Experts call for speedy implementation of national urban policy

Participants at Malawi Urban Forum have called on Malawi to speed up the implementation of national urban policy as it is a key to development of the country’s cities.

Speaking during the forum in Lilongwe National Director of Habitat for Humanity Kelvin Kalonga said the country should start using the Policy before things go out of hand.

Kalonga said “30% of the country’s population will be living in urban areas by 2030.”

Concurring with Kalonga World Bank’s Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Francis Mkoka said the policy is crucial in ensuring that all human settlements in the cities are of good standard.

“The national urban policy is in line with Sustainable Development Goal number 11 which stresses that Cities and Human Settlements should be inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” Kalinda said

Speaking at the same function, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Dr Janet Banda SC said government realizes the challenges in Cities hence initiating the National Urban Policy to bring sanity.