Somalia, UN-Habitat Push Affordable Housing Up National Agenda

GOOBJOOG NEWS | NAIROBI: Somalia and UN-Habitat are working to place affordable housing more firmly within the country’s national development agenda, alongside efforts to strengthen urban infrastructure, local government and livelihoods.

Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, hosted the UN-Habitat Somalia Country Office in Nairobi for discussions on cooperation around the country’s urban development and housing priorities.

The talks focused on integrating housing more effectively into Somalia’s National Transformation Plan, while also exploring ways to support durable solutions for people displaced by conflict and climate-related shocks and promote longer-term urban recovery.

Housing will also feature in an upcoming Somali Housing Breakfast, which is expected to bring together government institutions, development partners, private-sector representatives, banks and other stakeholders to discuss the development of an integrated housing policy.

The meeting is being organised in the context of Somalia’s participation in the Africa Affordable Housing Compact with UN-Habitat, providing a platform for stakeholders to consider how housing policy, financing and private-sector investment can be brought together.

The ambassador expressed Somalia’s readiness to facilitate continued cooperation with UN-Habitat and support efforts to turn the discussions into coordinated action on sustainable and affordable housing.

The focus on housing comes as Somalia faces growing urbanisation and significant demand for housing and basic infrastructure, particularly among communities affected by displacement. A stronger policy framework could help bring government, development partners and financial institutions into a more coordinated approach to expanding access to affordable housing.

For Somalia, the challenge is not only increasing the supply of homes but also developing financing and policy mechanisms that can make housing accessible to lower- and middle-income households while supporting sustainable urban growth.