Why do we need a “new development partnership”?

Why is locally led development so important? What does existing research get wrong? And what role can community knowledge play in advancing urban reform?

Diana Mitlin aims to answer these questions in a new blog post, exploring her own experiences of generating new knowledge through partnerships and outlining ACRC's progress in becoming more locally-led.

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s socioeconomic and political powerhouse. But it faces numerous challenges, as everyday politics and historical legacies have determined its urban development, hindering delivery of basic services and safe and affordable housing, and giving rise to a proliferation of informal settlements. A new ACRC report by Wilbard Jackson Kombe and Florence Muheirwe examines these challenges through several thematic lenses.

Blog | Abstract | Full report | Research brief (EN) | Research brief (SW)

Waste for Wealth: Transforming lives in Lilongwe’s informal settlements

Lilongwe is Malawi’s largest city and has a population of over 1 million, with 75% living in informal settlements. These neighbourhoods lack basic services, including waste collection, meaning much waste is either dumped along roadsides, or in open spaces, riverbanks or drains, or is burnt – exposing nearby residents to harmful pollution. This case study outlines how a six-year partnership called ‘Waste for Wealth' aimed to address these issues in two of the city's most populous peri-urban informal settlements.

City managers convene to review action research progress

ACRC's city managers and senior management team recently met in Accra to discuss progress on the implementation phase of the programme, focusing on the emerging portfolio of action research projects. Rosebella Apollo recaps on the proceedings.

Reflections from the World Urban Forum

Chris Jordan reflects on our busy week of engagements at WUF12, highlighting the diversity of attendees, the critical importance of listening to community voices and why reform coalitions are key to driving urban transformation.

Collaborations and shared learning in Kampala

The Kampala city team recently held a workshop at Makerere University, to reflect on the theory of change and conceptual framework that underpin ACRC’s transformative work in African cities.

Listen via our website | Apple | Spotify | Buzzsprout