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AdP Cities in Development

Who are we ?

Founded in 1979, AdP – Villes en Développement (Cities in Development) is a non-profit organization (under the French law of 1901) that brings together urban planning and management professionals working in emerging and developing countries. It unites urban planners, engineers, architects, economists, geographers, sociologists, and other specialists, working independently or within public services, international organizations, and consulting firms, with fully or partially international experience.

The association places particular emphasis on welcoming and supporting young professionals, in order to foster fresh perspectives, knowledge transfer, and the emergence of new approaches to urban futures. By combining established experiences with emerging dynamics, AdP aims to stimulate innovative collective thinking on urban transformations.

AdP – Cities in Development is a partner of UN-Habitat , notably through the Habitat Professionals Forum network. In this capacity, the association contributes to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, by providing committed professional input on global urban issues.

What do we propose?

To compare professional practice and strategic thinking:

  • activities for exchanging experience and professional development, in various formats

  • the publication of the Cities in Development newsletter,

  • awareness-raising and advocacy actions with national and international authorities on the subject of cities in countries of the South, particularly at events.

To strengthen the capacity for action and intervention of our members:

  • a member directory to facilitate exchanges between network members,

  • personal advice and support,

  • relaying proposals for professional opportunities (positions, projects…).

Welcome to this space!

We hope that it will help to bring forth new voices, to value field knowledge, and to strengthen the links between those who, on a daily basis, work to build cities in development... and in the making.

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