The opportunities cities offer for
human and economic development are better utilised when appropriate legislative
frameworks are in place to manage and harness the benefits of urban growth for
the benefit of all citizens. Urbanisation, if properly managed, offers
opportunities for significant socio-economic growth. Currently, Zambian cities
are engines of national economic growth, accounting for more than 80% of the
country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Copperbelt towns alone represent
over 60% of the national GDP.
The purpose of the project is to
support the preparation of a
National Urbanisation Policy (NUP) for Zambia so as to guide urban development
by addressing issues related to urban poverty, spatial planning and land
management, housing, basic and social services, infrastructural development
(especially regarding mobility and communication), coordination of large-scale
investments, among others. The policy will therefore serve as an overarching
coordinating framework to address the most pressing issues related to rapid
development, including slum prevention and regularisation, urban planning
instruments, regional spatial economic strategies, access to land, basic
services and infrastructure, urban legislation, urban economy and employment
creation, delegation of authority to subnational and local governments,
inadequate Urban housing, limited urban financing mechanisms and financial
flows and urban mobility as well as urban energy requirements, among others.
For this purpose, the NUP will adopt an inter-sectorial approach and
constitute a supportive framework to operate the “assessment, planning,
decision-making and implementation” sequence from national, to provincial down
to the local government level. It should also ensure a holistic vision of the
national territory by promoting concepts of regional planning and development,
hence supporting the meaningful articulation of infrastructure development to
strengthen linkages between different urban centres.
The NUP will promote
principles of good urbanism, with emphasis on urban planning and design to
ensure greater compactness and density, high connectivity, energy efficiency,
diversity, safety and resilience. Special attention will be paid to aspects
such as green technologies, alternative modes of transport, social and
commercial amenities, recreation and public spaces, mixed land use and planned
infill areas and city extensions. Accordingly, the NUP should enable the legal
review and improvement of urban planning regulations, and subsequent training
tools and programmes carried out to increase the institutional capacity at the
different levels.
Central government is uniquely
positioned to get the “big picture” by assessing the forces shaping the
national territory and thinking strategically about possible future development
options with a long-term vision. The development of the NUP under the
leadership of the central government will constitute an effective framework to
support and guide decentralised powers and urban functions.
Therefore the NUP for Zambia, amongst others, will have as objectives to: (i) avoid future
disasters from unplanned rapid urban population and physical growth; (ii)
harness the economic potential of concentrated activity through agglomeration
economies; (iii) deliver more cost-effective public services and
infrastructure; (iv) lift people out of poverty in a way that can be sustained;
(v) strengthen local and municipal institutions to plan and manage urban
growth; (vi) make more efficient use of natural resources and limit
environmental degradation; and (vii) support the delineation of a national
urban system that contributes to rural transformation.
Turok I. and Parnell S. (2009): “Reshaping Cities, Rebuilding Nations:
The Role of National Urban Policies”. Urban
Forum, Vol. 20, pp. 157–174.
