The Evolution of National Urban Policies: A Global Overview

The purpose of this publication is to review the experience of national urban policies (NUPs) in selected countries around the world in order to draw broad lessons that would inform other countries interested in formulating or implementing their own policies. The urban challenges and opportunities are very contextually different, so the responses need to vary accordingly. It matters a great deal whether a country is urbanizing slowly or rapidly, in response to push or pull factors, with few or many resources to invest in urban infrastructure and services, and with strong or weak institutional capabilities. There is no single model of NUP with a standard outcome and a universal approach that can be replicated in different places. Nevertheless, there are important principles that can be followed.