state of the world's cities 2012/2013 - United Nations Sustainable ...

From Comparative Advantage to Urban Prosperityimplementation plans, like Melbourne’s or Rio de Janeiro’s Gaziantep in Easternstrategies for improved quality of life.Turkey is a case inSome other cities are enhancing prosperity based on point, with its efforts topolicy Beyondgeography,well-managed urbanizationnational economic policies and investments with financial develop cultural heritagestands out as the newsupport from central government. The Jordanian city of tourism. Restorationcomparative advantage inAqaba on the coastline of the Red Sea was designated as and rehabilitation worksthis early 21st century.Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) in 2001 and benefitedfrom a public-private venture that created a duty-free andmulti-sectoral development. The Zone contributed toenhance quality of life andat the same time creatingalternative means ofenhanced infrastructure development, restoration of thecity’s historic core and enhanced prosperity through thedevelopment of the tourism industry. 2 Shenzhen, too, hasbenefited from national economic and industrial policiesand related strategic investments. These examples show thatsuccess depends on careful design of regional and economicstrategies, effective coordination across government tiers,massive infrastructure building, outstanding industrial andentrepreneurial strategies, and pro-equity policies.Other cities still pursue prosperity through improvedprovision of goods and services at regional level. Nairobi,the capital of Kenya, is capitalizing on the newly-createdEast African Common Market and Customs Union toenhance its communications and information technologysector, while at the same time developing its transporteconomic development. Valparaíso, Chile’s most importantseaport and a well-known tourist resort, is repositioning itsimage as a cultural centre with facilities for entertainment,leisure and tourism.Many other cities are developing innovative ideas andstrategies to shape new urban identity in the pursuit ofprosperity. This typically includes revamped public spaces,rehabilitation of architecture and historic landmarks, recreationof the street as part of the soul of the city, shaping a‘sense of place’ with monuments, piazzas, marketplaces andstreetscapes as open venues for arts and cultural expression.All of these achievements testify not just to the creativeand innovative powers of municipal and other publicauthorities; they are also the outcomes of the interplaybetween the various power functions at work in any city.infrastructure to improveefficiency and productivity.Prosperity can also bepursued through otherimportant dimensionssuch as knowledgedevelopment. Doha isdeveloping educationand arts as part of thecity’s new cultural vision.Concepción in Chile,like the Algerian cities ofBlida, Tlemcen, Sidibel-Abbèsand Setif, aregrowing and becomingmore prosperous througheducation institutions andhigher learning. 3Some cities showcasetheir tangible andintangible cultural heritageand identity, in a bid tobring about social andLa Paz, Bolivia: providing public goods for all, irrespective of neighbourhood or income bracket.© Eduardo Lopez Morenoeconomic transformations. 491