Assembly/AU/Dec.29(II) Page 1 DECISION ON PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND TOWNS IN AFRICA The Assembly: Aware of the rapid rate of urbanization prevailing on the African continent which is the highest in the world, Concerned that if left unchecked, rapid urbanization is leading to the urbanization of poverty on the African continent with attendant problems that have condemned the majority of urban dwellers to unemployment, food insecurity, and life under squalid conditions in slums and other unplanned neighborhoods without basic services such as decent housing, water and sanitation, and the high risk this implies to their health and safety, Recalling the Declaration on Cities and other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, adopted by the 25th Special Session of the General Assembly, for an integrated review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda (Istanbul +5), held in New York, from 5-9 June 2001, Recalling Further paragraph 18 of the Johannesburg Declaration endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in September 2002, in which shelter was placed alongside other priority sectors including water, sanitation, education, health, agriculture and biodiversity (WEHAB), Determined to reap the potential benefits of cities and towns as centers of economic growth and places of opportunity and prosperity for all African people in the course of economic development and structural transformation: 1. COMMENDS the efforts being made by various African governments and their people in overcoming the challenges posed by rapid urbanization; 2. REQUESTS the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) to continue rendering support to the Commission of the African Union in the implementation of the current decision.