The Sustainable Cities project in Ghana, implemented by Expertise France and funded by the EU, focuses on 6 fast-growing cities in the North: Tamale (including Sagnarigu), Wa, Damongo, Nalerigu, Yendi and Bolgatanga. The programme aims to support cities in addressing urban challenges related to spatial expansion while promoting sustainable urban development that combines urban governance and inclusive planning. The pace of urban growth in northern Ghana's cities far exceeds planning and urban service capacities. In this context, Expertise France called on Les Ateliers de Cergy to support the operational implementation of one of the project's components focused on integrated urban planning, particularly through assistance in preparing planning documents.
This mission brought together a multidisciplinary team of experts from Les Ateliers de Cergy and Expertise France, with diverse profiles: urban planners, architects, geographers, and specialists in territorial development and governance.


The mission's objective: to prepare a series of international urban planning workshops for the 6 programme cities and lay the groundwork for collective reflection on the development of more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities, in close collaboration with local stakeholders.
The mission took place primarily in Tamale, the largest city in northern Ghana, which concentrates administrative and commercial activities and continues to attract new residents. The first days were devoted to meetings with local authorities, particularly metropolitan and municipal assemblies, in order to identify priorities for urban planning. These exchanges highlighted several key issues: waste management, access to water, urban planning and territorial governance.
Field visits, notably to the community of Nyonhi, provided a concrete view of local realities and everyday challenges.


Exchange Forum in Tamale
Bringing together public institutions, NGOs, academics and local representatives, this event made it possible to:
- present the Sustainable Cities project
- introduce Les Ateliers' methodology
- share local visions and strategies
- open a space for discussion on urban challenges
The richness of the exchanges reflected the interest and commitment of stakeholders.

The mission also extended to two other project cities, Damongo and Yendi. These visits broadened the reflection by incorporating varied contexts, where questions of resource management, local economic development, and the valorisation of cultural dynamics take different but complementary forms. In Damongo, opportunities linked to tourism development and local entrepreneurship illustrated concrete avenues for action, while in Yendi, historical and social dimensions enriched the understanding of the territory.
Throughout the meetings and observations, several major themes emerged, revealing the complexity but also the potential of northern Ghana's cities. Access to essential services, the resilience of food systems, the inclusion of young people and women, and adaptation to climate challenges are all levers for imagining the city of tomorrow.
This exploratory mission thus marks a decisive step in the implementation of the project. It has made it possible to build connections with local stakeholders, surface shared challenges, and establish a solid foundation for what comes next. Upcoming workshops will carry this momentum forward, bringing together participants from around the world around a common goal: to collectively imagine concrete solutions for more sustainable cities.
Through this approach, the Sustainable Cities project reaffirms the importance of dialogue, international cooperation and local rootedness in addressing contemporary urban challenges.


Mission Members

Les Ateliers expert team:
Hanaà Msallak, architect and urban planner, Les Ateliers expert, Morocco/France
Craig Kensley, development professional, urban systems coordinator, social investment strategist in Africa, Les Ateliers expert, South Africa
Véronique Valenzuela, Director of Les Ateliers, Chile/France
Simon Brochard, geographer and historian, project director at Les Ateliers, France
Carole Adenka, geographer, project coordinator at Les Ateliers, Togo/France

Expertise France team:
Diane Bittar, architect and urban planner, project manager at Expertise France headquarters
Jihane Rangama, expert in sustainable urban development, technical coordinator
Olivier Donnet, expert in institutional and territorial development, governance reforms and decentralisation
Eric-Emmanuel Maasole, senior governance coordinator, field coordinator
Owusu Amposah, associate professor in urban planning, director of the Centre for Settlements Studies, component 2 lead