Résumé 0

We are currently witnessing the settlement of the world's peri-urban areas by hundreds of millions of people. This development poses formidable problems and unprecedented difficulties for public policies. While the effects of peri-urbanization are relatively well known in the countries of the North, analyses dedicated to the countries of the South are much less developed. The book "Territoires périurbains: développement, enjeux et perspectives dans les pays du Sud" (Peri-urban territories: development, issues and perspectives in the South) lifts the veil on this issue and on the major challenges that peri-urbanization poses for the South in general and for Central Africa in particular. The book begins by seeking to clarify what exactly is meant by "peri-urban territory". Following this contextualization, it continues with five parts organized around the issues of natural resources, food security, public health, public services and land use planning. For each of these issues, specialized researchers from a variety of disciplines make contributions that, while highlighting the magnitude of the challenges, allow for the development of innovative solutions to improve governance and the well-being of populations. This book is primarily intended for researchers concerned with the challenges of development. At the same time, through the avenues for public action that it outlines, it will also be of interest to decision-makers and practitioners who operate in the context of peri-urban territories in the South.