The challenge of transforming African cities into Smart Cities, especially in Cabo Verde, involves the transformation of the unofficial neighborhoods into Smart Neighborhoods since more than half of the population of its cities live in unofficial neighborhoods that were created spontaneously and without any kind of urban planning and thus lacking access to basic services such as tap water, energy grid, road and other facilities or public spaces, where the residents are virtually excluded from social assistance.
Despite being disorganized and lacking urban planning, such neighborhoods have assets in the form of many of their skilled and educated people that can take part in the actions and efforts aimed at creating a Smart Neighborhood if they are supported through assertive policies and are integrated into transformational programs implemented by local or central government to promote the sustainable development of their own neighborhood, with positive impacts on the results of the region as a whole towards becoming a Smart City. The community of Safender neighborhood is an example of such approach.
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