VULNERABILITES URBAINES ET STRATEGIES DE RESILIENCE COMMUNAUTAIRE DANS LES QUARTIERS INFORMELS : LE CAS DE GESCO A ABIDJAN (COTE DIVOIRE)

This article analyses the resilience strategies developed by residents of the working-class neighbourhood of Gesco, in Abidjan, in response to environmental vulnerabilities, from a sustainable urban development perspective. The research is based on a mixed methodological approach combining documentary analysis and field surveys (direct observation, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires). The survey covered a reasoned sample of 260 heads of households spread across the neighbo urhoods thirteen sectors. The results highlight the high exposure of households to natural hazards, particularly flooding (47%) and erosion (35.71%), sometimes associated with landslides. In addition, 48.96% of households contribute to environmental degradation through the uncont rolled discharge of waste water and solid waste, contributing to the uns anitary conditions of the environment. This situation results in a high prevalence of waterborne diseases, mainly malaria (67.61%), typhoid fever (15.96%) and diarrhoea (14.08%). Faced with these constraints, communities develop mainly informal resilience strategies, such as planting vegetation in at-risk areas and setting up rudimentary flood protection measures. The latter strategy is adopted by 18.98% of house holds. The study highlights the need for integrated urban restructuring and diversification of forms of urbanisation in order to enhance the sustainability and inclusiveness of this marginalised urban area.