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Executive director: Approximately one billion people in Africa will live in cities

21 May 2026 11:50 (UTC +04:00)

In just four years, approximately one billion people in Africa will be living in cities, Vera Bukachi, Executive Director of the Kounkuey Design Initiative (Kenya), said during the event titled “Youth and Civil Society Leadership in the Development of Sustainable and Inclusive Cities” held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, APA reports.

According to her, more than half of Africa’s population will be under the age of 35. However, these people are often excluded from land, opportunities and decisions shaping the future of their neighborhoods.

“We have seen declarations, framework documents and discussions for years. The main thing missing today is sustainable practice — placing youth and civil society at the center of the process,” Vera Bukachi noted.

She added that young people should be regarded not simply as beneficiaries, but as co-designers, co-implementers, rights holders and joint executors of urban transformation.

Emil Ismayilov

WUF13 Africa Vera Bukachi Kounkuey Design Initiative Kenya youth civil society urban development sustainable cities inclusive cities urban transformation Africa population