This is the premier edition of State of World Cities, now a biennual flagship publication of UN-HABITAT. With a foreword by UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan and an introduction by UN-HABITAT Executive Director Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, the publication was the first attempt by UN-HABITAT to monitor, analyze and report on major areas of the Habitat Agenda in terms of the realities faced by urban population and urban policy makers.

This publication highlights the importance of introducing education in schools and communities of how to effectively manage the use of water in African cities.