Switzerland is adapting its international assistance policy to put more emphasis on aiding the urban poor in developing countries. Never before in history have so many people lived in urban areas. The number is expected to grow from four billion today to five billion by 2050. Rapid growth coupled with inadequate urban planning, as well as weak financial structures or mismanagement make cities the biggest polluters. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), along with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), want to help prevent urbanisation from leading to more inequality and pollution. The challenges of urbanisation for the benefit of all are enormous in developing as well as emerging countries. Their cities are growing so rapidly that planning can hardly keep up. The number of people living in African and Asian cities 60 years ago was about 15% of the total population. By 2050 it's expected to be between 60 and 65%. "Developing urban and rural areas ...
