Celebrating nine years linking Research to Action for
Sustainable, Inclusive, Resilient, Safe and Prosperous Cities & Communities
Launch of GORA Corp Regional Programme for Africa
For Sustainable, Inclusive, Resilient, Safe & Prosperous Cities
Nairobi. Kenya, 16 April 2015
Gora Corp takes the People Agenda to the New Urban Agenda at Habitat III
After two years of working together, UN-Habitat and GORA Corp have decided to strengthen their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 19 October in Quito. This has happened in Quito where the New Urban Agenda of Habitat III was being agreed by the United Nations Member States for another 20 years. Our two institutions have agreed to work together for the dissemination and the use of the concept “Smart Economy in Smart Cities” in the Africa region.
Collaboration with UN-Habitat, UNECA and the African Union on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
Expertise of the founder of GORA was particularly on the development of an Harmonized Monitoring and Reporting Framework (HMRF) for the Africa region. the HMRF aims to be adaptable to national and sub-national conditions and needs in the region as well as capable of building synergies with existing post 2015 development agendas, particularly on the following priorities of the NUA: a) National Urban Policies, b) Planning and Management of Spatial Development, c) Building Urban Governance Structures, d) Urban legislation, rules and regulations, e) Financing Systems and Management Capacities, f) Local Implementation, and g) Monitoring, reporting and revision mechanisms
Collaboration with global land tool network, un-habitat & partners on land indicators and statistics (2014-Present)
Since October 2014, the Founder of GORA Corp has been part of a group of experts and practitioners on land in the effort to develop land indicators for the monitoring of Security of Tenure. A series of Expert Group Meetings have been held to advance on the Global Land Indicators Initiative (GLII). The founder of GORA Corp is the co-author of a Multi-Country Assessment on SDG Indicator 1.4.2 report with the University of Greenwich. This report is intended to inform the work of the co-custodian agencies on Indicator 1.4.2 be used in developing a coherent strategy to further develop country level NSO capacities and strengthen their collaboration with land agencies.
Accreditation of GORA Corp at the United Nations SDGs Summit, September 2015
GORA Corp is among the NGOs approved to participate in SDGs Summit for the Adoption of the Post 2015 Development Agenda. During the last UN General Assembly in September 2014, GORA Corp launched the People Agenda, an agenda by the people, for the people.
Launch of the GORA Regional Programme for Africa, April 2015
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GORA Corp launches a Regional Programme for Africa
GORA Corp's Regional Programme for Africa was launched on 16th April 2015 at the Tribe Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya during a dinner event themed "Sustainable, Inclusive and Prosperous Cities in Africa". The launch, which also doubled as a bridge event between the second session of the Preparatory Committee of Habitat III and the 25th session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat, was attended by 83 delegates and representatives from various organizations from all over the world. The Programme is coordinated by Dr. Omondi Odhiambo. Mr. Dennis Mwaniki is the Associate Director for Urban Planning & GIS and Ms. Wandia Riunga, is the Associate Director for Statistics and Monitoring.
OpenCities Institute launches operations in Africa, April 2015
GORA Corp and the CSF launched the OpenCities Institute during the 25th session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat in April 2015. The launch coincided with GORA Corp's call for collection, analysis and dissemination of data on multiple indicators to help African cities organize their spaces in order to sustainably accommodate their rapidly growing populations and expanding spatial extents.
GEF Sustainable Cities Programme
GORA Corp Collaborate with the GEF, the World Bank, Government of Senegal on Planning and Designing Climate Resilient
The Senegalese Sustainable Cities Initiative supports integrated climate resilient urban planning and management at national and local level. The Sustainable Cities Initiative will reinforce the " Stormwater Management Project and Adaptation to climate Change "( PROGEP ), particularly through the development and strengthening of urban plans incorporating sustainability and climate risk, conducting strategic studies on sustainable cities, implementing community investment projects, strengthening inter-municipal and developing of knowledge and skills.
In July 2015, GORA Corp signed an MOU with the City of Louga and met 16 other municipalities of the department of Louga (Senegal) to build partnership for the establishment of Observatory linking Research to Action (ORA) to support a Sustainable, Inclusive & Prosperous City (SIPC).
Coordination of Touba Smart city
Touba smart city is conceptualized as a sustainable, inclusive, resilient, safe and prosperous city that promotes a people-centric approach based on three core components—Smart City Foundation , Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Smart Institutions and Laws.These three core components are the pillars of the seven dimensions of a smart city: Infrastructure
Development , Environmental Sustainability, Social Development, Social Inclusion, Disasters Prevention and Resilience, and Peace and Security .
Collaboration with the SAATP/World Bank on Transport in Africa
Under this collaboration, the founder of GORA prepared three technical documents for the SSATP: a) Urban mobility: current trends and future prospects Technical note SSATP/01; b) Transport, urbanization and urban planning Technical note SSATP/02; and c) Information and Communication Technologies A transformational impact on urban mobility patterns in Africa Technical note SSATP/03. These documents presented them at the Annual meeting of SSATP held in Marrakech, Morocco, February 2017
Global Land Forum of the International Land Coalition, 12-16 May 2015, Dakar, Senegal
GORA Corp participated at the Global Land Forum of the International Land Coalition, 12-16 May 2015, Dakar, Senegal. Every two years, ILC members, partners and other organizations working on land rights meet at the Global Land Forum to assess emerging land issues. The 2015 Global Land Forum took place 20 years after the Brussels Conference which established the International Land Coalition. The theme of the Global Land Forum was “Land Governance for Inclusive Development, Justice and Sustainability. GORA Corp particularly took part at the Ministerial Roundtable on land administration and governance as well as at the session on land observatory.
African ministerial forum on housing and urban development
GORA Corp participated at the African Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development held on 16-17 October 2018 in Dakar, Senegal. The Forum has three themes: Urban Renewal and Upgrading, New Urbanization Trends, Urban and Metropolitan Governance. Learn More
Collaboration with UN Population Division of UNDESA
51st Commission on Population and Development
The President of GORA Corp was a Keynote Speaker at the 51st Commission of Population and Development, April 2015, New York.
The title of his keynote is "Urbanization and Migration - Two Global Mega Trends: Diversity, Opportunities, and Challenges. Learn more
Urban Health: WHO and UN-Habitat, 2016
The President of GORA Corp was member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Global Report on Urban Health: equitable, Healthier Cities for Sustainable Development, a publication of WHO and UN-Habitat, 2016.
Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) and GORA in the area of Urban Observatory in Arab countries
After several years of collaboration, AUDI and GORA Corp have decided to strengthen their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 8 August 2017 in Riyadh. AUDI and GORA Corp have, thereafter, launched this collaboration with the establishment the Smart Urban Observatories for Smart Cities concept developed by GORA Corp in the Arab region. AUDI and GORA Corp recognize that the rapid development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructures has eased the creation of smart economy in digitally served Arab cities and towns through smart urban planning, smart infrastructures, smart land tenure and smart urban policies as published by GORA Corp with Springer in 2016, 2018 & 2019..
Smart Cities in the Arab region
AUDI and GORA have agreed to collaborate in the dissemination and use of the concept “Smart Economy in Smart Cities” as published by GORA Corp with Springer in 2016, 2018 & 2019 in the Arab region. AUDI and GORA understand that the rapid development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructures has ease the creation of smart economy in digitally served cities and towns through smart urban planning, smart basic infrastructures and smart urban policies. This comes at an opportune time when significant global agendas are being agreed. This includes notably, the Sustainable Development Goals, the 21st Conference Of Parties (COP 21) in 2015, and the United Nations Third Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in 2016. There is an urgent need to empower people and institution with the right information and knowledge that helps to prioritize their needs in the global, national and local development agenda.
Support the Madinah Smart Regional Observatory (MSRO), commissioned by the Madinah Development Authority
The Project of preparing: a) Guide to Setting the MSRO; b) Revised version of the MSRO Guide based on the MSDI and the Smart City; c) Prepare the organization structure of the MSRO; d) Identify the sectoral focus (derived from the Guide to Setting up the MSRO) and the Madinah Urban Observatory – A Platform for collaboration between the Madinah Development Authority (MDA) and AFM (Madinah Urban Observatory Consultant); e) Guide of the use Register (Administrative) base data to upgrade the Madinah Urban Observatory to the Madinah Smart Regional Observatory; f) Draft MOU for obtaining Administrative data from other administrative institutions; g) Coordination of proposal for Portal and Dashboard and; h) TOR for Policy documents on Smart Economy in Smart Madinah.
Collaboration with the Riyadh Urban Observatory 2nd Forum, February 2018
On February 27, 2018, HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar, Chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDR) and Chairman of the Riyadh Urban Observatory Council, patronized the opening ceremony of the HCDR-organized Riyadh Urban Observatory 2nd Forum, in the presence of HRH Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdul Aziz, Vice-Chairman of the HCDR. The Riyadh urban observatory plays a key role in guiding a comprehensive development in the light of the Metropolitan Development Strategy for the Arriyadh Region (MEDSTAR) and objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The presentation of the Founder of GORA was titled "Smart Urban Observatory For Smart Cities Strengthening Urban Observatory"
Collaboration with the Government of Sharjah on Urban Observatory
Support the Establishment of Sharjah Urban Observatory commissioned by Government of Sharjah (Directorate of Town Planning & Survey) and executed by the Consolidated Engineering Go. (khatib & alami): a) Coordinate and Guide the team through the project stages: Explain the concept and roles of urban observatories and their various activities and different levels of urban observatories (national, regional and local); b) Analysis of lessons learned from previous experiences of urban observatories and selection of best practices with other observatories in terms of operation and management; c) Communication and consultation with the Observatory stakeholders to identify the most important issues and draw indicators; d) Building a comprehensive and integrated information system.
Collaboration with the Saudi General Authority for Statistics Sectorial Observatories from Administrative Data
This collaboration consisted of the development of a manual for the establishment of register-bases sectoral observatory, commissioned by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics and executed by the Digital Research Company. It aims to first develop a register base statistical system at the National Information Center (NIC) and then to make the statistics available for establishment of sectoral observatories. Three components are fundamental for the success of the establishment of register statistical systems as well as sectoral observatories: A) Governance, B) Cooperation and C) Operation. The project consists of the production of a manual with the following component: a) Benchmarking Best Practices; b) High Level Structure Data Governance; c) Statistical Product and Service Delivery Governance; d) Human Resource Development and Knowledge Sharing; e) Register Data Hosting and f) Cooperation Model.
Collaboration with the Kogi State of Nigeria on the Establishment of Urban Observatories
In May 2015, GORA Corp collaborated with UN-Habitat to set up the Urban Observatory programme in Kogi State, Nigeria. Read more. Nigeria Land, Housing and Urban Development Roadmap Transforming Land Administration, Housing Delivery and Urban Development in Nigeria
GORA was also invited to the national stakeholders validation workshop organized by the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development of Nigeria and UN-Habitat on 8-10 September in Abuja. GORA participated at the session on the Establishment of an integrated Nation-wide Urban Observatory (NUO).
Initiate a Collaboration with the Republic of Guinea on Smart Cities, October-December 2016
GORA Corp and the Government of Guinea initiate collaboration on Smart Cities, which are Sustainable, Inclusive and Prosperous. Starting with the city of Conakry.. The Smart City Programme is aimed to create low carbon cities in Guinea.
Partnership and Collaboration with institutions in India
GORA at the 12th International Conference and Exhibition on “Emerging Trends in Sustainable habitat and Integrated Cities, November 2014, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Presentation of GORA Corp
Planning and Designing Streets as Public Spaces for Connected Urban Mobility
GORA at the Sustainable Chennai Forum –Inclusive Urban Prosperity, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 10 November 2014
SMALL CHILDREN, BIG CITIES – Building Smart Child-Friendly Cities for 21st Century India, November 2014
Presentation of GORA Corp
Smart Child-Friendly Cities within the framework of Sustainable, Inclusive & Prosperous Cities
in February 2015 GORA Corp signed an MoU with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) of the Ministry of Urban Development, India, for the establishment of observatories to assist Indian cities on the move to be smart.
GORA Corp and the Urban Health Resource Center (UHCR) intend to work together to advance public spaces as key component of slum Upgrading Programmes. On 11-12 November 2014, Visit of Dr. Gora Mboup and the Executive Director of the UHRC, Dr. Siddarth Argawal, of two settlements in Agra to explore further collaboration, specifically in the area of streets and public spaces.
Affordable and Sustainable Habitats- International and National experiences in Sustainable Developments
GORA Corp at the Geospatial Forum: Sustainable City Foundation Index key for Smart Cities
Presentation: Sustainable City Foundation - Key for Smart Cities
Partnership in Research with Universities, Research Centers and others
Global Human Settlements Working Group
With the support of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), GORA and other partners such as JRC launch a new Global Human Settlement Working Group at the first Global Human Settlement Workshop hosted by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, on 21-22 October 2014. Through the establishment of the Global Human Settlement working group, a new generation of global settlement measurements and products have be developed to support the New Urban Agenda and other post-2015 Development agendas (SDGs, Sendai Framework, Paris Declaration, etc.
Collaboration on Smart Cities with Researchers and Professionals from:
University of Nairobi (Peace & Security in Africa & Nairobi Smart City Study)
University of Dakar & University of St Louis (Dakar Smart City Study)
University of Ibadan (Lagos and Abuja Smart City Study)
Afe Babalola University & University of Lagos (Smart Disaster Prevention In Africa)
University of Western Ontario (Smart Governance in Africa)
Universities in Europe, North America and Asia (Smart City Case Studies)
South African National Space Agency (SANSA) (Smart Energy in Africa)
Ministry of Environment of Senegal (Air Quality in Africa)
Municipal Development Agency of Senegal (Dakar Smart City Study)
Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Waste Management in Africa)
Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Biodiversity in Smart Cities in Africa)
UN Climate Change Secretariat, UNFCCC (Climate Change in Africa)
UN University-MERIT (Smart City Concept in Africa & Smart Economy in Africa)
UNICEF (Smart Health for Smart Economy in Africa)
Collaboration on Observatories and Urban Statistics
University of Greenwich (UK), (Statistics on Security of Tenure)
Federal University of Technology, Minna (Niger) (MOU on Observatories
Society for Development Studies (India) (MOU on Observatories)
Community System Foundation (USA) (MOU on Observatories)
ITM-Mission (India) (MOU on Observatories)
African Migration and Development Policy Centre (Kenya) (MOU on Observatories)
Institut Africain de Gestion Urbaine (Senegal) (MOU on Observatories)
UISSP, Post-2015 Data Revolution – Role of Demography, Expert Meeting, Paris (France), October 2014
School of Planning, CEPT University, Lecture series"Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of Urban Prosperity", November 2014