Sustainable, affordable urban setting: Government, UN-Habitat rally stakeholders
THE government, in partnership with UN-Habitat, has stepped up efforts to ensure citizens across the country have access to safe, affordable and adequate housing as the population grows and urban centres expand.
The joint call was made at the high-level dialogue event here yesterday, held to mark World Habitat Day under the national and global theme "Adequate housing for all."
Dr Leonard Akwilapo, the Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development minister said adequate housing goes beyond physical shelter, demanding planned land, essential infrastructure, security of tenure, environmental safety and access to economic opportunities.
The government is reviewing the national human settlements development policy of 2000 so that it better reflects today's urban planning and housing demands, he said.
Outlining priorities for the next five years, he pointed at speeding up land titling, formalising unplanned settlements and creating an enabling environment for private-sector investment in affordable housing.
Ongoing investment in urban infrastructure such as the bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Dar es Salaam and the Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTIC) project. These initiatives are intended to create sustainable, resilient cities in line with Vision 2050, the new urban agenda and sustainable development goal 11.
Local authorities need to prepare early for hazards linked to El Niño rains, particularly urban flooding as safe construction, environmental management and early planning are vital to protecting communities, he stated
Delivering housing is a shared national responsibility that requires coordinated action between the government, financial institutions, research bodies, development partners and civil society, he affirmed.
Grace Lubaale, the UN-Habitat country representative, described World Habitat Day as the launch of Urban October, a month of reflection on sustainable urbanisation that ends with World Cities Day on 31st October. This year's theme is "Regenerating the city: Adequate housing for all."
She highlighted the need for integrated urban mobility, circular-economy approaches to waste management along with climate-resilient water and sanitation infrastructure. Ongoing projects in Kigoma and the Lake Tanganyika Basin are models for reducing risk, she said.
UN-Habitat's 2026-2030 country programme strategy for Tanzania focuses on land management, informal settlement upgrading, climate resilience and institutional data capabilities to attract public and private investment, she said.
UN-Habitat is committed to supporting Tanzania's goal of building inclusive, resilient human settlements where dignified housing and essential services are accessible to all, she added.
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