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Eric Berg

Erik Berg worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / NORAD from 1978 to 2013. He now heads Habitat Norway.

Cities in crisis

RECONSTRUCTION: This appendix gives the war's destruction of cities and towns in Ukraine and the need for reconstruction the most attention.
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The Line threatens the climate, the environment and human rights

NEOM: The biggest and most controversial 'new city' project in the world? In order to complete the enormous construction works in Saudi Arabia with the NEOM city project over the next 25 years, it is estimated that 100 workers will be needed – mainly migrants. At the same time, NEOM has been criticized for a lack of sustainable development and violations of human rights.
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China is building 220 new million-dollar cities by 2025

URBANIZATION: China has chosen urbanization as its main strategy. In China, 11 million housing units are built every year, and 10–15 districts are completed every day. The country is now offering standardized turnkey city models to other countries at a loan cost of $4 billion – Ukraine next?
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Africa's new cities – smart, eco, tech and hub

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING: Urban growth in Africa is faster than in any other continent. At the same time, one can find corridors of cities with the world's largest footprint of poverty, created by refugees and migrants on their way away from war and conflict, drought and floods.
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New 'floating' cities

FRIZZ: What began in the 1950s and 60s as converted cruise ships, adapted oil platforms, anti-aircraft bases, floating radio stations and abortion clinics has gained new relevance with digital technology. For the liberalist idea of ​​being 'free', new technology is essential: smart cities, continuous online, use of crypto-currency and direct elections.
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Ukraine must own its own development

RECONSTRUCTION: What are the prerequisites for rebuilding better in a way that strengthens Ukraine's ownership of its own development? Is democracy both the means and the end? What can the international community contribute? We have asked six players.
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Can Ukraine be rebuilt with its own efforts?

RECONSTRUCTION: During the first year of the war, the damage to Ukrainian homes is estimated at 50 billion dollars, and another 36 billion is damage to other physical infrastructure. How can one kick-start a war-ravaged industry and economy? So far it seems that the EU, the World Bank and the UN are coordinating their own donor systems independently of each other and Ukraine. But what does Norway do?
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The periphery is being urbanised

The attachment: The articles in this appendix of ORIENTERING shows which problems are linked to cities and poverty, pandemic, war, conflict, energy, food, flight, floods and fear.
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Urban warfare and lack of social stability

Conflict: The fact that unemployed urban youth go into drug dealing, street gangs, militias and sectarian political organizations is not surprising. Yet something else may be more important than crime prevention and counter-terrorism.
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Rich full-format MODERN TIMES including the supplement Orientering and Modern Times Review comes out quarterly in early March, June, September and December) with international book reviews (non-fiction) and comments / essays. According to the physical newspaper (and PDF), the articles are published regularly online (see the newsletters).

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