Experts Call for Inclusive Urban Planning to Tackle Migration Challenges in East Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Xinhua: Experts and policymakers have called on East African countries to introduce inclusive urban planning policies and initiatives to mitigate the growing challenges posed by increasing urban migration and displacement.

The call was made during the fourth Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Scientific Conference on Migration, Displacement, and Urbanization, held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from May 19 to 21 under the theme “Migration, Displacement, and Urbanization: Implications for Sustainable Development.”

The conference brought together government officials, mayors, researchers, and development partners from across the IGAD region and beyond to explore the growing links between human mobility and urban transformation.

Participants said that rising rural-to-urban migration, cross-border labor movements, and refugee flows are reshaping cities across the region. These dynamics, they warned, are straining public infrastructure and services, often leading to overcrowding, poverty, and social tensions.

Teyiba Hassen, director general of Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service, told the conference that displaced populations often arrive in urban areas with minimal resources and face limited access to basic services and livelihoods.

“The rapid influx of displaced populations affects our urban systems, leading to overcrowded settlements, increased poverty, and social unrest. Thus, it demands effective urban planning for managing the impacts of migration and displacement through inclusive policies,” she said.

Officials also stressed the importance of implementing legal and policy frameworks that foster social cohesion and inclusive development. Erias Lukwago, mayor of Uganda’s capital of Kampala, underscored the role of local governments in ensuring peaceful coexistence among urban residents, including refugees and migrants.