Minister Meets African UN Habitat Board, Promises Strategic Leadership

Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development and Chair of the UN-Habitat Executive Board, Ahmed Dangiwa has pledged strategic leadership as he met the Africa Group, consisting of 10 nations, at the inaugural session of the 2024 Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.

The inaugural session of the 2024 Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.”

During the meeting, Dangiwa outlined the key priorities for Nigeria’s leadership of the Executive Board, as identified during the recent Retreat of the Regional Group of African States in Naivasha, Kenya.

These priorities include;

• Promoting increased strategic direction for UN-Habitat by promoting the balance between the organisation’s Mandate, the available global opportunities as well as within the United Nations Wide System and the quest for increased Resources;
• Regular and ongoing caucusing for the benefit of the continent.

Under this, the Minister said; “Nigeria would call for a Ministerial Caucus, and subsidiary technical fora of the Africa Group on Human Settlements in line with the African Union Specialised Technical Committee On Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development And Decentralisation (AU-STC 8).

•  Enhanced global collaboration and engagement.

Dangiwa noted that Nigeria would also be working towards increased global collaboration through engagement both in consultation with Nairobi based delegations and Capitals. This will include engagements with stakeholders from other regions. Nigeria will also be calling for a platform for Ministerial Collaboration of Members of the Executive Board and would be glad to drive the agenda through the Africa Group.

• Strengthened due diligence to maximise benefits and protect the organisation’s mandate.

The Minister noted that Nigeria commits to enhancing due diligence to UN-Habitat activities to ensure that the continent achieves increased benefits for its engagement within UN-Habitat in particular and the UN system in general, as well as to protect the organisation from possible erosion of its mandate.

Furthermore, Dangiwa highlighted additional continental priorities, including the celebration of UN-Habitat’s 50th anniversary, the development of a new strategic plan, and the promotion of African-grown initiatives.

He expressed gratitude to the Chair of the Africa Group, Dr. Vivian Nain Kuma of Cameroon, for convening the meeting, and expressed appreciation to all attending delegations for their commitment to the cause.

Dangiwa emphasised the importance of sustained and purposeful engagement in matters of human settlements, acknowledging the pivotal role played by the Africa Group in advocating for the continent’s interests.

While Speaking, Dr. Vivian Nain Kuma, congratulated Nigeria and the Minister for assuming the position of Chair of UN-Habitat as Africa’s representative.

On behalf of members of the Group, she pledged they would work to support his agenda and ensure the success of his tenure as Chair.

She encouraged the Housing Minister to champion strategic collaboration with the Shelter Afrique Development as part of efforts to raise concessional finance to solve the continent’s housing and urban development challenges.

The meeting featured a presentation by the Managing Director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann, who spoke on the need for strategic collaboration between the institution and UN-Habitat, especially since they share similar objectives and a unique Board leadership under Ahmed  Dangiwa.

He said that such a partnership will help unlock concessional funding necessary to meet the continent’s housing and urban development needs.

Mercy Chukwudiebere