Cities are often considered “engines of economic growth,” yet many cities struggle to increase productivity and provide significant economic opportunities to their growing populations. Access to public goods and services benefits the poor and strengthens growth and productivity. However, there is a need for more knowledge on the links between public goods and services and equitable economic growth and how to support such processes locally and globally.
Against this background, a new Cities Alliance grant to the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) aims to develop critical reflections and reviews on the linkages between public goods and services and more equitable economic developments in cities of the Global South. TU Berlin has been awarded the grant on behalf of three networks; the Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South (N-AERUS) from Europe, the African Urban Research Initiative (AURI) from Africa and the Network of Sustainable Urban Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (REDEUS_LAC) from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Titled “Equity, Services and Economic Development in Cities of the Global South: Engaging Research in Policy Making,” the project is a part of the Cities Alliance Joint Work Programme (JWP) on Equitable Economic Growth Cities Campaign initiative. The project will produce reflection papers, webinar series and reports on policy recommendations, knowledge gaps and further areas of required research. The research networks will unite different regions and stakeholders, which will in turn, through their own local partners, encourage new frameworks for co-producing knowledge on the topic. The information generated will be freely accessible on the webpages of the three networks.
About the Networks
N-AERUS was established in the 1990s. It brings together more than 600 members studying different aspects of the Global South. With the support of CA, the network prepared during 2016 a set of recommendations on the New Urban Agenda (NUA) focusing research and policy aspects on: (a) informality, (b) urban governance and, (c) housing and planning.
AURI was initiated in 2013 with the aim to generate research in African cities and regions, to share resources, methodological approaches and to facilitate information by sharing among city labs. It serves as a point of dialogue between African researchers based at universities, think tanks, and NGOs across the continent.
REDEUS-LAC was initiated in 2016. Today the network has more than one hundred registered members mainly from Latin America, but also from other areas of the world. Its work emphasizes three key issues identified in LAC for the implementation of the NUA: (a) integral neighborhoods; (b) critical resources as water and energy, city’s responsiveness, integration from emergency to reconstruction); and (c) governance and participation.
About the TU Berlin
TU Berlin ranks high in international league tables and has received numerous prizes and accolades for excellence in research and teaching. Its interdisciplinary profile blending technical research subjects with the humanities, economics and social and planning sciences is the basis for its international reputation. The project is situated within the School VI Planning Building Environment at the Habitat Unit. The unit is a globally networked research and teaching centre for global urbanization and urban change processes, collaborates closely with leading universities worldwide and advises national and global development agencies.
About the Joint Work Programme for Equitable Economic Growth
The Joint Work Programme for Equitable Economic Growth in Cities brings together Cities Alliance members and partners to rething the link between public services and equitable economic growth in cities. Recognising the needs and capacities of cities and local governments, it focuses specifically on supporting equitable access to public goods by all citizens and formal and informal businesses. The Joint Work Programme is chaired by the UK Department for international Development (DFID).
