UN-Habitat opens South Africa office to strengthen housing drive

UN-Habitat, established in 1975, works with countries and cities through policy advice, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and partnerships aimed at improving urban development and living conditions.

South Africa's efforts to create safer, more inclusive and sustainable communities have gained fresh support with the opening of a dedicated UN-Habitat Country Office, giving government and its development partners a permanent platform for deeper cooperation on housing, informal settlements and urban development.

Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach officially launched the office in the City of Tshwane, Gauteng, on Friday, building on years of cooperation between South Africa and the United Nations agency responsible for promoting sustainable cities and human settlements.

Simelane said the office would strengthen work already underway to transform human settlements, improve living conditions in informal areas and help cities respond to growing demands for housing and essential services. Its presence is also expected to connect South Africa's human settlements priorities more closely with the broader United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

New office strengthens support for housing priorities

UN-Habitat, established in 1975, works with countries and cities through policy advice, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and partnerships aimed at improving urban development and living conditions.

South Africa's relationship with the agency has included work around adequate housing and the upgrading of informal settlements, areas that remain central to government's attempts to address poverty and spatial inequality.

"With the unwavering support of UN-Habitat, our country stands as a vocal champion for the transformation and upgrading of informal settlements, addressing poverty, ensuring adequate shelter, and delivering essential services to our people," Simelane said.

The new office is expected to make that cooperation more accessible within the country, bringing government departments, municipalities, UN agencies, development partners and other organisations together around practical human settlements programmes.

Country Programme tied to South Africa's development plans

The UN-Habitat Country Programme for South Africa was adopted in September 2023 after consultations with stakeholders across the human settlements sector and is designed to complement existing national development priorities rather than operate as a separate programme.

It aligns with the National Development Plan, including Chapter 8 on transforming human settlements and Chapter 12 on building safer communities. It also supports the Medium-Term Development Plan for 2024-2029, particularly the priority focused on reducing poverty and easing the high cost of living.

Simelane said the programme would provide guidance and additional support for spatial integration, sustainable and resilient settlements and capacity-building within local government, where many of the practical pressures linked to urban growth and service delivery are experienced.

The programme also supports the Comprehensive Plan for the Creation of Sustainable Human Settlements, which focuses on creating adequate living environments while upgrading informal settlements and addressing substandard housing.

Partnership could support wider African urban agenda

The benefits of the partnership are expected to extend beyond South Africa, with Simelane viewing the Country Office as a potential platform for stronger regional cooperation on urbanisation and human settlements.

She said it could contribute to Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want and help develop a consolidated Southern African Development Community agenda for human settlements, addressing what she described as a gap in existing regional development programmes.

Rapid urban growth across African countries has increased pressure on housing, infrastructure, transport and municipal services, making cooperation around urban planning and settlement development increasingly important.

A stronger regional approach could allow countries to exchange lessons, adapt successful programmes to local circumstances and develop responses to challenges shared across Southern African cities and communities.

Years of cooperation lead to permanent presence

The opening follows several years of work towards a more formal UN-Habitat presence in South Africa. In October 2022, the then Human Settlements Minister hosted former UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, with the visit resulting in the adoption of the Global Action Plan on Accelerating the Transformation of Informal Settlements and Slums.

South Africa and UN-Habitat also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda, while discussions at the time included establishing a dedicated Country Office.

The Country Programme will now focus on stronger collaboration, integrated urban interventions, sharing international best practices and developing solutions that reflect South Africa's local realities. Building the capacity of national and local institutions to improve urban management will also form an important part of its work.

Simelane called on stakeholders to use the permanent platform to turn cooperation into better living environments, with the broader goal of creating communities where people have access to safe housing, essential services and opportunities while being treated with dignity.