Story by Stanley James, Business Editor
VICE President General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga says Zimbabwe stands ready to work with the international community in promoting sustainable modern housing systems to address urbanisation challenges as the country participates at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) underway in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Vice President General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, representing President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, addressed the Leaders’ Summit at the high-level global gathering this Monday, where thousands of delegates discussed strategies to tackle rapid urbanisation and housing challenges affecting communities worldwide.
“The participation of Heads of State and Government at this 13th World Urban Forum, including Zimbabwe, where I was delegated by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency President Mnangagwa, demonstrates the elevation and prioritisation of the global discourse on sustainable urban development, as guided by the theme, Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.
“The Forum should foster global collaboration and strengthen political commitment and practical strategies to address the global housing crisis, including informal settlements and homelessness affecting nearly three billion people worldwide. The Summit offers Zimbabwe a strategic opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the global development agenda, especially Sustainable Development Goal 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030.”
The Vice President also outlined Zimbabwe’s infrastructure roadmap anchored on global standards.
“Zimbabwe emphasises transforming urban spaces into ‘engines of economic growth, innovation, and social inclusion’ with expectations that the Summit will deliver practical strategies to turn urbanisation into drivers of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Zimbabwe is aware that Government alone cannot meet the housing demand due to competing priorities and limited resources, and therefore highlights the role of the private sector in financing, construction and innovation through Public Private Partnerships to accelerate housing delivery and infrastructure development.
“Initially, Zimbabwe faced a deficit of approximately one million five hundred thousand housing units. The deficit was reduced by one million housing units that were delivered during the period 2020 to 202. In the second phase, 2026 to 2039, we are targeting another one million units, in full acknowledgement that the deficit is a moving target.”
The World Urban Forum is a global premier conference formed by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2001 to examine the most pressing issues the world is facing today, which include rapid urbanisation and its impact on cities, communities, economies, climate change and policy formulation.
