Catalyze and facilitate the development of national State of the Cities Reports in Africa, using these products/processes as the basis to build urban knowledge and organisational capacity to respond effectively to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by African urban policy-makers, planners and development practitioners through creating access to a) international best practice, b) more detailed knowledge and information about their own national urban realities, and c) effective means to rapidly increase their skills and capabilities in urban management and delivery.