Shelter Afrique Assembly Calls for Leveraging Algerian Housing Experience

Participants at the 44th General Assembly (GA) of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), held in Algiers, concluded their discussions by advocating for a consideration of Algeria’s housing experience, particularly in the use of local building materials and the diversification of financing mechanisms.

During this event, Réda Bouarioua, the Director General of Construction and Implementation Means at the Ministry of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City, remarked, “The recommendations emphasize the importance of replicating Algeria’s pioneering experience in housing and urban planning while customizing it to the specific needs of each country.” He underlined that Algeria’s strategic vision focuses on strengthening inter-African partnerships and promoting genuine development across the continent.

Investors, along with both public and private economic operators present, expressed their willingness to export the surplus of Algeria’s production of building materials to other African countries, thanks to the self-sufficiency achieved in various materials, Bouarioua noted.

Over the course of three days (July 15-17), participants at the ShafDB GA engaged in discussions regarding the enhancement of local building materials, the diversification of funding sources, and the revision of legal frameworks governing housing and urban planning.

It is noteworthy that the Minister of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City, Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, presided over the opening of this assembly, which was themed “Autonomy and Sovereignty in Africa’s Housing Industry: Opportunities and Challenges.” The event was attended by government officials and the Vice-President of the African Union Commission, Selma Malika Haddadi.

Shelter Afrique is a pan-African multilateral development bank dedicated to promoting and financing sustainable housing, urban development, and related infrastructure. It transitioned into a development bank during an extraordinary general assembly held in Algiers in 2023 and operates with a shareholder base comprising 44 African countries, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re).