By Andrew Chimphondah
On 31st December 2019, coronavirus cases were discovered from Wuhan City in China. This then lead to an outbreak of the novel Corona Virus disease (COVID-19) throughout the whole world, with devasting and disruptive impacts to global livelihoods ranging from health, to economic establishments, to social interactions.
In Africa, governments and health authorities across the continent are striving to limit widespread infections of COVID-19. As of July 26th ,2021, Africa had 5,984,572 cases, 152,406 deaths and 5,177,733 recoveries.
With the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Africa, it is becoming a source of concern considering the region’s increased level of urbanization and vulnerability in terms of ineffective urban planning systems and high rate of slum proliferation.
According to the 2017 Drivers of Migration and Urbanization in Africa report, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is regarded as the world’s fastest urbanizing region. Urban areas across the region currently account for over 472 million people, and the numbers are expected to double over the next 25 years. The global share of African urban residents is projected to grow from 11.3% in 2010 to 20.2% by 2050.
As Africa urbanizes, the delivery of quality affordable housing is becoming a huge challenge. According to COVID 19 in African Cities Report, In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 47% of the urban population are estimated to live in areas categorized as slums and informal settlements – a physical manifestation of urban social and economic inequalities.
According to the UN Habitat, the impacts of the new coronavirus disease could be considerably higher on the urban poor living in slums, where overcrowding makes it difficult to follow the recommended measures such as social distancing and self-isolation.
Low income settlements in slums are known to be lacking basic infrastructure and services which enables sustainable and healthy living. Unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, open drainage and refuse dumps are practical features of slum settlements which then attracts rodents and other parasites; consequently, becoming prime reasons for the high prevalence of infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus Disease. (EVD).
As Africa battles to contain the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant effects on the socio-economic landscape, it is imperative on governments and other related public and private stakeholders involved in affordable housing delivery and urban development to adopt more pragmatic, innovative and sustainable solutions to the related urbanization challenges facing the region.
However, at the core of these challenges is the provision of innovative financing solutions. This is the primary role of Shelter Afrique – a pan African housing finance institution that exclusively supports the development of large-scale low-cost housing projects in Africa.
With an existing partnership of 44 African Governments, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Africa Reinsurance Company, Shelter Afrique builds strategic collaborations to support the delivery of affordable housing, commercial real estate, and urban development in the region.
To date, Shelter Afrique whose underlying vision is providing ‘’A Decent and Affordable Home for all in Africa’’, has approved housing projects and financing primary mortgage lenders to the cumulative value of $1.3 billion (2021). This is a far-cry from the continent’s current demand of 56 million affordable housing units. At an average cost of US$25,000 per house it would require US$3 trillion dollars’ worth of investment to adequately satisfy this demand which is increasing annual as the rate of demand always far outstrips the supply of housing.
The pandemic has further re-ignited the need for resilient and sustainable housing delivery change. The impact of the pandemic is also coupled with the growing vulnerability of many communities across Africa to the effects of climate change resulting in increased occurrences of erosion, flooding, drought, and famine. A report by the African Development Bank identified the dangers associated with the lack or failure of adequate mitigation and adaptation strategies. It projects that Eastern and Western Africa could experience an estimated 15 per cent decline in GDP by 2050.
As such, an effective response to Africa’s long-term development must be cognizant of these facts. Shelter Afrique through its strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) ‘Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies’ (Edge) aims to enhance the sustainability of housing developments by financing resilient green homes in Africa. Shelter Afrique is committed to delivering EDGE Compliant affordable housing units across Africa, in line with its 2021-2025 corporate strategy; a key strategy to support Africa’s resilient and sustainable recovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
In hindsight, the failure to effectively manage slums proliferation and the related provision of affordable housing in Africa has dented the continent’s efforts towards realizing its set developmental goals, specifically the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and the New Urban Agenda.
We are, however, encouraged by the recent decision by African governments to prioritize the provision of affordable housing.
This commitment is echoed in the Yaoundé Declaration, a key output of the 40th Annual General Assembly of Shelter Afrique held on the 24th of June 2021 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Ministers of Finance and Ministers of Housing from 44 African countries supported by representatives of international, l and national institutions collectively agreed to enhance mechanisms for the mass production of decent and affordable housing in the continent to achieve social and economic development through a declaration termed – Yaoundé Declaration.
The priority now is to address as matter of urgency, the challenges that have hindered the efforts to provide decent and affordable housing in Africa which include, but not limited to, inadequate policies and legal frameworks, poor governance,