By Astrid Haas
Astrid R.N. Haas is an Austrian Ugandan feminist urban economist. Her focus is on embedding gender-responsive planning and policies into municipal finance systems.
She also supports cities to develop strategies and governance systems for financing public infrastructure, services, and climate finance.
She currently chairs the Board at the Mawazo Institute and holds research affiliations with the African Centre for Cities (University of Cape Town), ODI and the African Urban Lab.
Haas says: “As G20 finance ministers gather to discuss sustainable growth and public finance, they must resist the temptation to view relying primarily on attracting private capital as a panacea. While it can and should play a valuable role, particularly when it comes to financing infrastructure, it must be regulated and be subject to public oversight.
“True sustainability means reclaiming the public sector’s role as a strategic planner and protector of the common good, ensuring investment decisions are guided by inclusive development goals, not just investor interests. This is about more than de-risking; it requires a new paradigm rooted in a renewed social contract that prioritises social protection and builds economies that serve all, not just the privileged few.”
Haas’ under-reported topic is:
Global financial reform requires a paradigm shift that places cities at the core, recognising their pivotal role in driving structural transformation.
