President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya says the partnership with he United Nations Office for Project Services on building homes in the country paves the “way for adequate, decent, and affordable housing for Kenyans”.

THE United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, landmark affordable housing agreement with the government of Kenya has taken a major step forward this week, following further details of the project announced by Grete Faremo, executive director, in New York.

As part of the agreement, UNOPS and its partners will seek to attract $647 million worth of investment to deliver at least 100,000 affordable and sustainable homes across the country.

The project will provide significant employment opportunities for local communities nationwide and help to alleviate the housing crisis in Kenya.

The UNOPS is to invest $10 million in seed funding to kick start investment and the project has a total estimated gross development value of around $4.7 billion.

The agreement is a major milestone in UNOPS commitment to fostering innovative financing for the sustainable development goals, SDGs, and will help the government of Kenya open access to sustainable, affordable and environmentally sound housing for its citizens.

Faremo said: “Thousands of people in Kenya will be able to benefit from sustainable and affordable homes.

“By reducing the investment risks of development activities, we are helping to bring about new partnerships between the private and public sectors.

“The knock-on effect means unlocking new opportunities and providing jobs for local communities, which all helps drive progress towards the SDGs”.

The 100,000 houses are to be constructed using green technologies and energy-efficient solar rooftops, while the implementation work will include local equipment, skills and expertise. The needs of local communities will be a key priority of the project, through the inclusion of public facilities including children’s playgrounds, schools and community halls.

In a previous statement on the project, President Uhuru Kenyatta said: “We are very excited about this project [with UNOPS] and we look forward to unlocking similar partnerships that will allow us to fulfil our duties as leaders and pave the way for adequate, decent, and affordable housing for Kenyans”.

– Jan. 24, 2019 @ 8:19 GMT |