On 16 March, 2015, the Workshop on Planning for Greener Cities and South-South Cooperation in Africa was successfully held in Tongji University. 25 representatives from 8 African cities attended this workshop. It is also planned that demonstration projects shall be implemented in 2 cities that will be identified based on mutual interest and possible resource mobilized, as pilot cities for greener city planning with UNEP/UN-Habitat expertise and national professionals.

This workshop is hosted by UNEP, UN-Habitat and Tongji University, with the support from Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Collaborative Innovation Center for Clean Water organize the workshop.

Recognizing the importance of urban development issues in the global environmental agenda, the UNEP and the UN-Habitat have combined their professional networks and technical capacity in a Greener Cities Partnership focusing mostly on three programme priorities for the period 2014-2016: (1) resilient, resource efficient cities, (2) sustainable transport and mobility; (3) solid waste and waste water management; and (4) sustainable buildings and construction. This workshop is a step to consolidate this partnership.

Representatives from Yaoundé (Cameroon), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kiambu County (Kenya), Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Niamey (Niger), Kampala (Uganda), Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe), etc., including 4 mayors, 2 deputy mayors and nearly 20 directors and deputy directors for environmental protection and urban development attended the ceremony.

The one-week workshop discussed several modules including sustainable city, urban planning, water management, waste management, energy efficiency and green buildings. Besides, filed trip of Kun Shan City, participants exchanged the experience in urban planning and management of natural resources.