Dahmane: WUF13 is key platform to present Africa's urbanization priorities

At a time when the world is striving to mitigate the impacts of climate change, the hosting of the World Urban Forum (WUF) holds special importance, Farid Ouahid Dahmane, Algeria's Ambassador to Kenya, said during the ministerial roundtable at the 13th Session of the WUF (WUF13) in Baku, according to Report.

Dahmane emphasized that the forum is the most suitable platform to present Africa's urbanization priorities to the world: "Algeria uses this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the New Urban Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11). We believe this session is an important stage to showcase the progress achieved toward the New Urban Agenda."

The ambassador noted that Algeria has continuously worked to improve people's well‑being through housing projects that cover all population groups:

"We are addressing informal settlements and illegal housing, while minimizing unnecessary rural‑to‑urban migration. Since 2025, Algeria has launched housing projects exceeding 100 million units, and resettlement programs have been implemented to eliminate informal settlements."

He added that Algeria has also introduced laws on housing savings schemes and direct state subsidies: "These subsidies, particularly for rural initiatives, range between $5,000 and $7,000. All these measures are carried out through funds aimed at lowering housing prices and reducing credit and interest burdens by up to 95%. These projects and initiatives align with our broader development goals."