for its surrounding agricultural communities. Known for its fertile lands, Obala supports the cultivation of various crops, contributing significantly to the regional economy. The city is characterized by a mix of traditional Cameroonian cultures and languages, reflecting the diverse ethnic composition of the area. While not a major tourist destination, Obala offers a genuine glimpse into the daily lives and practices of its inhabitants, with local markets and community events that showcase the rich cultural heritage of Cameroon. Obala-Cameroon Obala is a city located in the Centre Region of Cameroon, positioned near the capital, Yaoundé. It serves primarily as a local administrative and trade center, vital for its surrounding agricultural communities. Known for its fertile lands, Obala supports the cultivation of various crops, contributing significantly to the regional economy. The city is characterized by a mix of traditional Cameroonian cultures and languages, reflecting the diverse ethnic composition of the area. While not a major tourist destination, Obala offers a genuine glimpse into the daily lives and practices of its inhabitants, with local markets and community events that showcase the rich cultural heritage of Cameroon.

< Back The Pedestrian's Plight: Walking as an inconvenient mobility option in Abuja Mohammed Lawal Shaibu In Abuja, Nigeria's capital, walking is a common mode of transportation, yet the city's design and policies make it inconvenient and unsafe for pedestrians, particularly for marginalized groups like the poor, disabled, elderly, and children. The city's car-centric planning, including separate land use zones and limited public transportation, forces residents to rely on cars to access essential services. To improve walkability, Abuja must prioritize mixed land use, increase intersection density, establish functional public transit, enhance streetscapes, and enact pedestrian-friendly policies. Understanding the factors affecting walkability, such as land use, urban compactness, circulation, public transit, streetscape, and management policies, is crucial. Implementing measures to enhance walkability not only improves urban mobility but also promotes equity and inclusivity. Despite its challenges, Abuja has the potential to become more walkable through proactive urban planning, policy enforcement, and community engagement, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and inclusive city. Like many other African cities, walking is a primary mode of transport for most trips in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. However, the conditions for walking are inconvenient due to the character or state of the city’s land use plan, urban compactness, circulation plan, streetscape, and urban management policies. This excludes social groups such as the poor, disabled, aged, and children from enjoying urban mobility and requires urban citizens to own or use a car to fully access their rights to the city. In order to enhance walking conditions, the city needs to reduce its car dependency by addressing the factors that improve walkability. These include embracing mixed-uses for urban compactness and diversity as opposed to separating residential from non-residential land uses, promoting high intersection densities to reduce travel distances and offer multiple route choice, ensuring functionality in public transportation, enhancing the quality of the street, and introducing pedestrian-friendly urban policies. Research-based efforts to emphasise the urgent need for inclusive and sustainable urban mobility in Abuja should be echoed and applied in practice to improve the lives of people who live and work in the city. Aerial landscape view of Abuja City Business District, by Tayvay on shutterstock_1439458676 "Walking, but not walkable: just another African city." Before the development of Abuja, every city that existed in Nigeria had been formed – even as a small town – by socio-economic forces like markets and culture. As Bertaud (2018) puts it, such cities had their original order without design before the intervention of physical development plans. Abuja is different; it is the first city in Nigeria that was developed from scratch in line with a master plan. Its original order followed a blueprint designed between 1976 and 1979. In the preface of his influential book, Cities for People, Gehl (2010) assert that city planning during that period (from the 1960s to 2000s) was problematic because it largely ignored the human scale, manifesting drastic consequences that would not be recognized until much later. Abuja’s planning was no different; it largely followed western car-centric patterns that require the urban population to own or use a car in order to fully interact with the city (Shaibu & Adebayo, 2022). In African cities, over 70% of the urban population walk as a primary transport mode to access essential services, much higher than the global average of about 40% (UNEP & UNHSP, 2022). While this is often for a lack of choice, it implies that African cities are essentially walking cities despite the car-centric urban patterns in cities like Abuja and unfavourable and dangerous walking conditions in other Sub-Saharan African cities (Halias, 2020). It is therefore essential for such cities to rethink their approach to urban planning and management by prioritising walking (and cycling) as a convenient urban mobility option. To do this, existing features and elements in Abuja that make walking inconvenient for the pedestrian should be improved through urban planning decisions. These have been repeatedly stated in different mediums to emphasise the urgent need to pursue sustainable urban mobility for the city (Nigerian Urbanism, 2023; Shaibu, 2022; Shaibu & Adebayo, 2022). Aerial view of downtown Abuja, Nigeria, by Leandry Jieutsa from an image taken from Google Earth 2022 "Abuja must understand car-dependency and walkability, then drive towards the latter." Car-dependency and walkability can be said to be inversely proportional. Quite a number of progressive cities have made efforts at reversing car dependency – a situation when reliance on private vehicles is high because it is the most favoured and convenient form of urban transport. This is typically done through the introduction of multiple means, elements, or factors that support and encourage non-private car transport such as walking, cycling, and public transportation by making them safe and convenient, thus fostering walkability. To prioritise walking in Abuja, it is important that the key factors that determine its level of car-dependency or walkability are understood. Dan Burden, one of the most popular figures in the walkability movement globally, listed eleven (11) factors that affect walkability; they are the location of facilities, adequacy of walkways, connectivity, street orientation, density, street speeds, aesthetics, land use, affordability, and neighbourhood schools (Burden, 1992). Several other authors have developed similar lists with overlapping elements that apply to Abuja. Lived and practical urban planning experience in the city, as well as literature review on walkability, suggest that the factors most relevant to Abuja are its land use plan, urban compactness, circulation plan, public transportation systems, urban streetscape design, and urban management laws/policies. Abuja’s land use plan distributes primary facilities for commerce (retail shops and neighbourhood markets), education (nursery, primary, and secondary schools), employment (office buildings), health (primary health centres and clinics), and recreation (children’s playgrounds and other parks) separately from residents, affecting proximity, connectedness, and urban compactness. This makes residents have to travel longer distances to access the services within those facilities. Its circulation plan within districts mostly follow curvilinear and cul-de-sac patterns, while cross-intersections that offer more route choices and shorter walking distances are highly discouraged. The city has no functional public transport system in operation after a ban of mini-buses in 2013, a collapse of the replacement urban mass transport scheme with metro buses in 2018, and a discontinuation of the city’s only urban rail line in 2020 after just two functional years. Most of the city’s streets lack elements like street furnishing, signages, and paved uninterrupted sidewalks that make up complete streets. Lastly, urban management policies such as the closure of pedestrian access to commercial lots as a traffic management solution worsens the pedestrian’s plight. "Aiding the pedestrian’s plight is inclusive planning." The separate distribution of facilities, curvilinear road network, absence of public transportation, incomplete streetscapes, and short-sighted urban policies in Abuja imply that the life of an urban resident who does not have or cannot use a private car is made infinitely more difficult. Such residents fall into four main social groups that are excluded from fully enjoying convenient urban mobility. These are the poor (who cannot afford private cars), the disabled (who are wheelchair bound or blind and require help from able-bodied persons), the aged (who are not advised to drive after a certain age, could be wheelchair bound, and find harsh vehicle noises unfriendly), and children (who are not allowed to drive and at high risk of pedestrian injury and death). Enhancing walkability in Abuja is therefore about equity and inclusivity which are important sustainable development principles that accord high consideration to disadvantaged people. Abuja, by macdavis-johnson on unsplash, November 2021 "Still, the people are walking. Help them walk better." Despite the realities of Abuja, walking remains common for first and last mile intermodal transport especially in parts of the city where commercial motorcycles (okada) and tricycles (keke-NAPEP) are not allowed to operate. Abuja needs to intentionally enhance the highlighted factors that affect its walkability so as to make walking better by improving safety and convenience for pedestrians. The primary way to achieve this as emphasised by Jacobs (1961) is to plan land uses within walking distances of each other through mixed uses for more compact and diverse cities. Abuja needs to ensure that detailed plans for districts yet to be developed have sufficient provision for mixed-use plots within neighbourhoods. The current practice of allowing different kinds of uses along a mixed-use corridor, yet separate uses for every plot along that corridor, is a flawed approach. Instead, mixed use plots should allow different uses on different floor levels or different areas within one plot provided that the uses are compatible and complementary. Within already developed districts, particularly in Phase I of the city, efforts should be put towards densification through mutually beneficial partnerships between current property holders and housing developers as was historically applied in the Athens polikatoikias system (O'Sullivan, 2020). Densification of Abuja’s urban core will present other socio-economic benefits such as improved tax base per land area, better utilisation of existing infrastructure, and allowance for community parks with potential for increased social capital. It is also necessary to address the disinclination to cross-intersections in neighbourhood designs. The conventional grid street pattern that is prominent in cities like Barcelona, Chicago, and New York is considered to best facilitate walking because of its high intersection density which offers more route choices and shorter walking distances (Campoli, 2012). With such a pattern, pedestrians are more likely to walk along a straight line, have three possible directions to go on approaching an intersection, and can permeate through city blocks more frequently. Radial circulation patterns in historic African towns and cities also have high intersection densities with primary streets running to the central palace, market, and religious centre and circling secondary streets that repeatedly cross the primary streets at increasing radii. However, as early as from the university level, urban and regional planning students are sternly taught to avoid cross-intersections in their plans and designs, an ideology that is carried on to professional practice. The reason for this is that such intersections are considered to offer longer waiting time for vehicles to cross or turn and more possible vehicular conflict/collision points. Having established that they are better for pedestrians but arguably not as favourable to the vehicle, the discouragement of cross-intersections displays a glaring illustration of car-centric planning that pursues convenience for the vehicle at the expense of convenience for the pedestrian. Furthermore, Abuja is in desperate need of public transportation systems to intermediate the pedestrian’s long-distance trips. This implies that residents can walk (or cycle) from their starting destination to a nearby public transport station (e.g., bus stop), use the system to commute, and then walk to their final destination. Public transport systems are beneficial for cities as they minimize traffic congestion, pollution emissions, and energy consumption per traveler. Abuja, by oussama obeid on shutterstock, september 2023 The city has struggled with public transport over the past decade due to poor planning, maintenance, and financial constraints. Nonetheless, a lack of metro buses, at the very least, is inexcusable for a capital city of Abuja’s caliber. The city is currently dependent on private salon cars for public transport with overcrowding and physical struggle at popular pick-up/drop-off points. Sidewalks and their accompanying elements such as signs, furniture, landscaped strips, etc. are crucial to the walking experience. They should not be perceived as future add-ons for streets where the common practice in Abuja, mostly outside the urban core, is to pave drive lanes first and await interventions years in future. This leaves a lot of streets lacking those crucial elements that encourage people to walk and make walking more pleasant. Moreso, where such sidewalks are existing, efforts should be made to address interruptions such as reckless car parking, obstructive driveways into plots, and open refuse dumping. Lastly, policies that favour pedestrians and minimise car dependency should be enforced in the urban management of Abuja. Such policies should be derived following extensive and in-depth studies on the city’s physical and socio-economic urban context as well as case studies from successful policies in other cities around the world. "Abuja has the capacity to foster walkability if it decides to." Abuja is a unique African city because its development originally followed a masterplan, albeit a car-centric one. Yet, it is similar to many other African cities with regards to the high levels of walking The paradox is that despite the city’s car-centric plan, walking remains a primary urban transport mode and, therefore, efforts towards enhancing the walking experience through improved convenience and safety for the pedestrian should be intensified. The city’s land use plan, circulation plan, public transport functionality, streetscape, and urban management policies are critical factors that require intervention to reduce the city’s car-dependency and improve walkability. The current pedestrian-unfriendly state of these factors should not portray Abuja in bad light. They are instead an indication of the possibilities for more inclusive and sustainable urban mobility which can be achieved through an improvement in urban planning teaching, ideology, and practice as well as improved policy making at a city-level. To achieve these, urban planners and other stakeholders in academia and practice should grab every opportunity to help the city (and its decision-makers) understand where it falls short and why it needs to sit up. Resources such as the compilation of good practices that can inspire government actions and decisions to retain, protect, and enable people that walk and cycle in Africa are highly recommended (UNEP & UNHSP, 2022). What is Abuja waiting for? Abuja, by oussama obeid on shutterstock Previous Next

< Back Education in architecture, planning and design in Africa: Challenges and vision for more sustainable and resilient African cities Architectural education in Africa needs a shift. This involves integrating local social, cultural, and environmental considerations. The current Western-centric curricula are critiqued and a more holistic approach is advocated. Interviews with academics and researchers highlight the gap between traditional grid-pattern city planning and the actual needs of African communities. The importance of community engagement and understanding local contexts is stressed. Students are encouraged to explore African architectural heritage, engage with diverse perspectives, and adopt bottom-up approaches. This will help graduates build sustainable and resilient cities that address the unique challenges and opportunities in African urban environments. MARK OLWENY, Architect, Educator, Senior Lecturer in Architecture, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, University of Lincoln, Research Associate Professor, Faculty of the Built Environment, Uganda Martyrs University. Experienced Senior Architect with a demonstrated history of working in developing countries. Skilled in Environmental Design, Sustainable Architecture, Urban Design and Architectural Education. Strong administrator, Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD) focused in Architecture from Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd. I believe a new direction for architecture and planning education should begin with a more holistic approach Unfortunately, architectural and planning curricula on the continent are still largely based on the western approach. Thus, much of what is taught and what is considered important in the curricula comes from outside rather than within the continent. Moreover, if you look at some of the old schools that came into being around independence in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and more recently in Zimbabwe, etc., their objectives have been to train people to produce buildings that celebrate the aspirations of these independent states. The result is seen in the architecture and layout of our cities where what is perceived to be a ‘good city’ is one that is planned in a grid pattern, with streets primarily for cars, which has absolutely nothing to do with how people actually use space in the African context. Consider the fact that most people don’t drive. For them, to get from A to B the distance should be as short as possible. I don’t need space for four or at times six cars, I need comfortable space for people to walk. So if we start thinking about people first, the way our spaces are designed and laid out will be very different. But a lot of the current approaches to architecture and planning are car oriented despite only 5% of people using cities actually drives. So once we adopt this idea of planning from a physical entity, we automatically exclude people. But when you look at it from a people’s perspective, one of the things you don’t do in planning is produce a map. In South Sudan, there have been a series of proposals for Juba that are in the shape of animals. Although these may seem appropriate on a plan, this ignores the reality that these are not visible or apparent for the users as people experience urban spaces when they are within them, and not from the sky. Some schools, and mainly the newer ones, manage to break away from this paradigm. But most of them still remain in this way of thinking where man is put aside in architectural and urban designs. This is also the case in private schools that do not find it lucrative to detach themselves from the classical teaching methods. Personally, I believe a new direction for architecture and planning education should begin with a more holistic approach, one that compels students to appreciate specific social, cultural and environmental issues. Here education could take a leaf from landscape architecture education. Landscape architecture education and the profession engage with social and cultural issues in ways that architecture and planning do not. Landscape architecture asks questions, like, what is the meaning of a place? Why do people do it this way? How can we make it work? Rather than saying, well, this looks horrible, let’s just tear it down or start from scratch. Juba city Southern Sudan, Photo source: Google earth “We need to adapt the teaching to the local context. It may not produce the high architecture that we see in the world, but it will meet the local needs..” I will focus on the case of Anglophone Africa, on architectural education specifically and address three aspects: how were the schools of architecture created, who teaches in them and what were their objectives? There are parallels with planning, which I will include when I can. As far as their creation is concerned, by far the majority of architecture schools came into existence just after independence (outside South Africa, these are Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nairobi and University of Khartoum). While the initial goal was to provide skilled labour to replace expatriate staff, the desire by the newly independent states to showcase their aspirations, and demonstrate their position internationally, it was not long before educational endeavours were steered toward fulfilling these objectives, geared toward national prestige through iconic - an ideological imperative. Now, for the teachers in these schools. Initially, it was necessary to rely on foreign staff, for a number of reasons, but primarily the schools were following an international curriculum that needed staff that could deliver it satisfactorily. These instructors largely came from Western Europe (generally former colonisers countries), as well as the Soviet Union, the United States and to a lesser extent India). . While this has served to allow the development of divergent currents of thought, there has been little in-depth interrogation of the appropriateness of these curricula and pedagogical approaches. The most obvious example I can cite here are many history and theory courses, which still rely heavily on a chronological approach heavily biased toward European architectural and planning endeavours. You have to ask yourself, is the knowledge content, and approaches to architecture and urbanism we teach fit for-purpose? and in many cases the answer is no. There is a need for us to scrutinise what we teach and how we teach it. What exactly are we doing? What is the purpose of architecture and planning education now? Do we want to produce replicas of cities and buildings in Europe and North America? Or do we want to help improve the conditions of people?The situation on the ground and the needs are completely different. We need to adapt the teaching to the local context. It may not produce the ‘high’ architecture, but it will meet the local needs. Uganda for example is a very hilly country. But many plans (both planning and architectural) ignore this fact. Why does this happen? In some aspects the training is not context specific; it seems to reinforce the notion that the site (and people) should adapt to suit the designs, and not the other way around. So we need to do better than that and think, how do we compel the next generation of urban planners and architects to be cognisant of and respond to the local situation, understanding that and work with it as a basis for developing appropriate spaces that work for people. When you look at, for example, the most common building typology in Uganda today, it is the same as that designed during colonial times for single men. These «boys’ quarters» because at that time in many parts of Africa, there was a need for workers, usually young men who came to town to work, and were granted temporary residency. To prevent them bringing their families, they were provided with minimal accommodation with small rooms that barely accommodated one person, with shared toilet facilities, and no kitchens... Now more than 60 years after independence, we still build the same way. So if after all these years and all the architects and urban planners trained, why is it that there has not been any change? I believe this is because as architects and planners we have failed to impact on the general population, and continue to train subsequent generations to ignore the needs of the majority. Uganda-Development Photo source: Wikimedio commons “Students are unfortunately taught to prepare to make the next tallest building, rather than getting them to understand the sense of the place…” The way architecture and urban planning training is delivered on the continent has indeed an impact on African cities. On the positive side it can create functional spaces where people have decent environments to live, work and recreate. But on the negative side, I think things are often done out of context. Take housing for example, this is often developed and planned in isolation of socio-economic realities, an approach that reduces the question of ‘low-income’ housing to the provision of the proverbial four walls and a roof. Consequently, we often see such housing developed far away from the centre of cities. These are a distance away from economic and employment opportunities - the reason people migrated to the cities’ areas in the first place. Oddly enough, this was a problem that was seen in the US, UK and Australia during the 1960s, so why are we building the same mistakes in 2020? We have to rethink our approach, taking note that some of what is still taught is obsolete, and in many cases was not actually based on the realities experienced within the context within which it is taught. Back to the housing question, the lack of housing and the burgeoning slums, squatter and informal settlements close to the city centres are a result of a larger question. It comes to human dignity and the value of humanity. By paying a salary that is barely enough to live on, workers are compelled to seek the most convenient accommodation as close to their place of work as is practically possible. No one wants to spend all their salary and time commuting. So as we can see, architecture and planning is not just about physical infrastructure, it is much wider. These are the links that are often not presented as part of the educational process, which often exists in silos. Many countries in Africa are characterized by their macrocephaly. In Uganda, for example, as soon as you leave Kampala, there is literally nothing going on in the small towns. Some time ago there was not even a supermarket outside Kampala. Everything happened in the capital. Now, with decentralization, things could be better, but it is important to provide the secondary towns and the countryside with adequate facilities and infrastructure to limit the pressure on the big urban centers and to strengthen the links between the cities and the countryside. Currently, getting a national identity card, or a driving licence requires a trip to the capital Kampala. This is not at all practical, neither is it contributing to the idea of decentralisation. Now, in terms of education, I prefer to use education, rather than training as I believe education is a core element of higher university education. While there are elements of training within architecture and planning education, it is important that students acknowledge that their role goes beyond merely fulfilling narrowly defined objectives of individual projects, to include an appreciation of the consequences of these actions. If you look at Zanzibar, the old city - Stone Town, is among the most visited places in Tanzania. This is not because it has new glass and steel clad buildings or wide multilane roads. It is because it is at a human scale in a number of ways. It is a pedestrian environment with narrow streets, but with spaces where people can sit and talk. The soul of the community keeps it alive. The street itself is a channel of information. And that information can travel long distances because every time you walk down the street, greet people, stop, talk to them they will tell you a story. So it’s strange that we assumed that cities should be so new and glitzy. And that’s what students are unfortunately taught, to prepare to make the next tallest building, rather than getting them to understand that the way people use spaces and how they engage with the environment, is what makes the difference. Photo by Javi Lorbada on Unsplash “Adapted curricula to build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities in Africa…” The starting point would be thinking about the people, their climatic, cultural, social context, etc. If you start from the climate for example, the solution in Botswana can certainly not be the same solution that you have in Uganda or, in South Sudan, because these are very different situations and climates. We teach students about what is happening in the rest of the world, but very little about what is happening in the local areas. There is limited literature on the architecture of African context, so we need to write and tell the stories of and from Africa, while criticizing the things that don’t work. We are often reluctant to criticize things, just because somebody put a lot of money into it, whether it works or not. Unless we start having deep, meaningful, frank discussions about our context, we’re going to continually go down a path that doesn’t help us to build sustainably and resiliently. When you look at many urban centers across much of sub-Saharan Africa, we find an informal sector that is actually larger than the formal sector. The people who work in this grey economy are rarely if ever included in design discourse, effectively marginalised from what is perceived to be a desired future. Without an appreciation of their needs, this marginalization is set to continue with these issues brought into the mainstream of teaching and practice. In the university I work with in Uganda, the Uganda Martyrs University, we are taking students out of the classroom, to talk to the communities. For example right now, a student is working to understand how people live and how they engage in their daily activities. This bottom up approach is critical in ensuring any proposals are embedded within the community, and not cosmetic. One of the things I think is also important is to take some of the architecture schools out of the major urban areas, figuratively and practically, to get a feel for the communities and their needs. When you look at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, the Copperbelt University in Zambia, and the University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, these are all located in secondary cities, and where the first architecture schools in these three countries were situated. This deliberate move ensures that the link between education and the lived experiences of a large proportion of the population could be better addressed. This was also the rationale for the location of the architecture school at the Uganda Martyrs University at the university’s main campus at Nkozi.. This certainly has a big impact on the shape of the education and the students that go there. So, it’s about basic things like understanding what our needs are, beyond just shelter from the elements? How do we make our urban centers work better for people? How do we make them work better in the context? Should we continue building wider roads, yet the real need is for more and efficient public transport networks? Uganda Martyrs University “Make friends, talk to people who come from different backgrounds, who have different life experiences, and travel as much as possible…” I think the very first piece of advice I would give is to be open to learning. Be open to new ideas and to constantly question preconceived ideas you may have. Beyond that, you have to understand that whatever education you get, whether it’s architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning, it’s only education to help you start your career, it’s not the end of your education, which should continue throughout your life. This is what differentiates training from education. I also believe that students should try as much as possible to draw on their own experiences, and understand that their experience is just an individual experience, in the midst of millions of other people’s experiences. To be able to design for other people, it is important to understand and appreciate why we do things a particular way, and that this is not how millions of other people do it (for a host of different reasons). Often, I think we approach things from the perspective that our experience is the only valid one, and presume other people’s experiences and views are equal to ours. This is a consequence of the socialization process of education. For many students their experiences are narrowly defined, limiting their exposure to the diversity of experiences of others. A poingient expression of this can be found in Musa Okwonga’s memoir, ‘One of Them’. The outcomes of educational systems that derive students from a narrow group of students cannot truly address the issues of broader society. Indeed even today, some schools of architecture have intakes comprising students from a handful of secondary schools, it would be impossible for this group of students to appreciate the value of different opinions as they have never really been exposed to difference. And so my advice in this context is to make friends outside of that very narrow circle. Talk to people who come from different backgrounds, who have different life experiences, if possible, travel as much as possible whether it’s inside or outside your region or country. Many students and even professionals do not know the richness of their own country in terms of architectural and urban heritage. Knowing one’s history, heritage and environment can contribute to a better understanding of place, and space. We had great cities in Africa 300 or 400 years ago. You have Benin City in Nigeria, you have Congo City in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have Great Zimbabwe, and Bigo in Uganda ... so there are great cities that exist that we don’t hear about. Taking an interest in and learning about these early endeavours would greatly contribute to design explorations, not only in terms of form and materials, but also in terms of our ideation. Those are the key lessons I would like some people to understand. A drawing by a British officer representing the city of Benin before its destruction by the British army in 1897, wikimedia PHILIPPA NYAKATO TUMUBWEINEE, Architects; Senior lecturer and Head of School at Architecture Planning and Geomatics, University of Cape Town. She was awarded her PhD at the School of Higher Education Studies, University of the Free State. Tumubweinee’s commitment to architectural education has developed through her involvement as an external examiner for MProf and BHons students in Architecture at the University of Pretoria and Namibia University of Science and Technology “School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics” The current School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) at University of Cape Town (UCT) is the result of two mergers. The first merger took place in 1985 between the then School of Architecture and the Department of City and Regional Planning, and the second merger took place in 2002 between the School of Architecture and Planning and the Department of Geomatics. The School’s primary purpose is to produce professionals who can deal competently and creatively with the development and conservation of the built and natural environment by imagining alternative, more just and inclusive urban futures. The School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) has a current enrolment of 667 students, 227 are registered for postgraduate degrees; of these 22 students are registered for PhDs. APG offers programmes which lead to the following qualifications: Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS); Bachelor of Science in Geomatics; Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Honours); Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geographical Information Systems; Bachelor of City Planning (Honours); Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours); Master of Architecture (Professional); Master of City and Regional Planning; Master of Landscape Architecture; Master of Urban Design; Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Conservation of the Built Environment; Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Southern Urbanism; and Opportunities to study for research-based MPhils and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. APG is located within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE). Professor Alison Lewis (from the Department of Chemical Engineering) was elected as the Dean of the Faculty in 2015, and she remains in the position. All Departments and Schools within EBE offer degrees accredited by professional councils/ institutes. Processes of accreditation are recognised and supported in the Faculty and the University. EBE comprises five Departments (Construction Economics and Management; Civil Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Electrical Engineering) and one School (the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics). In accordance with 2021 data, EBE has an enrolment of 4,452 students, of whom 1,116 are registered for postgraduate qualifications and 262 are PhD students. EBE comprises 429 academic staff and 173 professional, administrative and support staff. The Faculty has 20 active research groups, 7 SARChI chairs, 58 NRF rated staff and R220 million in research income. The undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) Programme within the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) provides a foundational design-oriented education from which streaming can occur into a range of postgraduate degree programmes, including the Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Honours), the Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) (linked to the Masters of City and Regional Planning) and the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) (linked to the Masters of Landscape Architecture). These Honours level qualifications allow students to apply for the one-year Master of Urban Design (MUD) degree, a one-year MPhil specialising in the Conservation of the Built Environment and a research-based MPhil. APG also offers opportunities to register for a PhD. Furthermore, the African Centre for Cities (ACC) facilitates a coursework and dissertation MPhil on Southern Urbanism and some of these students take electives in the Planning Honours Programme. A planning stream was introduced into the undergraduate Geomatics Programme cluster in 2004. Several degree programmes in the School are recognised by professional Councils. The Masters of Architecture (Prof) degree is recognised by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). In addition to SACPLAN accreditation, the Planning Programme is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) ( http://www.rtpi.org.uk/ ). The combined Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) and Masters of Landscape Architecture Programme is accredited by the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP). The MPhils are non-professional and non-accredited research degrees. “The way we educate our urban professionals on the wider continent and in South Africa is being challenged” This is not because what we teach is not good, it is because it has become increasingly difficult, within a set and structured curriculum, to address the constantly shifting dynamic nature of the urban environments we live in. Within this changing context we, as urban professionals, find ourselves confronted with how to advance appropriate theories and practices to develop a holistic understanding of the urban environment across multiple and growing disciplines and interests. This difficulty is evident in the schism between what is needed and what is done. It translates as a break between how we as academic institutions develop and train the next generation of urban professionals and the realities of the multiplicity of fundamental tools and tactics that are required to develop and implement policies and governance systems that effectively deliver for people. In part the schism stems from theories and practices that are borrowed from other times, other places and other cultures. As institutions we repackage and retrofit these theories and practices without always addressing the underlying complexities of our urban complexities and place-based realties. This calls for a “rogue” approach in the way that we train urban professionals who can contribute meaningfully in African urban environments and respond to, address and embrace a continually shifting context. This approach to training urban professionals could develop a form of urbanism that consolidates political, social, cultural and economic capital with the natural & built environment in order to bring together a conceptualisation of place and people as part of a complex world. “Rather than provide a clear ‘vision of African cities of tomorrow’, it is vital that academic institutions together with other urban professionals and civil society collectively experiment and speculate as to what an African city should look like…” The African urban terrain is complex, and because it is complex questions of sustainability, resilience, and technological development in any African city can only be speculative. This provides fertile ground from which urban professionals, and the institutions in which they are trained, can explore and experiment with alternate realities and solutions to address a variety of underlying concerns. These include climate change and resilience, significant socio-spatial inequality and poverty (tied often to colonial spatial planning), and a significant demographic youth bulge in African cities. Rather than provide a clear ‘vision’, it is vital that academic institutions together with other urban professionals and civil society collectively experiment and speculate as to what an African city should look like. For if we cannot creatively conceive of it within the specificities and peculiarities of our context, we cannot build it. In APG we aim to develop urban professionals across all programmes who can radically reshape the urban environment at all levels. This extends to, but is not limited to: 1) how we can creatively plan, design and develop our cities, towns and their neighbourhoods; 2) how we can creatively integrate combined thinking across the broadest range of disciplines involved in the urban environment – physical, socio-cultural, economic, public health, food, governance etc; 3) how can we creatively lead and manage policies and planning in the system at all levels of civil society and government. MANLIO MICHIELETTO, Dean of the School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE) at the College of Science and Technology (CST) University of Rwanda (UR ). Manlio Michieletto is an Italian Architect graduated in 2007 from the IUAV University of Venice,and earned a PhD in Architectural Composition in 2010 from the IUAV School of Doctorate. After different academic and professional experiences in Europe (Italy and Germany) and Africa (Burkina Faso andD. R. Congo), he has since 2016 became the dean of SABE. “School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE)..” The School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE) started in 2009 as a faculty of architecture in the former Kigali Institute of Technology. In 2014, the government decided to unify all scattered institutes in one unique public university that is called University of Rwanda, and the Faculty of architecture became the School of Architecture and Built Environment. SABE is one of the five schools comprising the College of Science and Technology that is one of the nine colleges of the University of Rwanda. SABE is in a very inspiring compound designed by the French architect Patrick Schweitzer and our students have the opportunity to be trained in this amazing architectural artifact. The building’s aim is to be intended as an open book for students through the utilisation of different materials, construction techniques, details etc. Furthermore, it’s a passive building with no use of mechanical installation. SABE has around 1000 students and four departments (Department of Architecture, Department of construction management, Department of estate management and valuation, and the Department of geography and urban planning). These are for undergraduate programs, but we also have a post graduate program in MSc IN GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and we are working with partners from Europe to set up a master in architecture that will start in 2023. These programs are supervised by around 40 staff members, including junior staff, senior staff, Professor, associate professor, senior lecturer, lecturer, assistant lecturer and tutorial assistant. School of Architecture and Built Environment, Photo source SABE “We have to significantly improve the offer in terms of education to give to young people the chance to study and be actors of changes in their communities and countries…” I do think the way education in architecture and planning is made have an impact on african cities now and in the future. However, to have a positive impact, it is fundamental to establish more schools or faculties of architecture and urban studies in Africa. We can not have or continue to have countries with just one Institute or School of Architecture, urban planning, etc. To meet African cities’ challenges and turn them into opportunities, we must increase the education offered in Architecture, urban planning, and other urban studies not just in quantity, but also in quality. So, when we talk about the impact, we have first to significantly improve the offer in terms of education to give to young people the chance to study and be actors of changes in their communities and countries. African cities are a bit wider as a concept, so we cannot compare Ouagadougou with Lagos or Lome with Kinshasa, etc. I think for training in architecture in Africa, the undergraduate students have to be trained as any other students over the world, then, specialize themself through for example, postgraduate programs on the local context. At SABE, we try to introduce in the existing curricula the analysis and the study of the local context, to train students able -after an undergraduate degree, to appropriately manage a project in the local context. African cities are very different in shape, in size, etc. So, African students have to learn critical methods that enable them to have a holistic overview of the context. They have to be able to build a critical point of view, train their eyes to understand the context, identify problems and find the appropriate solutions. “At SABE there is a constant relationship between teaching activities and local context…” Lectures are normally based on tropical architecture and urban design, that means the architecture adapted to the local environment and context. We also teach students history of architecture and theory of architecture including the relationship between the city, and the built environment. So students move from universal theories of architecture and urban planning to theories of African cities, from tropical villages to African architecture. We also use resources to equip our students with theoretical and practical knowledge like books on African cities, UN-Habitat rules and principles, and the Green Council buildings rules that the Rwandan government established for the construction of green buildings in Rwanda. So, for us at SABE there is a constant relationship between teaching activities and local context. For example, in the Department of Geography, urban planning, students always have practical workshops on the local context, with the local community involved, population, local stakeholders etc. We also have summer workshops that are targeting real issues or challenges in kigali to not only have students adapted to the local context, but also to the local market. Furthermore, during their training, our students have to do professional internships for the fourth and fifth year. All these help them to be adapted to market needs. We have been asked by our university to move to a problem based learning teaching system, which means that all our modules, especially for assessment and final examination, have to be based on problem based learning or a challenge driven education. So we have the theoretical part of the module, and then a practical one based on a real problem that students may identify in their context. The students work in groups to propose a solution to a real problem, starting from problem identification to an adapted solution. “I see the future of African cities in the past…” First of all, we have to be conscious of our past. The African city is rich in history and heritage that have shaped its evolution over time. This ancestral African city has always been smart and sustainable. It is therefore important to go back to this history and heritage to build the African city and not to import models from elsewhere. The second important thing in this context of rapid growth and urbanization is to train local actors who understand the context. It is a question of training city actors (architects, urban planners, designers, etc.) at the local level with local knowledge and know-how because they know their history, they have grown up in these cities and are the best able to understand the problems and to provide solutions. Another fundamental aspect to take into account for the African sustainable city is the political will. We can see that the great cities throughout the world were mostly built by political vision. Therefore, in Africa, it is important that the leaders draw a shared vision of the sustainable city and take the necessary means to achieve the objectives of the sustainable city. “Be committed and passionate about what they are doing…” My advice for young students is to really be committed and passionate about what they are doing, because it is the only way to achieve good results, in all aspects of their life. MOUSSA DEMBELE, Malian Architect graduated in architecture from Xinghua University in China. He worked as an architect for 4 years in Singapore, then obtained his doctorate from the Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan. After teaching for several years in Japan and China, he opened an architectural office in Mali before being appointed in 2015 as the General Manager of EAMAU. “Tell us about the African School of Architecture and Urbanism…” The African School of Architecture and Urban Planning (EAMAU) is an inter-state institution that brings together 8 countries of the UEMOA (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo) and the 6 countries of the CEMAC (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad). It was created under the will of the heads of state in order to train young people to face the urbanization of African cities in 1975. In view of the challenges facing African cities in terms of urbanization, it can be said that this vision of member states through EAMAU is more than salutary in order to meet the challenges posed by the rapid urban growth of the continent by training local actors on urban issues. To this end, EAMAU trains architects, urban planners, and urban managers through Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral training cycles. The training courses are both theoretical and practical and lead the learners to the professional-grade after 5 years of study. The training method equips them with tools that enable them to practice the profession in an operational manner in different African countries, particularly with field training courses throughout the training program. African School of Architecture and Urbanism, Photo by G2L-PHOTOGRAPHY “It is crucial to train professionals capable of facing the challenges of the continent in terms of urban development…” With more than 1400 high-level graduates, who continue to shape the political, economic, and cultural landscape in African countries, EAMAU is an institution that is constantly adapting to best meet the challenges of the continent. Indeed, we have moved from the great canons of education in architecture and urban planning to the Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Doctorate (LMD) system in 2010. In addition, the diplomas of EAMAU have been accredited by the African and Malagasy Council for Education (CAMES), and our institution has been for the occasion retained as a reference school for the training of architects and urbanists. It is, therefore, necessary to adapt constantly to produce professionals capable of facing the challenges of the continent in terms of urban development. As we can see, the continent is experiencing rapid urban growth, and many factors are influencing this growth, so it must be directed and controlled so that cities are spaces of well-being, inclusion, social peace, economic prosperity, and offer a healthy and preserved living environment. This is why we put a particular emphasis on providing our learners with key and contextual tools through our training to achieve these objectives. “Train professionals able to respond to global issues…” EAMAU today has a scope that extends beyond the member countries by training actors from the whole continent and the rest of the world. This is how we keep an open mind on the world, by adapting and innovating, to train professionals able to respond to global issues related to digital development, climate issues, environmental protection, etc. However, we make it a point to ensure that our students have this understanding, the very expression and specificity of Africa in the training. It is in this context that our students do fieldwork each year to diagnose problems in African cities, and these problems are transcribed into concrete and local solutions through projects. Thus, the projects proposed by the students are the result of a concrete and pragmatic approach to research in order to respond specifically to the challenges of African cities. The teaching methods within our institution converge towards excellence through the international character of the students, the transversality of the teachings, and the projects that are developed by the learners. This is so that the school is at the service of the States for the development of our countries. It is in this context that we develop training that can lead to projects that will allow States to modernize their development and economic take-off. We have introduced in this context a very important phase which is research. Today no institution, no field can develop without research and in our context this research component allows us to address in-depth the issue of African architectural and urban heritage. Africa is endowed with an immense heritage that can be considered open-air museums. The question is what can we draw from this heritage to build more sustainable and resilient cities? It is with a view to answering these questions that we are developing the research aspect in order to effectively produce reflections that contribute to setting up human settlements adapted to the African context. For the history of cities and civilizations millennia African abounds in examples in terms of sustainability, and resilience through the use of local materials, functional organization of spaces, waste management, environmental preservation, etc. The approach here is through research to draw from this rich heritage to develop modern solutions adapted to the social, cultural, economic, and geographical context of our cities. “Students and young professionals across the continent have the mission of build more sustainable and resilient cities in Africa…” We think that the objective for graduates should not only be to work in architecture or urban planning agencies, but to get involved in the high levels of administration, banking institutions, international organizations because they have the resources to do so. It is for them to be a force of proposal, not to evolve in a vacuum, to inform themselves, to travel to build more sustainable and resilient cities in Africa. Previous Next

< Back Bakel et Kaédi: Des villes intermédiaires en première ligne des enjeux du développement urbain Léo BRENET L’urbanisation rapide du continent africain, la plus soutenue à l’échelle mondiale, a favorisé l’émergence de nombreux pôles urbains secondaires. En Afrique de l’Ouest, la macrocéphalie des systèmes urbains d’une grande majorité de pays renforce la position dominante des capitales, qui concentrent la plupart des investissements à l’échelle nationale (et donc des infrastructures). Dans la recherche d’un meilleur équilibre territorial, social et économique, les pôles urbains intermédiaires ont un rôle crucial à jouer aussi bien en termes d’accès aux services de base que de développement économique, Ils peuvent en effet aspirer à devenir de véritables locomotives valorisant la complémentarité rural-urbain, l’émancipation de la jeunesse et les innovations nécessaires pour la transition écologique. Bakel et Kaédi – communes riveraines du fleuve Sénégal - font partie des villes intermédiaires situées à l’interface entre les lointaines capitales et les espaces ruraux. Leurs fonctions urbaines, déjà sous pression, doivent absorber une croissance démographique importante (environ 4% par an) et s’adapter rapidement aux effets des aléas climatiques, alors même que les ressources humaines et financières locales ne suffisent pas à satisfaire, tant s’en faut, les besoins actuels. Les portraits de territoire de Kaédi et Bakel reviennent sur l'émergence de ces deux agglomérations et analysent les défis à relever dans ces territoires. Ils nécessiteront la définition d’un nouveau système de planification des investissements (construire la ville sur la ville), d'une meilleure prise en compte des parties prenantes et l'utilisation de nouveaux outils de compréhension de la ville. La croissance de Bakel et Kaedi reflète les schémas migratoires induits par les changements économiques et l’urbanisation induite par la sécheresse Etalement urbain spontané de la ville de Kaédi, 2024 par Léo BRENET - Grdr Les développements des villes de Bakel et de Kaédi sont le reflet d’une histoire migratoire intense dans la vallée du fleuve Sénégal. Portée par une production arachidière et de gomme arabique importante jusqu’au XIXème siècle, le dynamisme économique de la vallée a favorisé le développement de quartiers commerçants dans les principales villes riveraines. Le déclin économique de la région à partir du XXème siècle, de l’instauration d’un impôt colonial ainsi que les deux guerres mondiales ont successivement provoqué des vagues d’émigration de la région vers les autres pôles de production nationaux puis internationaux. Les sécheresses des années 70 ont accéléré l’urbanisation des pôles urbains riverains existants et la création de nouvelles localités, conséquence de la sédentarisation des nomades, l’accentuation des mobilités urbains/rural et, dans une moindre mesure, un exode des populations rurales limitrophes. Ces nouveaux citadins, temporaires et permanents, s’installèrent pour la plupart dans les plaines inondables asséchées, en lisière de ville. Ces zones urbanisées sont, depuis le retour d’une pluviométrie « normale », régulièrement inondées. Aussi, les répercussions politiques et sociales des évènements de 89 entre la Mauritanie et le Sénégal sur les régimes fonciers des terres de la vallée du fleuve ont, depuis l’apaisement des tensions diplomatiques entre les deux Etats et le retour des populations déplacées, rendu délicate la gestion foncière dans ces territoires. Enfin, depuis une dizaine d’années, la croissance démographique exerce une pression sur l’urbanisation des villes, densifiant les centres urbains et étirant les limites des agglomérations. C’est dans ce contexte que les acteurs des villes de la moyenne vallée du fleuve Sénégal tentent d’apporter des réponses aux défis de la planification urbaine. Les budgets municipaux (environ 1 million d’euros pour Kaédi et 300 000 euros pour Bakel) se limitant essentiellement au financement des dépenses de fonctionnement, les capacités d’investissement des villes sont extrêmement faibles et ne permettent pas de supporter et d’absorber une croissance continue et relativement importante de la population. Aussi et surtout, les communes ne disposent pas de moyens suffisants pour pérenniser les investissements extérieurs. Ce cadre n’est donc pas favorable au développement économique des villes de Bakel et Kaédi, dont le marché, très concurrentiel, peine à se diversifier. Jeune Bakeloise étudiant sur le toit de sa maison, 2024 par Léo BRENET Dans un tel contexte, la mise en place de nouveaux outils de planification, adaptés à des territoires en constante évolution, semble être une priorité. La pénétration du numérique, dont l’utilisation permet des économies d’échelle - qui se cumulent aux opportunités d’économies d’agglomération que génère la croissance urbaine -, ainsi qu’une grande autonomie et d’importantes capacités de suivi et d’analyse est une opportunité à saisir pour compenser les faibles ressources humaines et financières dont disposent les élus locaux. La croissance démographique entraîne une densification urbaine et une expansion périphérique, avec une dynamique foncière spéculative La croissance démographique des villes de Bakel et de Kaédi, d’environ 4% par an, se traduit par deux phénomènes spatiaux : Une densification des centres urbains, par la démultiplication des constructions à l’intérieur des concessions familiales, conséquence de la croissance naturelle de la population de la ville Un étalement urbain en périphérie, spontané ou planifié, conséquence du départ progressif des nouvelles générations quittant les concessions familiales saturées du centre-ville et de l’arrivée de nouveaux habitants, originaires principalement des zones rurales limitrophes ou des villes alentours. Ces espaces périphériques, peu considérés par les politiques locales d’aménagement, sont également investis par des particuliers profitant d’une coexistence de droits fonciers « coutumiers » et « modernes » pour mettre en place des dynamiques opportunistes et spéculatives sur le foncier. La construction en béton remplace l'architecture traditionnelle en adobe, mais pose des défis Densification du centre de Kaédi, 2022 par Hermann DJANNI - Grdr Traditionnellement construites en « banco » (adobe), l’architecture bâtie de ces villes évolue également. Les constructions en béton remplacent progressivement l’habitat en matériaux locaux pour lequel les méthodes de construction n’ont pas toujours été adaptées aux contraintes qu’imposent une urbanisation non planifiée (exposition accrue aux risques d’inondation notamment, avec l’urbanisation des sites de prélèvement des argiles). En investissant massivement dans la construction en béton, l’influente diaspora constitue également un acteur éminent de la filière dans ces territoires. Elle dicte les modes architecturales, reprises ensuite par les familles résidentes. L’usage de nouveaux matériaux et l’importation de nouvelles pratiques constructives ont permis d’élever la hauteur des bâtiments, et donc de densifier les centres-villes. Plus résistant à l’eau, le béton s’est également rapidement imposé comme principal facteur de résistance face aux inondations, notamment dans les quartiers historiquement construits dans des zones inondables, dont les augmentations en fréquence et en intensité semblent être des conséquences probables du réchauffement climatique au Sahel. Toutefois, si le béton est presque unanimement reconnu localement comme un matériau d’avenir, son utilisation ne se fait pas sans concession sur la qualité de vie dans ces villes sahéliennes. Très mauvais régulateur thermique, les murs en béton régulièrement soumis à de fortes températures restituent la nuit la chaleur accumulée en journée à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur du bâtiment, contribuant au développement d’ilots de chaleur urbain (favorisé par la densification du tissu urbain), et à l’intérieur de l’habitat. La végétation urbaine qui pourrait atténuer les effets d’ilot de chaleur se raréfie également à mesure que les interstices urbains se bâtissent. Le confort thermique de l’habitat y devient progressivement dépendant de l’usage de systèmes de climatisation, très coûteux et énergivores, quand bien même l’accès à l’électricité peine à suivre le seul rythme de la croissance urbaine et des besoins naturels qui en résultent. En somme, alors que la population de ces villes va doubler d’ici vingt ans, comment assurer un accès décent à un habitat digne et de qualité ainsi qu’aux services essentiels pour les résidents d’aujourd’hui et de demain ? Les réseaux d'électricité et d'eau existants peinent à répondre à la demande croissante à Bakel et Kaedi Les réseaux électriques et d’adduction en eau existants ne suffisent plus à répondre à la demande croissante. A Bakel et à Kaédi, la densification de certains quartiers centraux n’a pas été conjointement soutenue par le redimensionnement des réseaux existants. En périphérie, l’expansion urbaine spontanée n’est que rarement suivie d’une extension des réseaux vers ces nouveaux quartiers, limitant ainsi l’accès à ces services essentiels pour les ménages y résidant. C’est ainsi que dans certaines zones périphériques de Bakel et Kaédi, environ 30% des ménages ne sont pas raccordés au réseau électrique urbain et presque 50% sont exclus des réseaux d’adduction en eau. Les Kaédiens célèbrent la victoire du Sénégal à la CAN 2022, par Simon NANCY 2022, En Haut ! Dans les quartiers centraux, la sollicitation accrue des réseaux engendre des problèmes de pression et de coupures de plus en plus fréquents. L’utilisation de sources d’énergie alternatives, comme le solaire, sont embryonnaires et sont essentiellement utilisées comme source d’appoint. Enfin, si les infrastructures scolaires et sanitaires des deux villes ont une aire d’attraction dépassant les limites communales, témoignant du rôle crucial que joue ces villes sur l’équilibre territorial en matière d’accès aux services de base, la demande croissante d’accès à ces services se traduit localement par une saturation des établissements scolaires et des hôpitaux. L’implication des habitants et l’économie informelle façonnent le tissu urbain de Bakel et Kaedi Le déploiement de ces villes repose sur implication forte des résidents et des usagers (allochtones, migrants, usagers des services urbains …) dans la fabrique urbaine. Ainsi, l’espace urbain est utilisé pour répondre à des besoins opportunistes et pragmatiques, et ses usages sont en perpétuelle négociation. Aussi, le système économique et les usages de ces villes est essentiellement informel et échappe ainsi à la planification urbaine. Pourtant, intégrer cette spécificité aux réflexions sur la fabrique urbaine est crucial pour comprendre ces mécanismes dans toute leur complexité. L’informalité des activités et donc des usages de l’espace rend ces territoires imprévisibles, en perpétuelle évolution, et difficilement planifiables en mobilisant les outils classiques, de surcroit lorsque les ressources humaines et financières locales ne permettent pas de les actualiser de manière continue. Activités sportives à Kaédi, 2022, par Léo BRENET - Grdr La révolution numérique du continent, et notamment de l’Internet mobile, représente une opportunité pour développer de nouveaux outils de planification qui pourraient répondre efficacement aux besoins, nombreux, et aux ressources, limitées, de ces pôles urbains intermédiaires. Le numérique offre de nouvelles perspectives de développement en matière de compréhension des dynamiques urbaines, de gestion communale, de développement économique et de réduction des inégalités d’accès aux services administratifs et parfois même aux infrastructures éducatives. Dans des territoires portés par une jeunesse nombreuse – les moins de 25 ans représentent plus de 60% de la population à Bakel et à Kaédi -, les réseaux sociaux, en première ligne, ont permis l’émergence de filières de e-commerce, et représentent des canaux de discussion, de débats et de sources d’information de plus en plus mobilisés. Le numérique offre ainsi de nouvelles perspectives économiques pour des villes où les forces vives, peu qualifiées, sont contraintes de se partager un marché économique peu diversifié, très concurrentiel et peu attractif, reposant principalement sur le commerce, l’artisanat, l’agriculture et les petits métiers de mains d’œuvre. Enfin, les outils numériques s’immiscent progressivement dans la planification territoriale et se positionnent comme des outils efficaces pour venir combler les carences en ressources humaines et financières des collectivités locales La commune de Kaédi a été à ce titre équipée d’un outil numérique d’adressage et de recensement des locaux commerciaux de la ville afin de prélever un impôt local sur les activités économiques qui permettra, à termes, d’améliorer ses recettes fiscales. Les profils territoriaux de Kaedi et Bakel offrent une analyse complète des défis et des opportunités urbaines Les portraits de territoire de Kaédi et de Bakel sont l’aboutissement d’une production de connaissances s’appuyant sur l’analyse des ressources bibliographiques existantes, d’enquêtes quantitatives et qualitatives et de diagnostics participatifs avec les usagers des territoires. Les différents outils mobilisés (cartographie, photographie) assurent au lecteur une vision complète et complémentaire des différents enjeux de ces deux villes intermédiaires. Réseau d’éclairage public à Kaédi, 2022 par Léo BRENET - Grdr Ces ouvrages définissent les défis que soulèvent la croissance démographique et le changement climatique sur l’urbanisation et la planification des villes, tant en termes d’accès aux services essentiels que sur le degré d’urbanité et d’épanouissement des populations, rendent compte des difficultés à surmonter par les acteurs locaux dans la gestion de leur territoire et examinent les opportunités à saisir qui garantiront un développement urbain durable de ces territoires et qui nécessiteront le déploiement de nouveaux modèles de planification ainsi qu’un changement de paradigme sur la fabrique urbaine. En filigrane, ces études questionnent également les enjeux de gestion d’une ressource partagée, le fleuve Sénégal, trait d’union de ces territoires, face à une multiplication de ses usages et une augmentation des besoins (consommation, production électrique, agriculture) et dont la disponibilité sera arbitrée par les effets du réchauffement climatique. Le développement durable et apaisé des pôles urbains de la vallée ainsi que leur sécurité alimentaire dépendent des capacités des acteurs locaux et des Etats riverains à maintenir une politique de gestion concertée et partagée de cette ressource en eau. https://grdr.org/IMG/pdf/brochure_mavil_bakel_web.pdf Previous Next

Découvrons les défis de Kaédi, ville intermédiaire de Mauritanie, en compagnie d'Abou Cisse, premier adjoint au Maire. Explorerons son artisanat textile, les enjeux climatiques des inondations, les initiatives de la Mairie et la participation citoyenne. < Back Kaédi face aux défis : Entre inondations et développement durable" Abou Cisse Abou Cisse, premier maire adjoint de Kaédi en Mauritanie, décrit sa ville comme agro-pastorale et un centre de l'industrie de peinture. Kaédi fait face à de graves problèmes d'inondations, d'assainissement et d'aménagement territorial. Les inondations récentes ont causé d'importants dégâts, déplaçant des populations et détruisant des habitations. La commune, incapable de résoudre ces problèmes avec ses propres ressources, a sollicité l'aide de partenaires techniques et financiers ainsi que de l'État, qui a répondu en envoyant le génie militaire. La stratégie actuelle inclut une approche participative, écoutant et intégrant les solutions des citoyens et experts pour développer une politique d'urbanisation durable, visant un développement intégré et solidaire de Kaédi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1F7E0aKca0

< Back Abuja Urban Lab: collective action as a catalyst for transforming waste governance Vanessa Vovor The Abuja Urban Lab, launched in December 2023 by the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), is an innovative initiative aimed at transforming waste management governance in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. Co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), this CoM SSA project focuses on creating a sustainable and climate-responsive waste governance framework to address the environmental impacts of rapid urbanization and population growth. By engaging a diverse range of stakeholders—including local government bodies, academia, the private sector, civil society, youth groups, and traditional leaders—the Urban Lab facilitates collaborative solutions that incorporate local knowledge and innovative practices. This article explores the objectives, approach, and anticipated impact of the Abuja Urban Lab, highlighting its potential to serve as a model for other African cities facing similar challenges. Abuja’s rapid urbanization has led to waste management challenges, prompting collaborative solutions for urban resilience Solid waste disposal point, eAbor Photography for CoM SSA Abuja, as Nigeria’s first planned city and capital since 1991, has experienced rapid urbanization, leading to significant challenges in waste management, such as environmental degradation, illegal dumping and burning of waste, which exacerbate climate-related hazards such as flooding and pollution. The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), responsible for managing waste within its jurisdiction, struggles with inadequate infrastructure, financial constraints, and overlapping governance mandates with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB). To address these challenges, AMAC, with the support of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), developed and launched its Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) in 2022. The action plan sets ambitious targets for climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as access to sustainable energy, with a key focus on improving waste management as a critical component of enhancing urban resilience. A rapid assessment conducted in early 2023 by the African Centre for Cities, in collaboration with CoM SSA, identified critical waste management issues in Abuja, including inefficient landfill management, lack of waste flow specialization, and governance challenges. Recognizing the need for a coordinated and inclusive approach, AMAC selected the topic of waste governance as the Urban Lab’s central theme in April 2023 with inputs from a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from AMAC, AEPB, Nile University, Baze University, and other academic institutions in Abuja. The Abuja Urban Lab was subsequently established to foster collaboration among an even wider range of stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions for waste management that align with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The Abuja Urban Lab employs a participatory, inclusive approach, engaging diverse stakeholders to co-create sustainable waste management solutions AMAC SEACAP Launch July 2022 Abuja CoM SSA The Abuja Urban Lab employs a deeply participatory and inclusive approach to tackle waste management challenges by convening stakeholders across various sectors. With Nile University of Nigeria serving as an anchor of the process, consultations with the public sector are held with not only the Abuja Municipal Area Council and Abuja Environmental Protection Board, but also with key subnational representatives and bodies of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) such as the Mandate Secretary on Health and Environment, the Minister Senior Special Assistant on Environment and Waste Management, the Satellite Towns Development Agency, the Permanent Secretary on Health and Environment and the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council. Moreover, civil society organizations, such as the Association of Women Town Planners of Nigeria, play a crucial role in ensuring gender-sensitive planning and inclusivity. Youth groups, particularly those affiliated with local universities, contribute innovative ideas and fresh perspectives, while the private sector, represented by recycling companies, waste collectors and other environmental service providers, provides key insights integral to developing a circular economy in Abuja. The informal sector, including waste pickers and small-scale recyclers, is actively engaged to ensure their critical role in the waste management ecosystem is recognized and integrated into formal processes. Additionally, traditional rulers and community leaders are involved to raise awareness among local communities and incorporate cultural practices into waste management solutions. This comprehensive and inclusive model fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration, ensures cultural relevance, and integrates local knowledge into waste governance solutions. A significant milestone of the Urban Lab was the city-to-city exchange in May 2024, which facilitated a visit to Lagos for a group of Abuja Urban Lab stakeholders to learn from Lagos’s advanced waste management strategies. This exchange provided valuable insights into policy reforms, public-private partnerships, and inclusive governance models that can be adapted for Abuja. The Urban Lab continues to focus on strengthening stakeholder engagement, conducting in-depth policy reviews, and addressing governance challenges to develop practical and sustainable waste management strategies tailored to Abuja’s needs. The Abuja Urban Lab aims to transform the city’s waste management, enhancing environmental health, economic growth, and social inclusion The Abuja Urban Lab is anticipated to have a transformative impact on the city’s waste management system, contributing to environmental health, economic development, and social inclusion. By supporting the development of a more cohesive and inclusive waste governance structure, the Urban Lab aims to create an enabling environment for future sustainable infrastructure projects, such as waste valorization facilities. Through its inclusive stakeholder consultation process, the Lab is working to create strong policy recommendations aligned with international environmental standards. These efforts are expected to support the adoption of sustainable waste management practices across the city, contributing to Abuja’s long-term urban planning and development strategies. The CoM SSA Urban Lab’s emphasis on improving governance structures and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders—including government agencies, the private sector, civil society, and the informal sector—lays the foundation for future investments and innovations in waste management. The Lab’s emphasis on social inclusion ensures that all voices are heard, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability among participants. This coordinated approach is expected to support AMAC in achieving its SEACAP targets, including a 20% reduction in waste-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Abuja Urban Lab’s impact extends beyond environmental benefits, contributing to the overall resilience of Abuja’s urban environment and serving as a model for other African cities facing similar challenges. The Abuja Urban Lab provides a replicable model for sustainable waste management and climate resilience through stakeholder collaboration and long-term environmental goals The Abuja Urban Lab represents a significant advancement in addressing the intertwined challenges of waste management and climate resilience in Nigeria’s capital. Through its participatory approach and collaborative solutions, the CoM SSA Urban Lab is creating a blueprint for sustainable urban development that can be replicated in other African cities. The ongoing collaboration among stakeholders, including government bodies, academia, civil society, the private sector, and traditional leaders, ensures that the project not only meets its immediate goals but also contributes to long-term environmental sustainability and social equity in Abuja. After facilitating its Urban Lab approach in the capital, the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa would remain a partner of choice for the city in the preparation of urban infrastructure projects to further enhance waste management efficiency. President of Women Town Planners Association of Nigeria and AMAC Head of Environement Abuja June 2024 CoM SSA Previous Next

Kinshasa is the largest city and capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies about 320 miles from the Atlantic Ocean on the south bank of the Congo River. With a population of more than 20 million inhabitants, Kinshasa is one of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa. The city's inhabitants are popularly known as Kinois. These few snapshots present the architectural landscape of the city. Kinshasa-DRC Kinshasa is the largest city and capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies about 320 miles from the Atlantic Ocean on the south bank of the Congo River. With a population of more than 20 million inhabitants, Kinshasa is one of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa. The city's inhabitants are popularly known as Kinois. These few snapshots present the architectural landscape of the city.