“New urban players” in Africa and Asia

Large numbers of urban residents in the Global South lack access to formal jobs and basic services. In the face of the failure of local governments to meet growing urban needs, popular initiatives have, for quite some time, played an important role; they have created their own income activities and established the necessary services and infrastructure, often informally and through collective efforts. In this context, urban governments are expected to create an ‘enabling environment’ and be facilitators rather than direct providers of development.