Zambia has highlighted the importance of adequate, equitable and affordable access to housing, infrastructure and services for all citizens.
Ministry of Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga said this when he made contributions to the on-going deliberation on the zero draft of the Habitat III outcome document, currently being formulated at UN Headquarters ahead of the Conference in Quito capital city of Ecuador from 17 to 20 October 2016.
Mr. Malupenga said the zero draft should include the issues of access to affordable housing finance to realise housing for all and empowerment of women, youth and the disabled persons.
“Regarding environmental impacts being increasingly concentrated in cities, we wish to state that in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), the environmental impacts are also felt in the rural areas where there is rampant deforestation for energy, triggered by demand from the cities,” Malupenga said. “On the institutions to be included in planning for cities and settlements, traditional leaders should be included as one of the key institutions particularly in LLDCs where they manage rural land which comprises the vast majority of land.”
He called for the inclusion of sustainable utilisation of local resources as a means of ensuring environmental sustainability.
Mr. Malupenga drew the attention of the co-facilitators to include the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, and with specific reference to the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs.
The Permanent Secretary assured of Zambia’s support and commitment to this process leading to the Quito meeting.
United Nations Habitat III Quito Declaration will be adopted during the Habitat III Conference in October 2016. The landmark document will highlight the path to sustainable urban development across the globe, also known as the “New Urban Agenda”.
The New Urban Agenda aims to be a concise, action-oriented, forward-looking, and universal framework of actions for housing and sustainable urban development.
The transformative and ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goal 11 states that goal calls for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
“By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums; by 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons; by 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries,” the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development targets read in part.
Heads of State and Government and High Representatives, as well as their representatives, adopted the Addis Ababa Action Agenda last July, where they affirmed their political commitment to address the challenge of financing and creating an enabling environment at all levels for sustainable development in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity.
Mr. Malupenga, please stop making superfluous statements on affordable housing….you clearly have no clue about what you are talking about Sir. While you go about selling land like bananas to the highest bidders based on the concept of ability to buy rather than on need, do you honestly think and believe come 2030, there will be land available to the majority poor to even erect a mud hut??? You have got to be more serious and intelligent than this guys……
AFTER 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE today you realise the shortage of houses in the country?