Urban Africa: Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK)

Duration: 01/15 - 01/18

In the context of rapid and often unplanned growth, many African cities face the prospect of increased disaster risk, particularly the urban poor. Urban African Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK) is a three-year programme focusing on six cities in sub-Saharan Africa – Dakar (Senegal), Ibadan (Nigeria), Karonga (Malawi), Mombasa (Kenya), Nairobi (Kenya) and Niamey (Niger) – that explores the relationship between natural hazards in urban areas and social vulnerabilities such as inadequate housing, lack of sanitation and crime.

By adopting a holistic understanding of risk that connects environmental vulnerabilities with social factors such as poverty and exclusion, the project aims to extend the current evidence base on urban disaster resilience in Africa while also building local capacity through workshops, meetings and knowledge sharing. The findings will support policy makers in the six study areas and cities elsewhere in the region to anticipate and respond to future environment threats.

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