In their opening addresses to the African Regional Conference 'African Solutions towards sustainable Urban Development', U.S. Ambassador Delano Lewis and German State Secretary Dr. Erich Stather welcomed the initiative of the African countries to develop African solutions for the upcoming Urban 21 Conference in Berlin in July.
Many African nations face problems relating to rapid and unplanned urbanization.
This conference seeks to identify best management practices currently used in African countries to address challenges such as lack of adequate shelter, insufficient infrastructure and sustainable financing. Best management practices will also be identified for critical environmental issues including water supply and waste management. The result will be a global strategy to help developing countries address the most pressing urban challenges. Both countries, the United States of America and Germany are partners in the worldwide effort to promote sustainable development in urban areas in the 21st century. Both are actively involved in a number of urban development programs in various African countries.