The Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, will lead the South African delegation to the UN-Habitat Assembly scheduled from the 29th to the 30th of May 2020 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The delegation will include Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Dickson Masemola, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Kenya, H.E. Mr Mninwa Mahlangu, Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Cllr Zandile Myeni, representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), Mr Xolani Sotashe and Jongizizwe Dlabathi and Director-General for the Department of Human Settlements, Dr. Alec Moemi.
The Second Session of the Assembly was held in Nairobi from 5-9 June 2023. During the 2023 session, the Assembly resolved to adjourn its Second Regular Session and to resume the session for two days, on 29 and 30 May 2025, to align the planning cycle of UN-Habitat with the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for the development of the United Nations system and to adopt the international guidelines on people-centred smart cities.
The adjourned 2023 session adopted several outcomes, which included a resolution sponsored by South Africa on Accelerating the Transformation of Informal Settlements and Slums by 2030; and other resolutions and decisions on issues such as enhancing the interlinkages between urbanisation and climate change resilience; adequate housing for all; urban planning and sustainable infrastructure; and creation of a human settlements resilience framework for early warning, foresight, risk reduction, crisis response, and post-crisis recovery and reconstruction.
Established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2018, the UN-Habitat Assembly is a universal body composed of the 193 member states of the United Nations and convenes every four years. Minister Simelane will participate in a panel discussion that will seek to respond to a question on how Member States can contribute to support UN-Habitat to implement the resolution on Adequate Housing for All and the new UN-Habitat Strategic Plan for the period 2026-2029 to accelerate the delivery of adequate housing for all.
The Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the UN-Habitat Executive Director, Ms. Anaclaudia Rossbach, the Director of Cities Alliance, Dr Greg Munroand heads of delegation from various UN member states. These engagements aim to reinforce international cooperation on housing and human settlements development, in alignment with South Africa’s human settlements policy objectives and global development goals.
Enquiries:
Tsekiso Machike
Spokesperson to the Minister
Cell: 077 410 5050
E-mail: Tsekiso.machike@dhs.gov.za
