SEMINAR HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL OF SECOND CITIES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

Caption: The panel: Prof Adrian Seville, GIBS; Siphelele Ngobese, senior researcher: South African Cities Network; Hennie Heymans, CEO like DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa; and Francois Fouche, economist and researcher.

Leading figures in economics and urban planning convened at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) seminar titled ‘Second to None: Second Cities and Next Cities as Engines of Africa’s Prosperity’.

The event, hosted by Professor Adrian Seville, focused on exploring the untapped potential of second cities in driving economic growth through differentiation, something which all HVAC&R professionals with a long-term view ought to monitor.

The seminar kicked off with Professor Seville outlining the concept of “power laws” as a critical framework for understanding the strategic positioning and impact potential of second cities. Referencing Jeffrey West’s work, Seville emphasised that second cities, akin to younger siblings learning from their elder counterparts, have the unique opportunity to carve out their niche by innovating and differentiating from larger urban centers.

Seville quoted architect Oscar Niemeyer, renowned for his unconventional designs including Brazil’s capital city Brasília, who he said had advocated for organic, curved urban planning as seen in Australia’s capital Canberra. Niemeyer highlighted how curves, inspired by the natural world, can foster a distinct identity for second cities, contrasting sharply with the grid-like structures often seen in primary metropolitan areas.

The seminar, attended by business leaders and academics alike, delved into practical examples such as Canberra, where Niemeyer’s philosophy of embracing natural forms resulted in a city layout starkly different from Australia’s first city, Sydney.

Economist and researcher Francois Fouche, moderated the panel discussion, welcoming the panelists and attendees, underscored the urgency of harnessing the potential of second cities in Africa. He positioned initiatives like DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa’s partnership with GIBS, particularly their Second Cities project, as pivotal in identifying and enhancing trade corridors for economic impact.

“We launched the programme last year, and DHL has come to join Aspen PharmaCare as our second partner in this initiative,” noted Seville, highlighting the collaborative effort to support businesses scaling into new markets.

The seminar then segued into a lively panel discussion moderated by Fouche, exploring practical strategies and case studies to empower second cities across the continent. The event underscored the growing consensus on the role of differentiation and innovative urban planning in driving Africa’s economic growth and development.