UN-Habitat Reaffirms Support for Cameroon’s Urban Development and Smart Cities Agenda
Cameroon’s efforts to address rapid urbanization and improve access to adequate housing have received renewed support from UN-Habitat. This was one of the key takeaways from discussions between the Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Anacláudia Rossbach. Speaking […]
Speaking after the meeting, Rossbach said discussions focused on the growing challenges of urbanization in Cameroon and across Africa, stressing the need for proper urban planning, housing policies and improved access to basic services.
She noted that while access to adequate housing remains a challenge due to growing demand and high costs, the housing sector can also serve as a strong driver of economic growth through job creation and its extensive value chain.
Rossbach also highlighted Cameroon’s potential in locally produced building materials, traditional construction knowledge and technology. She said the recently launched National Action Plan for Smart Cities will help authorities better understand urbanization trends and respond more effectively to the needs of citizens.
The UN-Habitat Executive Director reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting Cameroon through expertise and global experience in addressing urban development challenges.
On the National Action Plan for Smart Cities, Rossbach explained that UN-Habitat provided technical support and guidance to help local authorities make better use of digital technologies, data and artificial intelligence to improve urban mobility, housing and access to basic services.
She described the launch of the action plan as a significant step forward and commended the initiative led by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Célestine Ketcha Courtes.
Rossbach further noted that the launch comes ahead of activities marking World Habitat Day, which will provide an opportunity to assess the country’s housing situation and explore future areas of cooperation.
As her first visit to Cameroon came to an end, Rossbach expressed gratitude for the collaboration between the country and UN-Habitat, reaffirming the agency’s readiness to continue supporting efforts to improve housing, strengthen urban development and build sustainable communities.
Egoh Yvonne (Intern)