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Zambia and Rwanda have signed an agreement on technical cooperation on provision of mass affordable and decent housing across the country.
The agreement would support raising awareness on important housing development issues through collaboration in hosting national housing fora and similar events.
The events would be aimed at promoting decent housing, settlement improvement, social-economic development, employment creation, climate resilience and sustainable communities.
Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Minister. Charles Milupi, signed on behalf of Zambia while Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure, Dr Jimmy Gasore, signed on behalf of his country in Lusaka on Friday.
“The agreement is informed by the goodwill that both governments have demonstrated in uplifting the living standards of their peoples, especially in the areas of informal settlement upgrading and mass affordable housing ,” Milupi said.
He added that the Ministry had taken keen interest in the resolute efforts and innovative interventions by the Rwandese government which had been providing mass affordable housing and undertaking informal settlement upgrading.
“Zambia through the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development will be holding its first National Housing Forum on June 20 to June 21, 2024,” Milupi disclosed.
Earlier, Gasore said the bilateral engagements focused on cooperation activities in the housing sector for the purpose improving human settlements through the delivery of mass social, affordable, decent and green housing to address the housing deficit.
He noted that this was a challenge across the african continent and that it was through joint efforts and partnerships like these that african countries can afford to address this basic need and human right.
“Technical skills, knowledge sharing and exchange could be one of the platforms geared towards mobilising cheap housing finance to cater for the entire housing value chain, the housing gap will continue to prevail,” Gasore said.
He noted that Zambia’s professional bodies in the building environment especially that of institution of engineers had been in existence for over 50 years and had extensive operation experience, knowledge and skills that Rwandan engineers could mutually benefit from.
Gasore said Rwanda had a critical skill gap in areas like sanitation engineering and services hence the need for collaboration on this front.
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