The 40th annual Conference and AGM of the African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) is taking place from 16 to 18 October 2024 at the Melia Hotel in Zanzibar, Tanzania. This event, in collaboration with the International Secondary Mortgage Market Association (ISMMA), will be held in Zanzibar for the first time in the history of the AUHF.
The 2024 AUHF Conference will centre on the theme ‘Building to Last,’ emphasising the significance of sustainability and resilience in Africa’s affordable housing sector, whether in terms of access to and use of services, the building materials and methods chosen, the structure of the labour market, the efficiency of capital markets and the ability to leverage sufficient resources to realise true affordability. The conference aims to delve into creating housing solutions that address immediate needs while also contributing to a sustainable future.
All over the world, the levels of new development, urban regeneration and building retrofitting needed will require massive private and public investment. This can only be delivered by nurturing a financial ecosystem that explicitly supports financial institutions and public authorities in scaling up access to affordable and sustainable housing for citizens.
With these considerations in mind, AUHF and ISMMA, in collaboration with the Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company (TMRC), the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF), and the European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC), have organised a series of high-level meetings and an international conference on “Building to Last”, from 14 to 18 October 2024 in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Kecia Rust, Executive Director of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF) & Secretariat of the African Union for Housing Finance, says, “The African Union for Housing Finance has doubled in size in the last 10 years, extending its network into Francophone Africa and attracting a wider array of members from the affordable housing sector. These players come together every single year to deliberate on the opportunities in the affordable housing space and share experiences and successful practices while grappling together on how to address the challenges. AUHF members are the drivers of affordable housing in Africa, and with this conference being undertaken in partnership with ISMMA, we are broadening the conversation, finding points of connection with our global colleagues, as well as opportunities for the movement of capital, as together we work to address the need for affordable housing on a sustainable basis.”
Since its founding in 1984, AUHF has been at the forefront of affordable housing finance across Africa. In partnership with ISMMA, the AUHF conference this year will take a deep dive into sustainable practices that address the critical question: What does it mean to build to last? Through topics such as sustainable building materials, inclusivity in the labour market, and affordability for end-users, the AUHF aims to create a long-term framework for Africa’s affordable housing sector.
The AUHF Conference will spotlight how a sustainable, affordable housing market hinges on an interconnected ecosystem where private and public investments align to support long-term solutions.
Luca Bertalot, Secretary General at European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council & International Secondary Mortgage Market Association (ISMMA) member states, “The United Nations estimates that the global population will reach 8.5 billion by 2030 with almost 60% of humanity living in urban centres. This means that around 3 billion people will need new housing and the provision of urban infrastructure. This demographic shift, coupled with that of accelerating climate change, will place huge pressures on traditional housing delivery systems in all regions of the world, so there is an urgent need for affordable and sustainable housing finance solutions to be developed and implemented. The ISMMA plays a key role here in bringing together those housing finance institutions that can have a material impact on society’s capacity to meet the challenges before it, offering a forum for concepts and experiences to be shared, and seed the growth of a sustainable housing finance ecosystem. Africa’s ability to rise to the specific challenges the continent faces in terms of providing affordable and sustainable housing for its population will be central to overall global success in this regard. Against this backdrop, we look forward to next week’s events in Zanzibar being a catalyst for further advances in this mission.”
Drawing delegates from across Africa and Europe, and including the UN Habitat and the African Union, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), various development finance institutions, lenders, developers, consulting firms, governments and academic institutions, the AUHF Conference is a landmark platform for leading housing practitioners and investors from across the housing delivery value chain to brainstorm on the building blocks of a sustainable and affordable housing sector that is built to last.
In addition to plenary sessions, #AUHF2024 will feature Parallel Garden Roundtables for more focused, small-group discussions on specific areas like investment in data, housing microfinance, European investments in Africa, and niche markets. The event will culminate with a Master Class on ESG Reporting led by Pamela Lamoreaux and Debra Erb, followed by a site visit to Zanzibar’s affordable housing developments.
The 40th annual African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) Conference and Annual General Meeting takes place from 14 to 18 October 2024 at the Melia Hotel in Zanzibar. For more information and to book to attend visit https://auhfconference.com/
