Nairobi, Kenya 13 October 2023
UN-Habitat and the University of Nairobi have launched the the Centre for Urban-Rural Linkages in Africa (CURLA). CURLA is a platform to conduct research, enhance capacity, policy reviews and advocacy on urban-rural linkages, and is the first platform of its kind in Africa, positioned to further illuminate the path for sustainable urban-rural development.
The launch event, attended in-person and virtually by over 130 diverse participants, served as a melting pot of ideas and perspectives. Representatives from governments, international organizations, academia, and the public gathered to familiarize themselves with CURLA’s objectives, milestones achieved so far and the centre’s potential to foster urban-rural linkages in the region.
Oumar Sylla, UN-Habitat’s Regional Representative for Africa, highlighted the need for effective urban planning amidst Kenya’s rapid urbanization. He praised the Kenya UN-Habitat Country Program’s role in implementing policies on land management, sustainable planning, and slum upgrading. “UN-Habitat’s normative tools and knowledge products on urban-rural linkages have been utilized in more than 13 countries in Africa and Latin America,” he noted, emphasizing the global impact of these initiatives.
Jean Kimani, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat, reiterated the main role of CURLA. “The launch of CURLA is a step towards bridging the urban-rural divide that is so critical in our times,” she said.
