The Role of International Organisations in Urban Planning in Sub-Saharan African Cities

The role of international organisations in the design and implementation of urban plans in Africa has gained significant traction in recent years, particularly in installing large-scale infrastructure, development financing, research and innovation. Despite these trends, limited research exists on the influence of international organisations on urban master planning in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through exploratory research design, this chapter evaluates the influence of international organisations on African urban planning by reviewing six urban master plans across Sub-Saharan Africa. To validate the findings from the plans, we interviewed seven experts in urban master planning and international organisation project funding. The findings show the increasing influence of international organisations on urban master planning in the form of technical cooperation, financial investment and knowledge transfer. Japan International Cooperation Agency, the World Bank Group, the Canadian International Development Agency, USAID and China have provided the most technical/financial assistance in African urban planning in the last three decades. However, the complex nature of local participation and the growing interests of government actors in urban planning have significantly reduced this influence. The chapter advocates for broader viewpoints of urban planning aimed at domesticating urban infrastructure finance and technical expertise.