07 Nov 2019

An Action Framework for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in Botswana has been developed. 

This was revealed by the deputy director in the Department of Housing, Mr Gaokgakala Rabalone when making a presentation on NUA during the World Town Planners commemoration day in Francistown on November 6. He said NUA had five main elements that sought to harness the multiple, often chaotic forces of urbanization to ensure sustainable development. 

These include developing and implementing national urban policies, strengthening urban legislation and systems of governance, harnessing the urban economy and strengthening municipal finance, urban planning and design, and local physical implementation.

Mr Rabalone explained that the priorities were derived from Botswana’s Country Report to Habitat III which was validated by the National Habitat Committee before submission to UN-Habitat.

UN-Habitat is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future with a mission to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.

He said Botswana’s action framework was aligned at three levels, being national alignment, regional alignment, and global alignment which had been categorised according to the themes covered by the HABITAT III country report.He said one of the themes was that of inclusivity and urban demographic trends which focused on population growth, urbanisation, migration patterns, employment levels, and the how the needs of the youth, vulnerable groups and elderly were integrated with housing and urban development. 

“The main issues arising from this theme include decreasing population growth rate, from 4.7 per cent in 1981 to 1.9 per cent in 2011, and Botswana’s youthful population which constitutes 54.5 per cent of the population under the age of 24,” he said.The director pointed out that of major concern was unemployment, particularly among the youth, which approximately stands at 24 per cent and rapid urbanisation which exceeded the cities’ capacities to plan and manage. 

In addition, he explained that the integration of gender and the needs of the elderly in development still lagged behind and needed to be strengthened.

Mr Rabalone also outlined, the theme of land management, urban planning and design which he said addressed integrated and balanced territorial development and sustainable management of land.

 “It acknowledges the importance of urban planning frameworks in guiding spatial development, urban mobility, and ensuring sustainable use of land,” he added. 

He explained that challenges identified included lack of capacity to plan and manage cities, inadequate budgets for plan implementation, urban sprawl, limited urban mobility, and lack of integrated land management system.

He said strategies to manage such challenges included education of urban sprawl and promotion of sustainable and compact cities and human settlements through Review of Town and Country Planning Act, settlement plans, Urban Development Standards and Development Control Code, amongst others. 

The World Town Planner’s Day is celebrated on the 8th November each year.This year’s theme was: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Innovative Planning Practices: (Inclusiveness, Resilience, Safety, and Sustainability). ENDS