ISAS Insights

The world is urbanizing at par with economic openness and industrialization. In many developing nations, due to the reduction in the contribution of agriculture to the national income and the lack of a strong non-farm sector, the rural-urban migration is on a rise. Cities and towns are becoming major economic, employment generation and revenue earning centres. In many countries, employment generation is generally perceived to be higher in the urban areas and its surrounding localities. Developing countries have adopted many policies to tackle the growing needs for infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, airports among the many). But, with the booming infrastructural requirements and the necessity for efficient management of resources in urban areas, it is very hard for national public sector undertakings alone to be involved in planning and policy. Therefore, cooperation in the form of exchange of ideas and technical expertise between governments and cities will be beneficial, especially when the process of economic, defence and political cooperation between nations is progressing, during the past few decades.