National and local processes aim for maximum inclusiveness and participation. The selection of partners and the criteria for specific interventions at the country and city level are guided by the guiding principles which are in line with the UN-HABITAT MTSIP and MDG mandates, which contribute to sustainable urban development and the eradication of poverty. Existing and active local urban knowledge arenas will be given priority.

Linkages will other Local Urban Knowledge Arenas (LUKAs) in the region will be promoted through city-to-city networking (regional workshops, meetings and other means of acting as resources to others). This will be coordinated through the UN-HABITAT regional offices and will operate as an information/knowledge sharing interaction for good practices, tools, regional dialogues particularly on upstream-downstream environmental concerns.

SUD-Net will therefore establish linkages with global, regional and local urban knowledge arenas (LUKAs) as a response towards creating and promoting a co-ordination mechanism that will ensure that critical urban development issues are dealt with effectively through participatory processes.