African Cities: Humanizing the Future

French Translation of the Week

Before the fourth global summit of local and regional leaders, held in Rabat from October 1st-4th, a conference entitled "Improving the Attractiveness of African Cities" was held on Tuesday, organized by Rabat 2013, the Organization of Cities and United Local Governments of Africa (CGLUA), and Jeune Afrique.  At the heart of this day of reflection lies one question: how do we make African cities attractive to investors and tourists, and, most importantly, to their inhabitants?

En marge du 4e Sommet mondial des dirigeants locaux et régionaux, qui se tient à Rabat du 1er au 4 octobre, s'est tenue, mardi, la conférence-débat "Améliorer l'attractivité des villes d'Afrique", organisée par Rabat 2013, l'Organisation des cités et gouvernements locaux unis d'Afrique (CGLUA) et "Jeune Afrique". Au coeur de cette journée de réflexion, une question : comment rendre les villes africaines attractives, aux investisseurs et aux touristes, mais aussi et surtout à leurs habitants ?

This article has been translated from French. Click here to read the original version on Jeune Afrique.

"The world judges and will judge Africa by the conditions of its cities," states Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, mayor of Victoria, the capitol of Seychelles, in front of an audience of urban planning experts.  On this 1st of October in Rabat, in the auditorium of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, elected officials, high-level government workers, and other decision-makers on the continent participate in the conference "Improving the Attractiveness of African Cities."  Organized in collaboration with the 4th global summit of local and regional leaders, held in the Moroccan capitol from October 1st to through the 4th, the day concentrates on this particular challenge in Africa: making its cities attractive to investors and tourists, but also and most importantly for their inhabitants.

Fathallah Oualalou, the mayor of Rabat, recognizes "the efforts of large cities and regions of the developed world, but also more and more of emerging countries, to present themselves as offering lifestyles with favorable conditions to welcome businesses and people."  The case of Bilbao, where the magic of the Guggenheim museum brought beauty and economic prosperity to the Spanish city, is often referenced.  "The African cities are on the tail end of the line for several classifications such as climate change, cost of living, quality of life, etc.  Up to this point, they have not preoccupied themselves with promoting their attractiveness," continued the Moroccan mayor, from the city that had been ranked the second-best destination to visit in 2013 by CNN.

The citizen "inhabited by the city"

The executive director of the Jeune Afrique Group, Amir Ben Yahmed, correctly states that it is only "in Morocco and in South Africa that the local politicians understood that they had to get ahead of the state in their strategies of decentralization and development of their territories.  Other prerequisites to achieve the objective of attractiveness: to implement long-term visions, to clearly define the marketing position of the city on the continent and in the world, and to enter into political conversation with targeted communication goals.  "We talk about the appeal of a city from the outside, but we observe that the most attractive cities, like Paris, New York, or London, seek to be for their citizens before anyone else," adds Amir Ben Yahmed.  One person observes that one must "construct with the people, not for them."  The Moroccan geographer and president of the Regional Commission for Human Rights of Agadir, Mohammed Charef, underlines that more than living in a city, the citizen "has to be invested in the city, so the attractiveness is not simply economic appeal; it is also patriotism, social comfort, and the engagement of the population in the life of the city."

The unanimous conclusion is that the humanization of cities is a major consideration in building a better future.  It is what has largely guided the Office of Mineral Resources in its achievement of the Green City Mohammed VI, close to the small agricultural city of Benguerir, between Casablanca and Marrackech.  Built around the heart of a university, a thousand hectares of plans will welcome 100,000 residents by 2040.  The first buildings on campus are close to being finished.  The facilities will serve two cities which will be joined by a long corridor of vegetation.  "The green spaces will take up twenty square meters per resident, double the recommendation of the OMS," highlights Kenza Abbad Andalussi, the director of strategic development of the group known as OCP.  "We have formed a polycentric city with living centers in each neighborhood to limit automobile usage and to encourage travel by foot."

A very concrete action concluded this debate of ideas and experiences, and that was the signing of a partner agreement between Microsoft and the Organization of Cities and United Local Governments of Africa (CGLUA).  The American technology giant will bring its know-how to changing cities where traffic management, security, and communication systems are more and more complicated.  Citing Lamartine, the geographer Mohammed Charef recalled that "the dreams are simply premature truths."

Article translated by Allie Stauss, Staff Intern for the Program on Leadership and Building State Capacity at the Wilson Center.

Photo attributed toFlickr user Baruck.