The 18th and 19th of April last, marked a significant milestone for Nairobi Risk Hub and Tomorrow’s Cities Hub. In collaboration with the Africa Research and Impact Network (ARIN), our partners in Kenya, we successfully concluded an action planning worhsop followed by a Technical Knowledge Exchange meeting with UN-Habitat. These discussions consolidated lessons and opened concrete pathways for disaster risk reduction at the local, national and regional levels.

Hosted at the United Nations Office in Nairobi with support from UN-Habitat, and the presence of several key actors, the event showcased the path and the results of applying the Tomorrow’s Cities Decision Support Environment (TCDSE) framework, specifically tailored to Nairobi’s context.

In Nairobi, the TCDSE was applied in the Kibera informal settlement, involving various social groups to collectively envision a risk-informed future. Through participatory mapping and policy recommendations, the community, alongside researchers, developed an open-access urban planning tool focusing on mitigating flooding risks.

The recent action planning event brought together key decision-makers, urban planning experts, practitioners, and stakeholders to showcase the outcomes of this process. Emphasizing the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches, the event highlighted the value of community engagement in urban planning and disaster risk reduction.

The event was made possible through the efforts of the ARIN team including Victoria Chengo, Joanes Atela, Nancy Mutwii, Ezekiel Gogo, Leah Aoko-Otieno but also Mark Kuyo Ojal.

Victoria Chengo, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, ARIN / Tomorrow’s Cities Nairobi Hub Manager.

“Looking ahead, we hope that the impact of Tomorrow’s Cities remains beyond its duration, offering capacity building and support to urban planning agencies not only in Nairobi but also in other cities facing similar challenges.”

Victoria Chengo

As Nairobi continues to grow and evolve, initiatives like Tomorrow’s Cities play a vital role in fostering resilient and inclusive urban development. By prioritizing community engagement and adopting a risk-informed approach, cities can better prepare for the challenges of the future.

Joanes Atela, Executive Director ARIN

Nancy Mutwii, student at the Technical University of Kenya and Tomorrow’s Cities researcher.