Zimbabwe Turns to Rwanda for Affordable Housing Solutions
Written on
Zimbabwe's housing minister has hosted a Rwandan delegation in Harare to draw on Rwanda's experience in affordable housing financing and construction technology under a 2023 bilateral agreement.
Zimbabwe is looking to Rwanda for lessons on affordable housing delivery as the government explores sustainable financing models, modern construction technologies and stronger institutions to address the country's housing needs.
Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Professor Paul Mavima said this during a meeting with a Rwandan housing delegation in Harare, where officials from the two countries discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in housing development. The visit forms part of a skills exchange programme aimed at sharing expertise and building partnerships to improve access to affordable and sustainable housing.
Mavima said the engagement marked an important step towards implementing a 2023 memorandum of understanding between Zimbabwe and Rwanda on sustainable, affordable and functional low- to medium-cost housing, including the adoption of new building technologies. He invited the Rwandan delegation to share its experience in public-private financing arrangements, large-scale housing delivery, urban densification and vertical housing development, and highlighted the importance of establishing effective institutions capable of improving housing delivery.
Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Housing Authority, Nsanzineza Noel, said the exchange would allow both countries to learn from each other's experiences across the housing value chain. “We'll be able to share experiences on how we deal with the provision of housing, looking throughout the entire value chain of housing provision, be it matters of construction materials, financing or partnerships with the private sector,” he said. He added that Rwanda was working on a scheme he described as a public-private partnership in which government attempts to subsidise some costs with the objective of making a house affordable for those in need.
Mavima reaffirmed Zimbabwe's commitment to the bilateral agreement, emphasising the importance of cooperation and mutual learning in addressing housing challenges. He said Africa's housing future would depend on countries sharing knowledge and developing solutions suited to their economic and social circumstances. For Zimbabwe, the engagement offers an opportunity to explore approaches that could expand housing supply, reduce construction costs and improve access to decent accommodation.