Victor Kisob, Deputy Executive Director of UN Habitat has met with several government representatives to explore avenues of strengthening collaboration, with a focus on harnessing the power of urbanisation.
Since arriving Cameroon on February 8, 2021, the UN under Secretary General Victor Kisob in the company of his collaborators has held working sessions with various government personalities all geared towards furthering cooperation ties between the country and UN systems. On Tuesday February 9, he was guest at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. In the ensuing meeting, Minister Celestine Ketcha Courtes expressed joy at the visit, as this was the occasion for both parties to discuss and evaluate projects coordinated by her ministry and UN-Habitat underway in the country. According to her “ for us to accompany the head of State in achieving the 11th SDG goal, which is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, it is important for our ministry to continue working hand in glove with UN-Habitat in order to share best practices”.
Some of the projects underway involve the upgrading of shanty areas, the putting in place of a national policy on waste management – a particularly difficult issue. Meanwhile, the ministry together with SIC have a project to renovate dilapidating low cost houses. UN Habitat is ready to accompany the country in this domain with the involvement of youths to create jobs and train them to continue the maintenance of new social housing facilities in other towns.
The Deputy Executive Director of UN Habitat made stop overs at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Feicom, Sic and visited some projects around the city as well. He will pay a courtesy call to the Prime Minister, Head of government to further discuss UN Habitat’s contribution to promote the country’s socio-economic recovery in this Covid-19 era.
UN Habitat headquarter
An important phase of the UN under Secretary General’s mission is the signing of the memorandum of understanding in relation to the setting up of the UN Habitat headquarters in Cameroon. This project has already received the Head of State’s approval. Looking at the volume of projects being carried out by both parties, it is imperative that a bureau be set up to coordinate, follow up and evaluate them. Cameroon born Victor Kisob says there are some best practices that Cameroon has recorded and the focus now is to assist Cameroon in executing projects that have been done elsewhere on the continent and the world at large.
Claudette CHIN
