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The Zambian government has invited investors, cooperating partners, and financiers to partner through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in a countrywide initiative aimed at upgrading unplanned urban settlements.
The invitation was made by Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary (Administration) Dr. Gabriel Pollen during Zambia’s participation at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku City, Azerbaijan.
Pollen highlighted that the government was leveraging multi-level partnerships to promote sustainable development initiatives focused on transforming underserved areas into sustainable, and well-serviced municipal communities.
He said innovative financing and collaborative ventures were essential to meeting the nation’s housing targets and upgrading informal settlements, particularly in urban cities.
“The current national housing deficit of 1.5 million units, is projected to double to 3 million by 2030,” Pollen said.
He highlighted that Zambia’s unprecedented rapid urbanization has created an immediate demand for safe, adequate, and sustainable human settlements across both urban centers and rural communities.
Pollen underscored that the country’s regulatory frameworks, and stable political climate presented an ideal environment for sustainable capital deployment, citing investment in large-scale housing unit construction.
He indicated that plans were underway to promote access to affordable housing and municipal services, and that these would be implemented in direct coordination with the country’s 116 Local Authorities to decisively close Zambia’s widening service deficit.
“Our goal is not just to build houses, but to integrate them into well-serviced municipal networks that elevate the standard of living for our citizens, particularly in underserved urban communities,” he stated.
Pollen said that Local Authorities stood equipped, and ready to facilitate land allocation, and localized infrastructure integration for any investor prepared to partner in the housing units initiative, and other projects.
He reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to the United Nations’ New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 11, which advocated inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements.
The Permanent Secretary was speaking when he led a panel discussion on “Transformative Partnerships for Resilience: Community-Led Planning, Enabling Affordable Housing and WASH for SDG Delivery.”
Jointly organised by the UN-Habitat and the Republic of Azerbaijan, WUF13 gathered Ministers, policymakers, urban planners, investors, advocates, and business leaders to confront one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the global housing crisis.
With nearly three billion people globally lacking access to affordable shelter, this year’s theme, “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” centers on transforming housing into a primary driver of inclusion, resilience, and sustainable development.
The Zambian delegation, led by Pollen, comprised officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, National Assembly of Zambia, National Council for Construction, National Housing Authority, and Housing Financing Institutions.
The delegation joined international dialogues focused on resolving the global housing crisis, building climate resilience, and establishing scalable models for sustainable development.
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