Urban centres have existed and have been evolving for many centuries across the world. However, the accelerated growth of urbanisation is a relatively recent phenomenon. The enormous size of urban populations and more significantly, the rapidity with which urban areas have been and are growing in many developing countries have severe social, economic and physical repercussions. This paper argues that the accelerated growth of urbanisation has amplified the demand for key services. However, the provision of shelter and basic services such as water and sanitation, education, public health, employment and transport has not kept pace with this increasing demand. Furthermore, accelerated and poorly managed urbanisation has resulted in various types of atmospheric, land and water pollution thereby jeopardising human security. This paper offers the conclusion that the increased environmental, social and economic problems associated with rapid urbanisation pose a threat to sustainable development, human security and, crucially, peace. stability

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The 21st century witnessed a wave of uprisings code-named the Arab Spring that resulted in the fall of Ben Ali, Gaddafi, and Mubarak. Indeed, the ‘mother’ of the Arab Spring was in Syria where efforts to oust Assad claimed an enormous but predictable toll on human lives and immeasurable infrastructural obliteration. The United States and Russia gathered considerable allies behind them to fight for regional dominance in a Cold War style. This article argues that, in spite of pitting superpowers, the Syrian conflict deeply divided the Arab World with no solution in sight. The article further notes that, while serious damage was done to the country, peace-making in Syria needed a compromise to be struck by Moscow and Washington, considering their active role in the conflict. The conflict further deepened sectarian violence in the region as the conflict spread to Syria’s neighbors, such as Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey.

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