Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, James Macharia, urged urban sector stakeholders to collaborate on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which promotes sustainable urbanisation
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, James Macharia, urged urban sector stakeholders to collaborate on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which promotes sustainable urbanisation.
He spoke to participants at the National Urban Forum (NUF) on January 15-16, 2018, asking stakeholders of county governments, civil society, academia and the private sector to support sustainable urbanisation by fulfilling specific roles as identified in the New Urban Agenda.
In order to cement Kenya’s position ahead of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in February 2018, Macharia asked national stakeholders to work with UN-Habitat to receive the technical assistance required to support sustainable development across Kenya.
In response, the UN-Habitat Regional Director for Africa, Naison Mutizwa-Mangiza, invited all WUF participants present at the NUF to attend the launch of the HCPD 2018-2021, to be held during the Kenya Side Event at the WUF.
The UN-Habitat Country Programme Document (HCPD 2018-2021) outlines the main objectives and priorities for UN-Habitat, in collaboration with the Kenyan government and other UN agencies, to promote the New Habitat Agenda: ensuring the sustainability of urban growth and equitable development.
In addition to the Cabinet Secretary’s statement, the Chairperson of the Council of Governors’ Committee on Housing, Lands and Urban Development, Ferdinand Waititu, further urged counties in Kenya to promote sustainable housing initiatives and guidelines for development control.
He stressed these would be essential in realising sustainable urbanisation, adding that counties would lead the way for investment and economic growth.
In his address, Macharia said: “As the host country of UN-Habitat, Kenya should be a pacesetter in promoting sustainable urbanization.
“The UN-Habitat Country Programme Document for Kenya (HCPD 2018-2021), prepared in collaboration with the government, will guide the implementation of UN-Habitat country level activities.”