Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi successfully concluded her visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, pleased with the significant progress Team South Africa made at the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12) conference.
The conference, themed “It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities,” served as a dynamic platform to address urban development challenges.
As the leader of the high-level South African delegation in Cairo, Minister Kubayi played a crucial role in advancing sustainable urban development solutions.
The WUF was established by the United Nations in 2001 to address the challenges of rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and policies.
Convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Conference provided a high-level, open, and inclusive platform for stakeholders to discuss sustainable urbanization issues.
Hosted by Member States on a rotational basis every two years, the Conference fosters collaborative problem solving and knowledge sharing among nations, promoting cooperation and innovation in addressing urban development challenges.
Key milestones achieved by South Africa at WUF12 include the Cabinet-approved signing of an agreement with the UN-Habitat to establish their country office in South Africa.
This development enables South Africa and the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) region to tap into the office’s technical expertise and network.
The country office’s programme structure addresses critical human settlements priority areas, including adequate housing, transforming informal settlements, integrated planning, climate change mitigation, safety, social inclusion, and urban financing.
Other significant milestones recorded by South Africa at the conference include the country initiated inaugural SADC meeting of ministers responsible for Human Settlements, held on the sidelines of the conference.
This historic meeting paves the way for collective development of a regional strategy to accelerate the transformation of informal settlements and slums, in partnership with the UN-Habitat.
The conference also provided South Africa with the opportunity to champion the Global Action Plan, a critical initiative seeking to transform informal settlements and slums worldwide.
Team South Africa delegation, led by Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, achieved another significant milestone through their active participation in various sessions at the WUF12.
This opportunity enabled South Africa to leverage global best practices shared by fellow delegates, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration. Furthermore, the country displayed its own experiences, contributing valuable insights to the global conversation on sustainable urbanization.
Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi also held several bilateral meetings at the conference, including with her Arab Republic of Egypt counterpart, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, Eng. Sherif El Sherbini where they shared ideas in the provision of human settlements and challenges.
Flowing from the meeting, Minister Kubayi seized the opportunity to tour Egypt’s New Administrative Capital (NAC) in Cairo, a flagship project under Egypt’s visionary plan, Egypt Vision 2030.
This ambitious initiative aims to achieve sustainable development, improve human settlements in Egypt, and serve as a model for other nations.
The NAC’s swift development and positive impact on Egypt’s human settlements make it an inspiring case study.
The Minister also met with Habitat for Humanity, securing a commitment to support South Africa’s informal settlements upgrade programme and provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters and national emergencies.
A notable meeting also took place with ministers and secretaries from India, Brazil responsible for Housing and Urban Development.
Discussions centred around shared concerns and best practices in transforming informal settlements and slums in their respective areas.
South African delegation to the WUF12 was a representation of the country’s commitment to sustainable urban development.
The team consisted of officials from all three spheres of government, including national, provincial, and local authorities.
Additionally, members from Human Settlements entities, Members of Executive Councils (MECs) responsible for Human Settlements, and representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) were also part of the delegation.
Mayors and Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) for Human Settlements further strengthened the team’s expertise.