URBAN TRAINING FOR USAID OFFICERS
Motivation
Course Objectives
Development and Cities: Urban 101
Sector Specific Urban Training Courses
New:
Development and Cities: Urban 101 for Africa - Pretoria, South Africa - February 23-27, 2004
(see also in PDF format here)
Urban Programs Team's FY04 USAID Training Calendar
MOTIVATION
Urbanization is the phenomenon of unprecedented growth in cities, and it is occurring throughout the developing world. During this decade, developing country cities will need to accommodate 180,000 new urban dwellers each day — that is more than one million a week. It is estimated that there are currently 837 million slum dwellers in the developing world, with a majority being children. At the projected rate of growth the number of slum dwellers will increase to approximately 1.5 billion by 2020, resulting in the urbanization of the poor and the young. Some of this growth is from in-migration, but a substantial percentage of it is from population growth of residents already living in cities.
Understanding why cities are growing and what the potential benefits are is vital to achieving sustainable development in an increasingly urbanized world. For example research by UN-Habitat found that "cities and towns, and the industrial and commercial activities which are located there, generate 55% of GNP in low income countries, 73% in middle income countries, and 85% in high income countries." This indicates that cities and their local economic development are engines for national economic growth. This coupled with greater administrative and fiscal decentralization to city authorities opens the opportunity for cities to be significant partners in the development process.
Given the rapid pace of urbanization in the developing world, it is increasingly important that USAID Missions/Bureaus incorporate an urban aspect into their strategy/programs. To do so, USAID will need trained staff that has basic knowledge about urban and how it intersects with their own sectors of expertise. This will include a broad understanding about the multi-sectoral dimension of urban as a spatial area and the impact of urbanization on the field of development. To meet this need, USAID’s Office of Urban Programs is launching a series of training courses for USAID officers to acquire the skills necessary to work effectively within their own sectoral backstop in urban areas.
OBJECTIVES FOR USAID URBAN TRAINING COURSE SERIES:
- Build technical capacity of USAID officers to work with urban issues in their fields of expertise.
- Raise awareness about urban and its growing impact on the way development occurs.
- Provide technical leadership in the Agency on urban issues.
DEVELOPMENT AND CITIES: URBAN 101
Development and Cities: Urban 101 is an introductory training course for USAID officers to help them gain a better understanding of the role and importance of cities in USAID's development efforts. It is designed to improve the on-the-job performance of every officer, from new entry professionals and presidential management interns to long-time career officers. The broad training goal is to give participants the knowledge and tools they need to recognize and diagnose urban-related problems in their partner countries. The course discusses field-tested development interventions for dealing with challenges facing cities and the urban poor and identifies resources and references available for addressing issues related to third world cities. Urban 101 examines the push-pull factors spurring urbanization as well as current issues, trends and characteristics of developing country cities. The course discusses why urban is important to economic growth and the role city governments have in facilitating economic opportunity for the poor. It also reviews USAID's integrated Making Cities Work Strategy.
More than 50 USAID staff
attended Urban 101 trainings that were held in December, 2002 and March,
2003. USAID staff who did not attend will have another chance to take Urban
101 in FY2004, exact date TBD
URBAN 101 for Africa
Africa is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. Within 30 years, the majority of Africans will live in urban centers. To assist USAID officers to address the challenges and opportunities that this unprecedented urbanization presents, the Urban Programs Team (EGAT/PR/UP), the Regional Urban Development Office for Africa (RUDO/A) and the Africa Bureau (AFR) are pleased to announce "Development and Cities: Urban 101 for Africa", a unique training opportunity for USAID staff in all sectors.
For more information please click on Urban 101 for Africa.
SECTOR SPECIFIC URBAN TRAINING COURSES
Cities and Economic
Growth is a 3 and 1/2 day course that addresses the important role of cities of all sizes in economic growth. Cities account for the lion's share of economic growth in both developing and developed
countries. This course provides an opportunity for USAID officers to share, interact and learn from experts and from each other. Topics Both Economic Growth Officers (including private enterprise, agriculture and economists, among others) and Democracy/Governance Officers will find this course not just interesting, but also relevant to their work. Topics include the economy of cities and regions, mobilizing private resources for economic development, financing cities, among others. Click here for additional information.
In the coming year, the Office of Urban Programs will develop additional sectoral modules to provide in-depth, relevant training to assist USAID staff within their sector backstop. The sectoral modules will be skills-based and will focus on key issues that are particularly relevant to USAID strategies and priorities.
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