29 Sep 2017

Botswana will commemorate the World Habitat Day in Jwaneng on October 5.

Addressing the media on September 26, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Nonofo Molefhi explained that the country would not commemorate with the rest of the world on October 2 since that would be a public holiday.

World Habitat Day is to be commemorated the first Monday of October every year as designated by the United Nations back in 1985.

Minister Molefhi explained that the commemoration was meant to reflect on the state of the towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

He said it was also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of human habitat as well as reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s basic right to adequate shelter.

Again, he said the commemoration sought to remind the world that everyone had the power and responsibility to shape the future of human settlements.

“The World Habitat Day has been purposefully designated to raise awareness of the problems facing human habitat, hence calling for debate and discussions around such problems so that solutions could be envisioned,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commemoration will be held under the theme; Housing Policies: Affordable homes.

The theme, Minister Molefhi said, challenged Botswana to gauge her achievement on the implementation of the National Policy on Housing 2000 and other related policies that facilitated the delivery of housing.

“These other policies may include, but not limited to, Botswana Land Policy, National Settlement Policy, the Revised Policy on Rural Development as well as such Acts as the Botswana Housing Corporation Act,” he explained.

He added that the theme also called for governments to promulgate housing policies that enabled proper and well-informed systems that emphasised good planning and access to affordable housing for all.

Again, he said the theme also challenged countries to drive and implement the New Urban Agenda which is a global blueprint that was adopted in October last year in Quito, Ecuador by the UN.

“It further challenges governments and different organisations who have a role to play in the housing sector to ensure that they work tirelessly towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals and in particular, the eleventh Urban Sustainable Goal which calls for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” he added.

On the other hand, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Dikagiso Mokotedi said part of the ministry’s mandate was to ensure that Botswana had decent and affordable housing to cater for the nation.

The theme therefore, he said challenged the ministry to go beyond providing housing because it emphasised on affordable homes. ENDS