Urbanisation is an important condition for economic development but must be managed effectively if cities are to realise their potential as engines of national growth. A challenge is often found in aligning policies; while a wide range of national policies affect urban development, they are rarely looked at through an “urban lens”. The OECD Urban Policy Reviews series provides a comprehensive assessment of policies that affect urban areas in a given country. The series follows a consistent methodology across countries, which features cross-national comparisons and recommendations on the integration of sectoral policies into urban development policy, planning and management. This includes analysis of how national spatial planning for urban areas, along with specific sectoral policies, directly and indirectly impact urban development, and how issues of governance (from inter-governmental fiscal relationships to various institutional, fiscal and policy tools) aim at fostering co-ordinated urban development among different levels of government and different administrations at the central level. The series aims to support the New Urban Agenda, the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and other global urban agendas, through effective development and implementation of national urban policies.