China's path of urbanization provides important message to other countries that are undergoing urban transformation, particularly in Africa, said Anaclaudia Rossbach, executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (U.N.-Habitat).
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) released on Friday, Rossbach highly commented on China's approach to urban development which prioritizes not only poverty reduction but also access to essential services and a high quality of life.
"China was able to lift 800 million out of poverty and then go into a path of urbanization. I think this is a critical message, especially if you look at countries in Africa. The importance of cities to overcome poverty is critical. So I think we should note that housing people and housing people in cities where people can have access to education, to jobs, to opportunities, where people can have access to health services and stay healthy. So this is one critical information that we should work on and should be part of the narrative," Rossbach said.
Beyond just providing housing, she stressed the importance of creating well-planned urban environments that foster social harmony.
"And then [it's] not only lifting people out of poverty, but also the idea of providing territories, providing spaces where people can live in a harmonious way with each other, enjoy the proximity of services, enjoy the proximity to cultural, leisure, sports [facilities], enjoy the public spaces, enjoy the green spaces and this harmony with nature that we spoke before," she added.
China's path of urbanization worth learning from for other countries: U.N.-Habitat chief
