Date & Time
June 11 - 12, 2025 ET
The 9th Urbanization and Development Conference on "Urban Economics in Action: Addressing African Cities' Challenges" will bring together academics, policy makers, and development practitioners to discuss how economics research can help inform urban policy decisions and the allocation of scarce resources to build productive, livable, and sustainable cities in Africa.
The preregistration closed on March 21, 2025. Note that your attendance is not confirmed until you receive an email from the Conference Organizing Committee.
Conference participation will be in person, with live streaming of select key panel discussions. There are no associated conference fees and food will be provided.
African countries are urbanizing at faster rates than any other region in history. This offers an important opportunity for growth and development. By bringing people and firms together, cities enable industrialization, the sharing of ideas and innovation, and opportunities for trade. Cities also offer the promise of access to critical goods and services, and in the face of the climate crisis, they play an important role in adaptation and mitigation. However, if the downsides of density are not managed well, this can result in congestion, pollution, and the exacerbation of poverty.
The 9th Urbanization and Development Conference is the first iteration of the conference with a regional focus on Africa. It will bring together academics, development practitioners, and urban policy makers to present and discuss questions relating to how research in the growing field of urban economics can help inform difficult policy decisions and the allocation of scarce resources to build productive, livable, and sustainable cities in Africa.
The continent can learn from global experience, but effective solutions will also require exploring the unique and varied local realities. Themes will include measuring urban economies and their contributions to growth, as well as how to enhance the benefits of cities through effective land and housing markets, public transport provision, and local service delivery in African cities. The conference welcomes all stakeholders working on city issues to understand which new ideas, methods, and collaborations can bring about the necessary change for urbanization to lead to prosperity.
The World Bank | George Washington University |
City of Cape Town | International Growth Centre (IGC) |
For inquires related to the call for papers, contact: [email protected]
For inquiries related to conference attendance and registration:
[email protected]
Last updated: May 23, 2025
8:30 - 9:00am | Registration and Coffee |
9:00 - 9:15am | WELCOMING REMARKS (Banqueting Hall) Lungelo Mbandazayo, City Manager, City of Cape Town |
9:15 - 10:30am | OPENING SESSION: Building Cities that Work in Africa (Banqueting Hall) CHAIR AND MODERATOR PANELISTS |
10:30 - 10:45am | Mini Coffee Break |
10:45am - 12:15pm | POLICY SESSION: Solution for Prosperous African Cities (Banqueting Hall) CHAIR POLICY ADDRESS RESPONDENTS |
12:15 - 1:15pm | Lunch Break |
1:15 - 2:45pm | KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND DEBATE: Infrastructure, the Backbone of the City (Banqueting Hall) CHAIR KEYNOTE ADDRESS RESPONDENTS |
2:45 - 3:00pm | Mini Coffee Break |
WORKSHOPS Note: The following two workshops will run in parallel from 3:00 - 4:30pm |
|
3:00 - 4:30pm |
YOUNG URBAN ECONOMIST WORKSHOP (Meeting Room 2, 6th Floor) CHAIR INTRODUCTORY REMARKS PAPERS FEEDBACK |
3:00 - 4:30pm |
MODELLING FOR BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE PROVISION (Banqueting Hall) CHAIR PRESENTATIONS DISCUSSANTS |
4:30 - 4:45 pm |
Break |
4:45 - 5:45pm | NEW RESEARCH FOR ACTION IN AFRICAN CITIES: A WAY FORWARD (Council Chambers, 6th Floor) CHAIR AND MODERATOR PANELISTS |
6:00 - 8:00pm | Cocktail Reception |
8:30 - 9:00am | Registration and Coffee |
PARALLEL RESEARCH SESSIONS 1 Note: The following three sessions will run in parallel from 9:00 - 10:30am |
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9:00 - 10:30am |
RESEARCH SESSION 1A: Transport CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
9:00 - 10:30am |
RESEARCH SESSION 1B: Firms and local economic development CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
9:00 - 10:30am |
RESEARCH SESSION 1C: Urban Expansion and the organization of the African Cities CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
10:30 - 11:00am | Coffee Break |
PARALLEL RESEARCH SESSIONS 2 Note: The following three sessions will run in parallel from 11:00 - 12:30pm |
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11:00am - 12:30pm | RESEARCH SESSION 2A: Land use planning and housing CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
11:00am - 12:30pm | RESEARCH SESSION 2B: Infrastructure Provision CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
11:00am - 12:30pm | RESEARCH SESSION 2C: Migration CHAIR PAPERS DISCUSSANT |
12:30 - 1:30pm | Lunch Break |
PARALLEL THEMATIC SESSIONS: Understanding data and research needs for African cities Note: The following four sessions will run in parallel from 1:30 - 3:00pm |
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1:30 - 3:00pm | THEMATIC SESSION A: Transport FACILITATORS |
1:30 - 3:00pm | THEMATIC SESSION B: Firms and local economic development FACILITATORS |
1:30 - 3:00pm | THEMATIC SESSION C: Land use planning and housing FACILITATORS |
1:30 - 3:00pm | THEMATIC SESSION D: Water, energy, and the environment FACILITATORS |
3:00 - 3:30pm | Coffee Break |
3:30 - 4:30pm |
CLOSING REMARKS (Banqueting Hall) CHAIR FEEDBACK FROM THEMATIC SESSIONS MINI KEYNOTE CLOSING STATEMENTS |
The 9th Urbanization and Development Conference is the product of the collaborative efforts of multiple institutions to bring together world-class?academics, policy makers, and development practitioners to address the urgent challenges confronting cities:
The conference will be held at the Civic Centre in Cape Town, located at 12 Hertzog Boulevard, Foreshore, Cape Town, South Africa.
Venue & Arrival Details
Location: City of Cape Town Civic Centre
Arrival Gate: On the corner of Hertzog Boulevard Entrance, opposite the Towers/ Food Lovers Market building.
Please display your email acceptance confirmation from the World Bank to security upon arrival. Ushers in black t-shirts will be present to guide you to the registration table.
For your convenience, see the Google map easy navigation to the venue, including designated parking and access points.
Parking & arrival details
Location: City of Cape Town Civic Centre
Arrival Gate: Old Marine Drive entrance, opposite the long-distance bus terminus
Parking Area: ground floor ¨C delegates area
Please display the City of Cape Town parking confirmation (sent via email) to security upon arrival. Ushers in black t-shirts will be present to guide you to the registration table.
For your convenience, see the Google map for easy navigation to the venue, including designated parking and access points.
Organizers
World Bank Development Research Group
George Washington University ( & )
Related Event
The will take place June 9-10, 2025. The event is sponsored by , World Bank, and . The application process to attend this event is now closed.
Past Editions of the Conference
Note that past editions of the conference were titled "Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference."
8th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 7-8 March 2024
7th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 30 January 2023
6th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 9 September 2019
5th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 7 September 2018
4th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 8 September 2017
3rd Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 1 February 2016
2nd Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference, 12 November 2014
Additional Resources
The call for papers associated with this conference is being coordinated by IGC. Please visit to submit your paper and for the latest updates on the paper selection process.
For the second year we are running an international call for papers to promote engagement with a diverse range of economics scholars across the world.
We are interested in working papers that (1) utilize economic methods, (2) are on or relevant for African cities, and (3) look at issues of agglomeration and urban labor markets, land use, housing, transport, water and sanitation, waste management, municipal finance, municipal governance, crime, sustainability, and climate adaptation. These papers should be at an advanced stage for presentation and questions. Although priority will be given to papers on African cities, the selection committee will also consider non-African papers if deemed of sufficient interest to the conference¡¯s themes.
Select young scholars will be chosen to partake in the Young Urban Economist Workshop and will receive feedback on their papers from one of our academic keynotes¡ªProfessor Matt Turner, Associate Professor Kelsey Jack or Professor Ed Glaeser. These scholars will be eligible to receive funding for travel and accommodation. Application will happen automatically, so please submit as normal.
The deadline for the submission of papers has been extended to 18 November 2024,?23:59 GMT.?No late submissions will be accepted.
For questions related to the call for papers, please contact [email protected].