Ethiopia, UN-Habitat Deepen Partnership to Boost Affordable Housing and Urban Growth

Addis Ababa, April 28, 2026 —Ethiopia is strengthening its collaboration with UN-Habitat to accelerate affordable housing delivery and promote sustainable urban development, as rapid urbanization continues across the country.

State Minister of Finance Semereta Sewasew held a high-level meeting with Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, who led a visiting delegation.

 The discussions centered on advancing inclusive, resilient, and well-planned urbanization strategies tailored to Ethiopia’s growing cities.

 

A key focus of the dialogue was scaling up affordable housing through structured public-private partnerships, alongside the adoption of innovative and blended financing models.

Both sides also highlighted housing development as a catalyst for job creation and broader economic growth.

Semereta reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building livable, economically vibrant urban centers.

She pointed to ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening urban governance, improving institutional coordination, and enhancing service delivery systems.

 

The state minister emphasized the need for a robust implementation framework, including clear institutional leadership, strong coordination mechanisms, and more efficient processes for land access and project execution, critical elements for delivering housing at scale.

The partnership signals a renewed push to align national development priorities with global expertise in sustainable urbanization.