Latest news with #UNHabitat
Zawya
11-07-2025
- General
- Zawya
UN-Habitat Jordan holds meeting to review progress of green salt project
AMMAN — UN-Habitat Jordan last week held the first steering committee meeting of the "Green Salt: Public Spaces and Living Heritage for Socio-Economic Development" Project, jointly implemented with UNESCO. The meeting brough together several stakeholders, including the secretary general of the Ministry of Local Administration, mayor of the Greater Salt Municipality, and representatives from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and UNESCO. During the meeting, UN-Habitat and UNESCO teams discussed progress and the upcoming work plan, which focuses on enhancing public spaces and safeguarding Salt's living heritage as foundations for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development, according to a UN-Habitat statement. Secretary General for Technical Affairs at the Ministry of Local Administration Wajdi Dulain praised UN-Habitat's ongoing support for local governance in Jordan. He said: "We are fully committed to creating more resilient and sustainable urban environments and promoting local development through partnerships like this." Head of UN-Habitat Jordan Programme Office Deema Abu Thiab highlighted the project's vision. "This project aims to make Salt more liveable by creating environmentally friendly public spaces for residents and visitors, supporting both local and tourism development," Abu Thiab said. Mayor of Greater Salt Municipality Mohammad Hiary commended the efforts of UN-Habitat, UNESCO and AICS, expressing appreciation for their commitment to enhancing community well-being and increasing green spaces in Salt. 'We are optimistic about the project's outcomes and deeply grateful to the Italian embassy and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for their generous support," Hiary said. UNESCO Representative to Jordan and Head of Office Noha Bawazir stressed the importance of documenting and preserving Salt's intangible cultural heritage, saying: "Intangible heritage is an integral part of the city's identity. Through this project, UNESCO is working to safeguard and promote it as a living element of community life." The Green Salt project, funded by Italy through AICS, is jointly implemented by UN-Habitat and UNESCO Jordan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Local Administration, and the Greater Salt Municipality. This project aims to enhance the socioeconomic well-being of Salt, through the revitalisation of public spaces, according to UN-Habitat. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
The way forward for housing — Nur Fareza Mustapha
JULY 9 — Malaysia, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, has recently won its bid for the presidency of the UN Habitat General Assembly. As Malaysia sits as co-chair for the UN Habitat presidency for the next 2 years (2025-2027), the national housing agenda must take centre stage in our wider discourse on advancing efforts to promote sustainable urbanisation and human settlements. To do this, we must reflect on the current practices of our own housing sector to forge the way forward for ourselves and the world. A house is, first and foremost, a home. Houses are owned or occupied by people, are located within a neighbourhood, and form part of a wider kampung, town or city. Houses fulfil the basic human right for shelter and is 'the basis of stability and security for an individual or family'. Thus, when we talk about housing, it is pertinent that these discussions fundamentally revolve around the needs, values, and priorities of the people and households that live in them. As such, housebuilding practices in our country and the regulatory framework that governs it should be anchored in principles that encourage the pursuit of this goal. This means prioritizing the individual's right to adequate housing, first through the provision of secure tenure, regardless of your status as a renter or homeowner. As our country designs its first Rental Tenancy Act, the provisions under this act must provide the grounds to present renting as a viable option to meet one's housing needs, not as an inferior alternative to homeownership. Renters must be given adequate protection under the law against forced evictions, discriminatory rental practices, and substandard housing quality. More importantly, the narrow interpretation of what 'adequate housing' means for our country has relegated many of our policy interventions thus far to simply prioritize putting a roof over someone's head without accounting for the suitability or liveability of the housing unit. While issues on housing quality are more pervasive within the social housing sector, the current policy focus on improving housing affordability has been pursued at the expense of maintaining liveable standards for households and communities. This strategy overlooks the fundamental need of individuals and families to access decent housing. Similarly, debates surrounding the recent announcement over the proposed Urban Renewal Act highlight the need to centre the discourse on when and why redevelopment is needed and how to do so equitably. Urban renewal initiatives under the act (if adopted) must be anchored and driven by the need to improve the quality of life for households and neighbourhoods. To do this, the proposed URA and its underlying legal provisions must be designed to safeguard the needs and rights of affected households; the Act must place affected families and communities as its main and biggest beneficiaries. This means prioritizing renewal and rejuvenation initiatives over outright redevelopment in the first instance to ensure that existing communities are not displaced. This means ensuring that the financial and societal benefits from renewal, rejuvenation, and/or redevelopment initiatives are primarily held by and/or returned to the families and communities of the designated areas of renewal/redevelopment. Additionally, we must consider the way our housing ecosystem has been built and designed. We must ask, who benefits the most from the way houses are built in this country? Under the current Sell-then-build (STB) system, housing developers and banks benefit by shifting the costs and risks of housing development to the house buyer. Individuals or families who want to own new homes under the STB system are forced to buy these houses before they are built, often through mortgages provided by the banking system. By linking consumer mortgages to the production of housing, our housing delivery system allows housing developers to gain access to essentially free financing to build houses as the financial costs and risks are primarily borne by the buyers. Under the STB system, when you sign an SPA to acquire a house, you essentially act as an investor in the housing development project – you provide funding to the housing developers, and you bear the risk of project failure. The banking system is complicit in this practice. Housing loans are attractive for banks because they are low risk: interest payments on housing loans are front-loaded (i.e. banks secure their profits from the loan early in the tenure), the tenure on housing loans are long (i.e. most housing loans have a lifespan of 30-40 years), and most importantly, housing loans are backed by an actual asset (i.e. the house is the collateral on your loan). Instead of lending money to developers and taking on the higher risk of funding the development of a housing project, banks choose to profit from this system by shifting the risk to house buyers. When you sign a loan agreement with the bank to buy a new house under the STB system, you are essentially borrowing money on behalf of the housing developer. A general view of PPR Kampung Bri Hicom Shah Alam on April 8, 2023. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri A system that allows these practices to perpetuate is neither efficient nor just – it is predatory. Thus, the demand to shift to the Build-then-sell system is not only necessary, but also way overdue. The housing industry has had 60+ years to build and hone its capabilities, both financial and operational. It must now be able thrive through innovative building practices and the production of competitive housing products, not through the direct financial support of its housebuilding practices by Malaysian households. As we forge our way forward, we must change the way we look at housing. Houses in the country must not only be affordable, but they must also effectively serve the needs and aspirations of diverse Malaysian households. To do this, housing policy and proposed housing interventions in the country must be guided by the true purpose of housing, that is, to accord households with a 'secure base from which to carry out all of life's functions' and allow them 'full citizen participation in society and the economy'. The centrality of housing to an individual and/or family's pathway to a dignified life must be accounted for in our national discourse on housing and in determining what needs to be done to improve the state of the housing sector in the country. * Dr Nur Fareza Mustapha is a Research Associate at the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI). The views expressed here are solely the writer's own and do not represent the official views of KRI. All errors remain the authors' own. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Daily Express
09-07-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Building a better future for homeowners
Published on: Wednesday, July 09, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 09, 2025 By: Nur Fareza Mustapha, FMT Text Size: Malaysia, through the housing and local government ministry, recently won its bid for the presidency of the UN Habitat General Assembly. As Malaysia sits as co-chair of the UN Habitat presidency for the next two years (2025-2027), the national housing agenda must take centre stage in our wider discourse on advancing efforts to promote sustainable urbanisation and human settlements. To do this, we must reflect on the current practices of our housing sector to forge the way forward for ourselves and the world. A house is, first and foremost, a home. Houses are owned or occupied by people, are located within a neighbourhood, and form part of a wider kampung, town or city. Houses fulfil the basic human right to shelter and are 'the basis of stability and security for an individual or family'. Thus, when we talk about housing, it is pertinent that these discussions fundamentally revolve around the needs, values, and priorities of the people and households that live in them. As such, house building practices in our country and the regulatory framework that governs it should be anchored in principles that encourage the pursuit of this goal. This means prioritising the individual's right to adequate housing, first through the provision of secure tenure, regardless of one's status as a renter or homeowner. As our country designs its first Rental Tenancy Act, the provisions under this Act must provide the grounds to present renting as a viable option to meet one's housing needs, not as an inferior alternative to homeownership. Renters must be given adequate protection under the law against forced evictions, discriminatory rental practices, and substandard housing quality. More importantly, the narrow interpretation of what 'adequate housing' means for our country has relegated many of our policy interventions thus far to simply prioritise putting a roof over someone's head without accounting for the suitability or liveability of the housing unit. While issues on housing quality are more pervasive within the social housing sector, the current policy focus on improving housing affordability has been pursued at the expense of maintaining liveable standards for households and communities. This strategy overlooks the fundamental need of individuals and families to access decent housing. Similarly, debates surrounding the recent announcement on the proposed Urban Renewal Act highlight the need to centre the discourse on when and why redevelopment is needed and how to do so equitably. Urban renewal initiatives under the Act (if adopted) must be anchored and driven by the need to improve the quality of life for households and neighbourhoods. To do this, the proposed URA and its underlying legal provisions must be designed to safeguard the needs and rights of affected households. The Act must place affected families and communities as its main and biggest beneficiaries. This means prioritising renewal and rejuvenation initiatives over outright redevelopment in the first instance, to ensure that existing communities are not displaced. This means ensuring that the financial and societal benefits from renewal, rejuvenation, and/or redevelopment initiatives are primarily held by and/or returned to the families and communities of the designated areas of renewal/redevelopment. Additionally, we must consider the way our housing ecosystem was built and designed. We must ask, who benefits the most from the way houses are built in this country? Under the current sell-then-build (STB) system, housing developers and banks benefit by shifting the costs and risks of housing development to the house buyer. Individuals or families who want to own new homes under the STB system are forced to buy these houses before they are built, often through mortgages provided by the banking system. By linking consumer mortgages to the production of housing, our housing delivery system allows housing developers to gain access to essentially free financing to build houses, as the financial costs and risks are primarily borne by the buyers. Under the STB system, when you sign an SPA to acquire a house, you essentially act as an investor in the housing development project: you provide funding to the housing developers, and you bear the risk of project failure. The banking system is complicit in this practice. Housing loans are attractive for banks because they are low risk: interest payments on housing loans are front-loaded (i.e. banks secure their profits from the loan early in the tenure), the tenure on housing loans is long (i.e. most housing loans have a lifespan of 30-40 years), and most importantly, housing loans are backed by an actual asset (i.e. the house is the collateral on your loan). Instead of lending money to developers and taking on the higher risk of funding the development of a housing project, banks choose to profit from this system by shifting the risk to house buyers. When you sign a loan agreement with the bank to buy a new house under the STB system, you are essentially borrowing money on behalf of the housing developer. A system that allows these practices to perpetuate is neither efficient nor just – it is predatory. Thus, the demand to shift to the build-then-sell system is not only necessary, but also way overdue. The housing industry had over 60 years to build and hone its capabilities, both financial and operational. It must now be able to thrive through innovative building practices and the production of competitive housing products, not through the direct financial support of its housebuilding practices by Malaysian households. As we forge our way forward, we must change the way we look at housing. Houses in the country must not only be affordable, they must also effectively serve the needs and aspirations of diverse Malaysian households. To do this, housing policy and proposed housing interventions in the country must be guided by the true purpose of housing, that is to accord households with a 'secure base from which to carry out all of life's functions' and allow them 'full citizen participation in society and the economy'. The centrality of housing to an individual and/or family's pathway to a dignified life must be accounted for in our national discourse on housing and in determining what needs to be done to improve the state of the housing sector in the country. # Nur Fareza Mustapha is a research associate at the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI). The views expressed are those of the writer and do not reflect those of KRI. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The African Development Bank and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) scale up drive for sustainable urbanization in Africa
The African Development Bank Group ( and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance collaboration and accelerate action on sustainable urban transformation across the continent. Under the agreement, the organizations will jointly develop action plans that combine technical assistance, policy support, capacity-building, and knowledge exchange to local governments in four key spheres: urban governance, housing, municipal finance, and infrastructure development. The agreement was formalized on 1 July 2025 on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. The Memorandum of Understanding renews an agreement signed in 2006 by the two entities to collaborate in the water and sanitation sector. The African Development Bank and UN-Habitat also plan to coordinate their efforts to tap into key regional and global platforms to mobilize resources for urban development in Africa, including the World Urban Forum and the Africa Investment Forum. 'I believe that there are ways that we can use the capital markets to develop cities much better,' said African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina. 'I am delighted that the Bank and UN-Habitat are partnering on the development of cities – I am very excited about this partnership.' 'Cities are the engine of growth, and we need to mobilize a lot more private capital in the development of cities, which will require a different approach from the conventional public sector capital,' he added. The Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Anacláudia Rossbach, said: 'Urbanization in Africa can either be a driver of prosperity or a deepening of poverty and exclusion. Through this renewed collaboration with the African Development Bank, we aim to help cities become engines of resilience, equity, and climate action, leaving no one behind.' The African Development Bank Group has significantly expanded its urban portfolio in recent years, including through the creation of a dedicated urban development division and the Urban and Municipal Development Fund to support African cities in delivering transformative, climate-resilient urban solutions. Most recently, UN-Habitat and the Bank Group signed a service agreement to prepare the Eswatini EcoCity Masterplan under an integrated urban and agricultural initiative that aims to deliver sustainable housing and create economic opportunities for over 100,000 people in Eswatini. Africa's rapid growth and urbanization – the continent's population is projected to reach 2.4 billion by 2050 –presents both opportunities and challenges. With more than half of urban residents living in informal settlements lacking basic services, adequate housing, and climate-resilient infrastructure, local governments are under increasing strain. Through this renewed partnership, the African Development Bank and UN-Habitat are joining forces to help cities respond to these challenges and harness urban growth as a driver of sustainable development. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Contacts: UN-Habitat Katerina Bezgachina Chief of Communications Gonzalo Ruiz Partnerships Officer +254 714228562 unhabitat-info@ African Development Bank Olufemi Terry Communications and External Relations media@ About UN-Habitat: UN-Habitat is the United Nations entity working for sustainable urbanization. With pro-grammes in over 90 countries, it supports policymakers and communities to create socially and environmentally sustainable cities and towns. UN-Habitat promotes transformative change in urban areas through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action. To know more, visit or follow us on social media @ UNHABITAT.
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai Municipality opens registration for the 14th edition of the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Municipality has announced the opening of registration for the 14th cycle of the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development. Organised in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the award honours innovative ideas, projects, and global practices that advance urban growth, elevate the quality of life, and enhance living environments worldwide. Winners of the award will be announced during the World Governments Summit in 2026. The award aims to spotlight pioneering global efforts that make a measurable impact on urban planning, sustainable development, and community well-being. It supports international collaboration in developing programmes and policies that address climate change, environmental preservation, and integrated spatial planning — helping build more liveable cities for future generations. Nasser BuShehab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality, said: 'Over the past 30 years, the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development has reinforced Dubai and the UAE's leadership in embracing sustainable development goals and promoting responsible global partnerships. Through this platform, we continue to champion innovation and celebrate best-in-class initiatives that tackle pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges in cities and human settlements. The award has become one of the world's most respected benchmarks of urban innovation and excellence, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.' The 14th edition features five core categories, recognising achievements in urban regeneration and public spaces, the preservation of urban food systems, responses to climate change and pollution reduction, urban infrastructure planning and management, and the design of iconic, beautiful, and innovative buildings. With a total prize value of USD 1 million, the award offers significant motivation to drive forward innovation and sustainability across these priority areas. Interested applicants may register and submit documentation through the official award website, Registration is now open to local and international participants. In its previous cycle, the award received over 2,600 entries from more than 140 countries, reflecting strong global confidence in its value and reach. Originally launched in 1995 under the directive of the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the UN International Conference on Human Settlements in Dubai, the award has consistently underscored the emirate's commitment to sustainable urban development and environmental protection through international collaboration.
