Cities Alliance Annual Report 2009

The 2009 Cities Alliance Annual Report is a special 10th anniversary edition. It provides an opportunity for the organisation to reflect on the lessons learned over the past ten years and to consider how international development aid can respond to critical policy challenges facing developing cities in the coming years.

The key message of the 2009 Annual Report is this: National policy frameworks that accept the inevitability of urbanisation are more likely to create the conditions for economic growth on a national scale, ultimately reducing both urban and rural poverty.

In addition to an overview of Cities Alliance's complete project portfolio, the Annual Report features contributions from its regional staff on activities in South Asia, Southern Africa, East Africa and Brazil.

Also included is an essay on the impact of the global financial crisis on city financing as well as Members’ pages, in which Cities Alliance members outline their development priorities and discuss their efforts within the Alliance.