Role of Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation - Case Study Example

The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) Table of contents 1. Executive summary 2. Introduction a. Scope of the study b. Background to the work undertaken 3. Current state in the OIC member states a. Introduction b. Definition of megacity c. Overview of megacity transport 4. Global trends in world’s megacities a. Introduction b. Transport network and land use planning c. Mode availability and shares d. Freight and servicing e. Road safety f. Institutions and organizations structure g. Urban transport infrastructure financing h. Health i. Climate change j. Social exclusion k. Human dimension of cities 5. Conclusion and recommendations Executive summary The study below was commissioned by COMCEC in a bid to create an understanding of the current trends in the OIC megacities. It also sought to understand the common challenges that are faced by these cities in a bid to provide insight and in the process create suggestions for the future policy actions. The main objective of the undertaking of the study is in order to initiate a serious debate among the member states of the IOC on the urban transport related issues and how to address these efficiently. Currently, more than half of the population of the world lives in cities. This figure is however expected to rise to 75% by the middle of the century. As at the moment, there are 28 megacities in the world. Of this, 6 are Islamic. In all the megacities, there exists several similarities and differences. These are in terms of the issues that they face in transport and other transport related issues. They are also subject to traffic congestion. In the study below, some knowledge is developed on some of the transport issues that are pertinent in the megacities. The study therefore is on the most pressing global issues. These are issues on the geographical locations, size, political, social and economic status and the levels of economic developments of the various megacities. Examples of the cities that have been mentioned in the study include Cairo, Dhaka, Karachi, Istanbul, Lagos and Jakarta. They are the Islamic affiliated megacities among the world’s 28 megacities. This study concludes with the giving of recommendations for the future of transport in OIC megacities. It is stressed that an integrated approach is key for sustainable operations and that understanding the interrelationships between the different areas analysed in the report is vital in order to develop strategic plans for a megacity. It is suggested that the transport network needs to be coordinated with urban transport infrastructure as well as integrated, in order not to cause fragmentation and disrupt the quality of urban life. Introduction Most transport related problems are experienced in the urban areas. This is due to the high populations in the areas. As such, this study seeks at investigating the latest trends that exist in the global transport sector. It also seeks at identifying the most persistent urban transport problems in the megacities and the most common problems. As a result of this, there is the development of a SWOT analysis. The study further seeks at identifying the most common challenges. As a result of this, there is the development of practical recommendations to overcome these obstacles. This has been done through the creation and the development of a framework for policy actions to be implemented by the authorities of the megacities. Background to the study undertaken The study has taken into account desk research of the various global megacities. As such, it examines the typical issues and other issues that are experienced by the people in the megacities in relation to transport industry. It also seeks to understand the various freight and servicing issues that are pertinent in the megacities. The review also examines the key strategies and other policies that the cities have applied to solve some of the key problems and challenges. Some of the strategies that have been included in the study include transit oriented development, smart growth policies, organization and operation of public transport systems, investment policies in urban transport, traffic management policies, travel demand management, intelligent transportation system applications, strengthening traffic enforcement, building urban transport institutions, affordability of urban transport services and the financing policy. In summary, this study entails the development of knowledge on some issues in the field. Global trends in the megacities is one of the issues that have been highlighted in the study. The study also entails the analysis of the worldwide megacities transport problems, solutions to them and the critical success factors. CURRENT STATE IN THE OIC MEMBER STATES Introduction The population of the world has over the years been on the rise. The change has been significant in the urban population. It is reported that in the year 1900, only 10% of the world population lived in cities. Over a hundred years later, in the year 2007, it was indicated that more than 50% of the population of the world resided in urban areas. It is also estimated that in middle of the century, more than three quarters of the population of the world will be living in the urban areas and cities. Definition of a megacity A megacity can be simply defined as a city that has a population exceeding 10 million people. Currently, there are 28 megacities in the world. They range and are from all the corners of the world. However, the highest number is in the middle and Far East region of the world. China for example has six megacities in the list. India on the other hand has three cities on the list of megacities. The trends and the numbers of the people in the cities is expected to rise by the end of the first third of the century. There are several similar aspects in the compositions of the megacities. These are in the traffic issues and the congestions that are present in the cities. All cities have common transportation problems and difficulties. They all arise as a result of the high populations in the cities. Overview of megacity transport Seven cities in this list of megacities in the world are in the OIC. They are namely Lagos, Cairo, Dhaka, Karachi, Istanbul, Jakarta and Tehran. According to the current population growth rates of the cities, they are expected to rise in the rank. The geographic location of the cities influences cities does not only influence their societal characteristics but also their governance and best practice sharing. Although cities are beginning to build larger networks and share information using information communication technologies, it is still more likely that cities that are closer geographically will seek advice and borrow practices and policies from each other. In addition, these elements shared between countries may not necessarily be considered practice, with informal transport being a prominent example of shared practices (with minibuses prevailing in Africa and tricycles in South Asia). The three selected case studies (Dakar for Africa, Cairo for the Arab World, and Jakarta for Asia) will reveal these differences and similarities between cities that belong to these three regions of the Islamic world. Almost all the cities that are identified above have limited capacity to manage the demand as well as plan and implement strategies to alleviate the mounting problems. In addition, the lack of coordination between land use and transport planning resulted in heavy concentration of economic activities in the central business areas of the cities, leading to even worse traffic conditions, limited accessibility and deterioration of the urban environment. There has been an increase in the demand for a more rigorous urban transport system. This has been necessitated by the ever increasing populations of the cities. This was also due to the increased ability of the people to own private cars. This further resulted to the congestion of the streets by the cars. However, in a bid to resolve the issues, the cities have put in place important steps all with the sole aim of battling congestion, solve the transport problems and improve the urban environment. This has been with the support of Multilateral Development Banks and other financial institutions. They have all made great strides in the alleviation of the traffic issues in this countries and the cities. With the developments ongoing, they have also put in place efforts aimed at seeing to it that there is the maintenance of cultural and regional identity. They are therefore in line with the improvements of the quality of the transport. GLOBAL TRENDS IN WORLD’S MEGACITIES Introduction The development of megacities comes with many advantages to the local economies. There is the increase in the opportunities of employment, investments, market forces and opportunities for other networking activities. They are also important locations for vital public services and infrastructures that are useful for the development of the various people who reside there. They also serve as a good location for the development of technologies, innovations, inventions and facilitate high standards of creativity among the people. The development is also the catalyst of other problems to the people. The first major one reported frequently is the ever increasing housing pressure that is created. This results to the development of large informal settlements such as slums. They have many issues that come with them. They include the absence of important social facilities, hygiene and security among others. This also results to the creation of pressure to the existing transport facilities due to the increase in the population and the absence of adequate transport facilities to cater for the increased population. This has the effect of resulting to traffic congestions. Congestion has the effect both to the economy and to the environment. The environmental effect is the increase in the rate of pollution. The economic effect is the occurrence of many accidents and other travel time losses that are present. Transport network and land use planning So as to have an efficient transport network in place, there must be efficient land use of the available land resources. This is due to the suitability of the planning in urban development. The patterns of the transport network and the land use plans differ with the different cities. This is due to the differences in the political, economic and other social histories. The scale and also the type of the urban transport infrastructure is the determinant of the other mobility patterns that exist within a city. It is therefore one of the most important factors that affect modal choice and more so in the long term scale. Many cities in the world are continually shifting towards sustainable transport infrastructure. This is in a bid to reduce the congestion, save fuel and reduce the emissions that exist. Many developing economies lack adequate planning of their roads. This has an effect of increasing the congestion that is in the streets of the cities. A good example of this is Nairobi, Kenya. They also lack adequate maintenance of the existing transport infrastructure. As such, there has been a push by the World Bank that is aimed at seeing to it that the countries put in place systems that will see to it that they improve the quality of their road infrastructure. Some of the most affected areas in this is the countries in Africa and the lower parts of Asia. A well planned and coordinated transport and land use system planning gives room for the officials to build and develop sustainable mobility into the patterns of urban form and layouts, and which would in turn result into a switch into green modes of transport. Mode availability and shares There currently exists different patterns of mobility in the different cities of the world. The differences in contemporary urban mobility are determined by the relationship between land use and transport. The main categories of urban travel that can be listed can be categorised into three. They are private motorised, public and non-motorised. It is expected that by the middle of the century, the number of motor vehicles worldwide is expected to have increased to more than 2.6 billion. This hence calls for the rapid expansion of the infrastructure that is currently in place. This number is expected to be high in the developing countries and which have a high tendency of poor infrastructure. As such, much needs to be done in order to be able to manage the transport advancements that will be experienced. In the developing economies such as India, the most common mode of transport is the use of motor cycles. They however have some limitations that are attached to them. They include, that they are exceedingly loud, contribute to hundreds of thousands of traffic accidents annually, take over the sidewalks and generally emit worse emissions when powered by two stroke engines as compared to private cars or four stroke engines. They however have the advantage of resulting to reduced rates of congestion. Public transport has come to the advantage of all. This is because it has helped in the reduction of the traffic on the road. As such, people can reach their destinations faster and more cheaply as compared to having used private means of transport. The environmental advantage of this is also present. This is because there is less carbon emission from the vehicles as compared to having all the people using private means of transport. Despite their advantages, Paratransit operations also cause significant problems in urban environments. The main negative characteristics of informal transport are the dangerous on road behaviour of the drivers, the pollution and congestion caused by the vehicles and the fact that they undermine the formal services. In addition, scheduling is often erratic, with high frequencies and overlapping services during peak hours and low or absent services during off peak hours. It is also common that when operators are wholly dependent on ridership and often have to fight for waiting passengers at bus stops and in terminals. Paratransit vehicles are often involved in accidents as drivers can stop almost anywhere to board passengers and they lack appropriate training, they allow inappropriate loadings, and the vehicles are poorly maintained. These defects are frequently exploited by vested interests. For example, police and other public officials may take advantage of the quasilegal nature of the sector to supplement their incomes. Freight and servicing The development of the megacities has been in an effort to foster the amounts of trade activity that exists both at national and international. The continued growth of the megacities mean that the demand and consumption levels generally increase. This hence calls for an increase in the increased freight activity. Some measures that have been adopted by some cities have not been in line with the global requirements. This is where they focus more on public transport and in the process reduce the parking areas. This acts as a limitation to freight transport. Despite the advancements in passenger transport or commonly known human transport, the megacities have lagged behind when it comes to the freight transport. This hence calls for improvements in the scope that they most often refer to. They should hence take into account the freight transport sector and include them in the designs and the roads that they develop. It has also been very difficult to find similar regulatory solutions for the issues in the urban freights due to the existence of huge diversities in the urban freight needs of one urban area and the other and across the urban areas. So as to get the best efficiency levels when it comes to the transportation of freight, it is important for the players to take into account all the levels of the urban freight systems. This will help in the adaption of them to a wider set of cities and hence increasing the levels of efficiency. Road safety As by the statistics of 2010, road accidents resulted to estimated 1.3 million deaths per year. It also resulted to further 78.2 million non-fatal injuries. This figure is also estimated to double by the end of the first third of the century. The losses that arise out of the accidents include the loss of human capital, hospitalization and other material costs. It is estimated that in the year 2010, the total costs arising from traffic accidents amounted to a staggering US$1.855 billion. This is equivalent to more than 3% of the world GDP. It is also estimated that the low and middle income countries experience losses of up to 5% of their GDP from losses arising from the traffic accidents. Many of these accidents involve pedestrians and cyclists. In response to this, the megacities have put in place traffic control and speed controls. They have also put in place barriers such as concrete and metal barriers to protect the cyclists and other pedestrians. There has also been a training and awareness drive. This is intended to train them on the road safety. This is in line with the reduction of the cases of road accidents that occur. Another aspect that is being fostered is the wearing of helmets by the riders. They are also educated on the importance of wearing reflector jackets this is because they aid in the spotting of the risers especially in the dark and hence reduce the accidents that are caused by the lack of vision of the riders. In India for example, there are more than 110,000 reported road deaths annually. On the other side of the continent, China records87000 deaths annually from road accidents. This has been blamed on the lack of knowledge by the people involved. In this case, they are the drivers, the pedestrians, the local authorities. The continued cooperation of the two will help in seeing to it that the number of the accidents is reduced. Institutions and organizational structure The challenges of urban transport are not only experienced in the developing countries but also in the developed countries. In megacities across the world, transport authorities need to ensure that there exists adequate synergy between the different sectors of the economy. They should also monitor the plans that have been developed for the transport sector. After developing the plan, they should then evaluate its success and later adapt it according to the changing needs of the city. There is also required the cooperation of all the stakeholders. They include the public, private operators and local authorities. This is necessary so as to deliver equal access opportunities, service levels and economic benefits to all the parties to this. The main problem that affects the transport sector in the megacities that are in the developing world is the focus that they have on the short term impact, prestigious or highly profitable projects. Major impact on national and urban policies in many cities and megacities of the developing world. The increasing involvement of international corporations to the building and maintenance of infrastructure and the type of infrastructure that has been built has weakened the economies of developing countries and marginalised even further the poor who have limited capacity to respond to such interventions. Mega infrastructure projects for megacities have traditionally lacked a multimodal planning approach, favoured private cars and dislocated or separated poor communities that live in the regions. Urban transport infrastructure financing Increase in the demand for transport is caused by the population increases that is the trend in the megacities. This in turn calls for the improvement of the transport infrastructure that is in place. This is due to the need for mass transit and in order to have in place good demand management practices. The need for new infrastructure on its part results to the need for the financing of the projects. City governments on their part embark on small and medium scale infrastructure projects. On the other hand, the central government controls the large scale infrastructure projects. This hence calls for adequate financing of the projects as they require massive resources to be used up in their completion.in a bid to foster the levels of investments, the public authorities have sought to involve the private sector in the creation of new infrastructure. This is in a bid to control the costs that are incurred. The private finance can be raised through several ways. They include private finance loans, green bonds and carbon finance. The financing that is received for large projects comes from the international financial institutions. As such, the commitment by the eight MDBs and MFIs (African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter‐American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, World Bank) to invest $175 billion in sustainable transportation systems over the coming decade provides an opportunity to move forward on the pressing issues currently facing the transport sector. It is a key indicator of shifting priorities, as they consider the long term impacts of climate change and recognise the public health, environmental, and economic benefits and inclusiveness of sustainable transport. Health Malpractices that are in the transport industry such as the intensive use of private motorised transport have much and far reaching impacts on public health. The most vast impact or ill is air pollution. There are also increased cases of noise pollution. There are also lower activity levels. Some of the health complications that arise from pollution include cardiovascular complications and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases that are caused by air pollution. It is estimated that air pollution amounts to over 5% of the GDP of developing countries and 2% of the GDP of developed countries. Air pollution also results to the creation of heat waves that result to the loss of lives of people There is a scope for synergies between efforts to improve urban transport related problems such as congestion, and public health. Transport, as well as urban planning, affect energy consumption and associated emissions through shaping land use, modal share and the extent of the urban heat island effect. In addition, there is scope for actions at the individual, or at the municipal or national level, which have the capacity to simultaneously enhance heath, reduce consumption, and provide economic benefits. Climate change This is one of the major global challenges. The main contributors are the greenhouse gases. They are the leading causes of global warming. This is due to the destruction that they cause to the ozone layer. Close to 40% of the overall transport emissions are generated in cities. This is through a combination of all means of transport. They are passenger transport, freight transport, commercial transport, aviation and maritime transport. All transport sectors are experiencing expansion and there is a general trend that the modes which are experiencing the most growth are also the most polluting. Aviation and motor cars are increasingly the favoured modes for passenger transport, but are also significantly the most damaging. The case is similar for freight where again aviation and road freight are both the sectors with the biggest growth and highest CO2 emissions. Social exclusion Social exclusion is the process of the denying of equal opportunities for some people. This is a trend that is common not only in the developing countries but also in the developed countries. The most vulnerable groups are the urban poor, the aging population, the women and the people with disabilities. The most common type of exclusion is the unequal distribution of access opportunities to employment. Economic and time based exclusion refer to the failure of the transport systems to enable employed or unemployed individuals to access the labour markets that match their professional skills. Many transport planning authorities have recognised the fact that accessible transport is not only related to vehicles and stations. Pedestrian infrastructure throughout the cities should be focused on facilitating the movement of people with disabilities. Unobstructed and well maintained footways are a key element of accessible city. Additional features such as tactile paving and detectable warnings assisting pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired are often installed in indoor or outdoor pedestrian spaces. Human dimension of cities The creation of a sustainable human dimension in transport planning results to the improvement in the sustenance and the quality of life and culture of cities. In many cities, the human dimension has been neglected as street space is primarily allocated to automobile movement. On the other hand, low densities are accompanied by poor connectivity of streets in suburban areas that limits the opportunities for social interaction. However, there is an increasing concern for the human dimension of city and transport planning that reflects a distinct and strong demand for better urban quality. Conclusion and recommendations In conclusion, some strategies need to be put in place in order to see to it that the transport sector is well managed. In the area of the transport network and land use planning, they should ensure that the transport infrastructure does not cause any fragmentation of the urban environment. In the area of mode availability and shares, they should foster the use of non-motorised transport such as cycling and walking. In the area of institutional and organizational structure, there should be the promotion of central management and planning operations. There should also be a clear definition of the role of the private sector. In the freight and servicing area, there should be the examination of the local needs of the people. There should also be the enhancement of international freight links. In the planning phase, there should be transparency in the whole process. The drivers and other road users should be well trained so as to ensure road safety. A plan for resilience should also be developed in order to deal with the issue on climate change. So as to reduce the cases of pollution by the vehicles, there should be a ban imposed on the import of old vehicles. The infrastructure that is also in place should also be made in a way that it is accessible to all the people including those with disabilities. There should also be frameworks developed to support the human participation in the activities and also plan for small scale activities. References Cervero, R., & Golub, A. (2007). Informal transport: A global perspective. Transport Policy, 14(6), 445- 457. Cervero, R. (2013). Linking urban transport and land use in developing countries. Journal of Transport and Land Use, 6(1), 7-24. Campbell-Lendrum, D., & Corvalán, C. (2007). Climate change and developing-country cities: implications for environmental health and equity. Journal of Urban Health, 84(1), 109-117. Wright, L., & Fulton, L. (2005). Climate change mitigation and transport in developing nations. Transport Reviews, 25(6), 691-717. Dargay, J., Gately, D., & Sommer, M. (2007). Vehicle ownership and income growth, worldwide: 1960- 2030. The Energy Journal, 143-170. Rode, P., Floater, G., Thomopoulos, N., Docherty, J., Schwinger, P., Mahendra, A., & Fang, W. (2014). Accessibility in cities: transport and urban form. Kutzbach, M. (2010).Megacities and megatraffic. ACCESS Magazine, 1(37). Somuyiwa, A. O. (2010). Impact of freight flows on city logistics in a megacity of a developing economy. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 3(2), 029-034. Banister, D. (2011). Cities, mobility and climate change. Journal of Transport Geography, 19(6), 1538- 1546. Gurjar, B. R., Jain, A., Sharma, A., Agarwal, A., Gupta, P., Nagpure, A. S., & Lelieveld, J. (2010). Human health risks in megacities due to air pollution. Atmospheric Environment, 44(36), 4606-4613. Pettersson, P., & Schmöcker, J. D. (2010). Active ageing in developing countries?–trip generation and tour complexity of older people in Metro Manila. Journal of Transport Geography, 18(5), 613-623. Banister, D. (2008).The sustainable mobility paradigm. Transport policy, 15(2), 73-80. Geurs, K. T., & Van Wee, B. (2004). Accessibility evaluation of land-use and transport strategies: review and research directions. Journal of Transport geography, 12(2), 127-140. Newman, P. W., & Kenworthy, J. R. (1996). The land use—transport connection: An overview. Land use policy, 13(1), 1-22. Schubel, J. R., & Levi, C. (2000).The Emergence of Megacities. Medicine & Global Survival, 6(2), 107. Martens, K. (2012). Justice in transport as justice in accessibility: applying Walzer’s ‘Spheres of Justice’to the transport sector. Transportation, 39(6), 1035-1053. Preston, J., & Rajé, F. (2007).Accessibility, mobility and transport-related social exclusion. Journal of Transport Geography, 15(3), 151-160. United Nations.Department of Economic and Social Affairs.Population Division. (2014a). World urbanization prospects: The 2014 revision. UN. World Health Organization. (2002). Active ageing: A policy framework. Huriot, J. M., & Bourdeau-Lepage, L. (2006). Megacities Vs Global Cities: Development and Institutions. In ERSA conference papers (No. ersa06p894).European Regional Science Association. Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities 176 Morichi, S. (2005).Long-term strategy for transport system in Asian megacities. Journal of the Eastern Asia society for transportation studies, 6, 1-22. Chapman, L. (2007). Transport and climate change: a review. Journal of transport geography, 15(5), 354-367. Hess, D. B., & Lombardi, P. A. (2004). Policy support for and barriers to transit-oriented development in the inner city: Literature review. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1887(1), 26-33. Kunzmann, K. R. (2004). Culture, creativity and spatial planning. Town planning review, 75(4), 383- 404. Shirazi, S. A., & Kazmi, S. J. H. (2014).Analyzis of Population Growth and Urban Development in LahorePakistan using Geospatial Techniques: Suggesting some future Options. South Asian Studies, 29, 1. Knowles, R. D. (2012). Transit oriented development in Copenhagen, Denmark: from the finger plan to Ørestad. Journal of Transport Geography, 22, 251-261. Duarte, F., & Rojas, F. (2012). Intermodal connectivity to BRT: a comparative analyzis of Bogotá and Curitiba. Journal of Public Transportation, 15(2), 1-18. Duarte, F., & Ultramari, C. (2011). Making public transport and housing match: Accomplishments and failures of Curitiba’s BRT. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 138(2), 183-194. Rabinovitch, J. (1992). Curitiba: towards sustainable urban development. Environment and Urbanization, 4(2), 62-73. Browne, M., Allen, J., Nemoto, T., Patier, D., & Visser, J. (2012).Reducing social and environmental impacts of urban freight transport: A review of some major cities. Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences, 39, 19-33. United Nations.(2013). Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of Urban Prosperity. Nariobi: UN Habitat. Kenworthy, J. R. (2006). The eco-city: ten key transport and planning dimensions for sustainable city development. Environment and urbanization, 18(1), 67-85. Burningham, S., & Stankevich, N. (2005). Why road maintenance is important and how to get it done. Schwanen, T., Banister, D., & Anable, J. (2011). Scientific research about climate change mitigation in transport: A critical review. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 45(10), 993-1006 Read More

As a result of this, there is the development of practical recommendations to overcome these obstacles. This has been done through the creation and the development of a framework for policy actions to be implemented by the authorities of the megacities. Background to the study undertaken The study has taken into account desk research of the various global megacities. As such, it examines the typical issues and other issues that are experienced by the people in the megacities in relation to transport industry.

It also seeks to understand the various freight and servicing issues that are pertinent in the megacities. The review also examines the key strategies and other policies that the cities have applied to solve some of the key problems and challenges. Some of the strategies that have been included in the study include transit oriented development, smart growth policies, organization and operation of public transport systems, investment policies in urban transport, traffic management policies, travel demand management, intelligent transportation system applications, strengthening traffic enforcement, building urban transport institutions, affordability of urban transport services and the financing policy.

In summary, this study entails the development of knowledge on some issues in the field. Global trends in the megacities is one of the issues that have been highlighted in the study. The study also entails the analysis of the worldwide megacities transport problems, solutions to them and the critical success factors. CURRENT STATE IN THE OIC MEMBER STATES Introduction The population of the world has over the years been on the rise. The change has been significant in the urban population. It is reported that in the year 1900, only 10% of the world population lived in cities.

Over a hundred years later, in the year 2007, it was indicated that more than 50% of the population of the world resided in urban areas. It is also estimated that in middle of the century, more than three quarters of the population of the world will be living in the urban areas and cities. Definition of a megacity A megacity can be simply defined as a city that has a population exceeding 10 million people. Currently, there are 28 megacities in the world. They range and are from all the corners of the world.

However, the highest number is in the middle and Far East region of the world. China for example has six megacities in the list. India on the other hand has three cities on the list of megacities. The trends and the numbers of the people in the cities is expected to rise by the end of the first third of the century. There are several similar aspects in the compositions of the megacities. These are in the traffic issues and the congestions that are present in the cities. All cities have common transportation problems and difficulties.

They all arise as a result of the high populations in the cities. Overview of megacity transport Seven cities in this list of megacities in the world are in the OIC. They are namely Lagos, Cairo, Dhaka, Karachi, Istanbul, Jakarta and Tehran. According to the current population growth rates of the cities, they are expected to rise in the rank. The geographic location of the cities influences cities does not only influence their societal characteristics but also their governance and best practice sharing.

Although cities are beginning to build larger networks and share information using information communication technologies, it is still more likely that cities that are closer geographically will seek advice and borrow practices and policies from each other. In addition, these elements shared between countries may not necessarily be considered practice, with informal transport being a prominent example of shared practices (with minibuses prevailing in Africa and tricycles in South Asia). The three selected case studies (Dakar for Africa, Cairo for the Arab World, and Jakarta for Asia) will reveal these differences and similarities between cities that belong to these three regions of the Islamic world.

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