2019 Harare Innovation Days

November 29, 2019

Panel Discussions at the Harare Innovation Days

29 November – UNDP Zimbabwe hosted the Harare Innovation Days from the 27th to the 29th of November 2019.

The  3-day event is part of global movement within UNDP which is exploring and accelerating organisational learning about emerging trends and innovative approaches to development and policy making. This event builds on from the 2018 Istanbul Innovation Days on NextGenGovernence where it was found that senior decision makers need support in navigating governance risks and discovering options for truly innovative governance approaches,  that match the scale and urgency of challenges currently being faced.

Twenty-two countries represented by individuals from the private sector,  civil service, government and UNDP country offices,  have come together to discuss the future of urbanisation in Africa  - NextGenCities. UNDP Resident Representative, Georges van Montfort stated – “Accelerated urbanization poses challenges to plan & manage growth, develop the urban economy and ensure resilience. We are proud to bring together different minds to strategize & plan for the future of urbanization in Africa”.  

Over the course of the three days,  presentations were led by experts from various sectors on key topics which  included urban resilience, the informal economy, the youth bulge and food and local and circular development. The three-day event culminated with a strategic portfolio session where participants outlined experiments for the development and transformation of their cities – “We can’t predict right or wrong, we have to run experiments to learn, adapt and quickly respond.“- Founder of Innovation Days, Indy Johar

The innovation days have emerged as a central research and development mechanism to help rethink and challenge development work continuously and build a new generation of services. UNDP Zimbabwe is looking into key issues of Urbanisation in collaboration with UNICEF, UN Habitat and other partners. They have taken a systematic thinking approach comprehensively linking sectors such as Governance and Participation, Health and Basic service delivery, Infrastructures and ecosystems and Economy and Society . This is responding to the complex and interwoven nature of urban challenges.

This event organised by UNDP Zimbabwe in partnership with Dark Matters lab as a part of the global innovation days. Zimbabwe is the first cycle focusing on NextGenCities and the following cycle will be held in Asia.

For further information contact:

Anesu Freddy

Communications Associate, UNDP

anesu.freddy@undp.org