The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, has been elected as the inaugural Chairman of the African Housing and Urban Development Ministers Financial Executive Group.
This was made clear on Monday in a statement by Mark Chiesche, the minister’s special assistant on media and strategy.
The decision was taken by the shareholders of Shelter African Development Bank (ShafDB) at its 43rd Annual General Meeting and Symposium held in Kigali, Rwanda from June 11 to 13, 2024.
The African Housing and Urban Development Ministers’ Conference is an initiative proposed by Mr. Dangiwa during his tenure as the 42nd Chairman of the Bank’s Annual General Meeting, and was formally approved and launched during the Annual General Meeting on June 13th.
The caucus aims to provide a collaborative platform for African ministers to share knowledge and develop policies and financing strategies for sustainable and affordable housing solutions.
By leveraging the collective strengths and unique experiences of member countries, the Caucus aims to effectively address Africa’s common housing challenges.
The caucus fosters dialogue and information sharing and promotes best practices in housing policy, regulation, and implementation.
This will help identify common challenges and opportunities in the housing sector, develop effective strategies for collective action, and explore ways to mobilize resources and expertise from international partners, private sector stakeholders, and development organizations.
The caucus will serve as a continental advocacy platform to prioritize housing issues among national governments, bilateral and multilateral institutions, according to Chiesche.
Following his election, Mr Dangiwa expressed enthusiasm for the establishment of the caucus, highlighting its potential to accelerate progress towards inclusive and sustainable housing development in Africa.
“I am thrilled that the shareholders not only considered and approved the establishment of the caucus that I proposed, but also appointed me as its first chair. I am committed to doing my best. By fostering cooperation, fostering innovation, and mobilizing resources, we can transform the continent’s housing environment and significantly improve the quality of life for millions of our citizens.”
Expected outcomes include enhanced collaboration and knowledge exchange leading to innovative housing policies and strategies, and increased investment in affordable housing projects supported by international donors and private sector partnerships.
The caucus is also expected to strengthen institutional capacity and regulatory frameworks to sustainably address housing issues, raise awareness and advocacy on housing issues, and place housing issues as a priority on the regional and international development agenda.
Shelter African Development Bank (ShafDB) is a pan-African housing finance institution with shareholders from 44 African governments, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re).
