Kenya seeking cheap funds to upgrade housing in urban areas
An aerial view of affordable housing in Ngara, Nairobi in this photo taken on December 25, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Government's move is part of the UN-backed global New Urban Agenda (NUA) programme.
- The global initiative is aimed at steering growth of cities, towns, and informal settlements.
Kenya is seeking more concessional funding to maintain the pace of spending on the upgrade of human settlements and affirmative action in urban areas.
Transport, infrastructure, housing, and urban development Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the State targets to step up investment in transport and infrastructure projects, affordable housing as well as income generation activities among women and youth as part of the UN-backed global New Urban Agenda (NUA) programme.
The global initiative is aimed at steering growth of cities, towns, and informal settlements so that they are sustainable, do not destroy the environment, and protect the rights of the vulnerable.
“I call upon the international community to step up its commitments in advocating and elevating the urban agenda, by integrating it into global agendas and agreements. I also urge development partners to mobilise adequate, predictable, and sufficient concessional financing for the implementation of the new urban agenda,” Mr Macharia said in an address to UN General Assembly high-level meeting to assess the implementation of the new urban agenda on Thursday.
