The Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities is currently developing a National Urban Policy (NUP) for Egypt as a guiding framework for urbanization, aiming to make Egyptian cities more competitive and livable. One of the main findings of the new initiative is that Egyptian cities bear high potential in absorbing the expected increase in population through increasing densities. The NUP is thus recommending the transition towards compact cities with adequate density, diversity, design, destination and modes of transit. Compact cities are also known as cities of short distances that promote high residential density, mixed land use and public transport systems that encourage non-motorized transport. Compact cities thus promise to be sustainable in terms of resource efficiency, economic opportunities and quality of life for all.
<h3>Can the challenge of urbanization be an opportunity?</h3>
Increasing urbanization is one of the main challenges and at the same time the potential transformative power of the 21st century in many developing countries, such as Egypt. The New Urban Agenda, which is the global agenda guiding urban planning for the next decades that was adopted in 2016, describes urbanization as a transformative force capable of creating prosperity for all, leaving no place and no one behind. Rapid urbanization, however, entails both challenges and opportunities. Urbanization bears the potential to boost economic growth and offer a high quality of life for all. At the same time, if not well managed, rapid urbanization can present a series of challenges such as unemployment, the spread of disease, inadequate services, poor connectivity, and the proliferation of slums. In fact, many of these challenges have emerged due to relatively uncontrolled urbanization, where urban planning and policy have failed to accommodate rapid rates of demographic growth. By contrast, urban actors and stakeholders can play an important role in the betterment of social services, growth of employment options, and the provision of better basic services.&nbsp;
As such, urbanization needs to be well managed in order to develop productive and attractive cities. A National Urban Policy (NUP) can facilitate positive urbanization patterns in order to support productivity, competitiveness, and prosperity in cities. Since cities are becoming the bedrock of development, the Egyptian government, with the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities as the leading agency supported by UN Habitat, is currently developing a NUP to complement national frameworks and strategies such as the Egypt Vision 2030 and the National Strategic Development Plan 2052. The NUP envisions a well-coordinated and sustainable urbanization process that boosts social welfare, creates opportunities for sustainable economic development, and provides a better urban environment for all. Additionally, the NUP aims at defining a vision, guiding principles and set of linked actions by national governments in order to realize the positive possibilities of urban development and to tackle the problems arising from the concentrated growth of population and economic activity.
<h3>How to develop national urban policies</h3>
During the last decade, many countries around the world have embarked towards a new set of national urban policies that are more cognizant of the main issues at stake, more ambitious in scope, and more integrated in approach than previous urban policies. One key element of the new set of NUPs is the recognition that urban planning will never be able to control development; rather, governments should create an enabling framework as a guide for urban development. In that sense, many countries have developed a NUP with the objective of creating cities that enable competitiveness and innovation. It must be noted that the process of developing a NUP &ndash; involving certain actors and shaping the scope of the policy &ndash; is highly dependent on the specific national context. Yet, in general, the policy cycle of a NUP consists of five phases: the feasibility phase, the diagnosis, the formulation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Phases can overlap and need not follow a certain order. Rather, the policy should be understood as a living document that can accommodate and integrate new developments, forms of knowledge, and lessons learned. The process of developing a NUP rests on three pillars: participation (ensuring that policies are adopted and reflect the most pressing issues), capacity development (making it a learning experience for all stakeholders involved), and acupuncture projects (testing recommendations and benefiting from direct lessons learned).&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/25BTPGFZOV6NbUQhGnPOrby10pMoMjG0NoUfN_dDwTqyg_Kyl7WkA8xRw0LlmfhyNxdrdjXEZI8RjhYByrAYEJV8blIJNPWN2Hf8kbEz5fUu_r-HyW4er07sJC7X46Sjm6VONt3A1XM5IY0SYusg-g" alt="http://api.aps.aucegypt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/figure1.png" width="849" height="685">
<h3>Does Egypt need a national urban policy?</h3>
Since 2014, UN Habitat has supported the Egyptian government in developing a NUP. During the feasibility phase, the first issue was to discuss if and why Egypt needs a NUP. Various policymakers emphasized the need to integrate different national plans and vision documents that deal with urban development, concluding that a NUP is the appropriate tool for such a task. Secondly, the feasibility phase brought together a team of consultants to develop a NUP and mobilized the involvement of national stakeholders. Most importantly, the dialogue regarding the vision and scope of the NUP identified the five pillars of the policy:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Managing urban growth</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Connectivity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Integrated system of cities</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Urban governance and land management</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Local economic development</li>
</ul>
During the diagnostic phase, the NUP has been looking at Egypt&rsquo;s most pressing challenge: the expected increase in population from 100 million to 160 million inhabitants, according to the latest UN population figures (UN Data, 2019). One of the key findings of the diagnosis is that despite the general perception of over crowdedness, most Egyptian cities are characterized by low densities. An analysis of a representative sample of Egyptian cities showed that most cities (except Cairo and Alexandria) have lower densities than recommended by the Egyptian law (150 persons/feddan) (Abdelmaqsoud, forthcoming). These findings are challenging the common narrative that Egyptian cities are crowded and highly dense. However, the diagnosis did prove that unmanaged urban development, weak transport systems, and high car usage lead to the feeling of crowdedness and congestion.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/oNmdCF_3l9rYtWZgIhKiAl9Qp5GKtnUcTd9Q7jm2dHgiCJDADP4B2t8ldVLwhzR6cVIWOmcx_ism_r51bslyvpfzEdrYpZLd4FTNDfgUp5XImSH407fPW4MKdogKKUeqlupzWayNpZemrLEieIXKXg" alt="http://api.aps.aucegypt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/figure2.png" width="854" height="455">
From this analysis, the NUP recommends that urban development and investments should be directed more towards raising densities in Egyptian cities through infill development, using vacant or unused land and assets, unlocking the 12.8 million vacant housing units (CAPMAS, 2017), and ensuring that current city expansion areas are well-planned. If Egyptian cities, with their current boundaries, reach a density of 150 inhabitants per feddan, Egyptian cities have the capacity to absorb up to 250 million people, thus far above the expected population in 2050. This means that no additional agricultural land has to be lost for urban expansion and that the large public investments in new cities has to be challenged. Acknowledging the potential of vertical, in addition to horizontal expansion, is crucial since it bears many opportunities to the benefit of all. Making Egyptian cities denser and more compact promises to unlock economic growth, to create access to quality infrastructure and make better use of natural resources.
Historically speaking, the concept of compact cities is one familiar to Egyptians. Looking at cities that were founded over a thousand years ago, such as Alexandria and Cairo, their success lay in the vibrancy of compact city-life. Through density and agglomeration, cities have the power to innovate, generate wealth, enhance quality of life and accommodate more people using fewer resources and emissions. The growth of cities in a non-compact form negatively impacts the economic efficiency of cities, in addition to making them less pleasant and equitable places to live in. In fact, the concentration of people, businesses, infrastructure and institutions boosts the competitiveness of the local and national economy (Buck et al., 2005). Cities as &ldquo;agglomeration economies&rdquo; are more efficient and competitive because of three effects: matching, sharing, and learning (Storper, 2010). First, cities enable businesses to match their specific requirements for labour, premises, and suppliers better than smaller towns due to larger markets and greater choice. Second, cities provide businesses better access to a range of shared services, such as airports, railways, high-speed internet or universities and research centers. Third, businesses benefit from the smoother flows of information and ideas in cities, which promote more creativity and innovation, resulting in more valuable products and processes. Proximity enables people and businesses to compare, compete and collaborate, which can create a self-reinforcing dynamic that spurs growth from within and enables adaptation to changing market conditions and technologies. Proximity and compactness are thus enablers of prosperity. An urban design which promotes these attributes is called a compact city.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/bmqoyNgjfuK-us1pjWuPO9L4WlFRfzGeSgd0-jTZ3ZDdlbk4ZIsx4_VeL_XJymJWlGcAcs_3XzoP7NHPwaAtxusCJMfoMQIUNqaKVXxiJ-OIxg1k8CSxMHIhGWtv3FdilNjWsGN92bmUZ__vTdDDYA" alt="http://api.aps.aucegypt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/figure3.png" width="898" height="522">
<h3>Towards compact cities in Egypt</h3>
How can this be reached? First, it should be acknowledged that urbanization is an important driving force of development in Egypt. 80% of jobs are created in cities; Cairo and Alexandria alone contribute to over 40% of Egypt&rsquo;s GDP. Many new cities, although not successful in attracting inhabitants, have succeeded in attracting businesses and investments, with potential for more. Transition to compact cities requires better management of development, especially through rules and regulations supporting inner city development; efficient urban planning and mixed use for vibrant neighborhoods; and strong local governments that can quickly respond to local needs and opportunities. Moreover, a sound land management system should be implemented so that densification, inner city development, and urban expansion can be planned and managed easily with the participation of landowners and local communities. Strong linkages between cities as economic hubs and rural areas can help guarantee that everyone benefits from the fruits of urbanization. Finally, urban development and planning should ensure that cities complement each other, compete with each other, and connect with one another in order to strengthen their international and national competitiveness. By addressing these issues, the National Urban Policy for Egypt can set the direction for more compact and integrated Egyptian cities. Doing so will secure a more balanced system of cities as an enabler for economic growth and rising living standards for all.
<hr>
References
<ul>
<li>
Angel, S., Blei, A. M., Civco, D. L., &amp; Parent, J. (2012).&nbsp;Atlas of Urban Expansion. Cambridge, MA: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
Buck, N. H., Gordon, I., Harding, A., &amp; Turok, I. (Eds.). (2005).&nbsp;Changing Cities: Rethinking Urban Competitiveness, Cohesion, and Governance. Macmillan International Higher Education.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
&nbsp;Storper, M. (2010). Agglomeration, Trade, and Spatial Development: Bringing Dynamics Back In.&nbsp;Journal of Regional Science,&nbsp;50(1), 313-342.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
UN Habitat. (2012). Urban Patterns for a Green Economy: Clustering for Competitiveness.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
UN Habitat. (2014). Urban Patterns for a Green Economy: Leveraging Density.&nbsp;
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
UN Habitat (2014).&nbsp;The Evolution of National Urban Policies: A Global Overview.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
UN Habitat (2015). National Urban Policy: A Guiding Framework.
</li>
<li style="font-size: 10pt;">
Urban Land Institute (2015). Density: Drivers, Dividends and Debates.
</li>
</ul>

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