Urban-rural linkages/exchanges: A spatial framework for regional development A case of Tigray, Ethiopia

This dissertation investigates the dynamics of Urban-Rural Linkages and Exchanges (URL/E) as a framework for sustainable regional spatial planning, with a particular focus on the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The study addresses the historical imbalance between Tigray’s urban centres and its fragmented rural settlements, revealing critical weaknesses in connectivity, service delivery, and resource distribution. These gaps have been exacerbated by recent conflict, displacement, and environmental shocks, calling for urgent spatial and institutional transformation. Guided by four research questions, the study evaluates the structure, morphology, and performance of urban and rural settlement systems; the functionality of service delivery and transport frameworks; population-resource balances; and the applicability of international planning models. A combination of geospatial analysis, physical-value interaction matrices, network and cluster models, and qualitative field insights are employed to analyse inter- and intra-regional inequalities, migration dynamics, and development potentials. To better conceptualize and analyze these linkages, the matrix cross-tabulates methodologies (e.g., network analysis, spatial interaction models, typological classification) with topical issues (e.g., service delivery, energy access, climate vulnerability, etc.,), enables a grounded, multi-scalar understanding of both physical and value interactions. The research proposes a multi-scalar spatial planning framework that reinforces the role of small and intermediate towns, enhances urban-rural connectivity, and promotes climate-resilient, inclusive development. Sub-regional typologies and priority zones are delineated based on functional clustering and accessibility metrics. Policy scenarios and model-based strategies are articulated to guide post-conflict recovery, institutional coordination, and long-term sustainability. The dissertation contributes both theoretically and methodologically to regional planning scholarship by integrating spatial analytics, social-ecological systems thinking, and multi-model synthesis. Its findings offer actionable insights for the reconstruction and balanced development of the Tigray region, with broader relevance for post-conflict and climate- vulnerable territories across the Global South.