BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. The housing crisis remains a severe global challenge, with particularly acute repercussions for the African continent, Mahamat Assileck Halata, Minister of Spatial Planning, Urban Development, and Housing of the Republic of Chad, said during a ministerial roundtable held within the framework of WUF13 in Baku, Trend reports.
He noted that water management issues and climate change are heavily impacting urban development, specifically in Chad.
"In Chad, water is both a source of life and one of the primary drivers of crises. When floods occur, people are forced to focus on diverting water away rather than harvesting it," he said.
The minister emphasized that Chad remains fully committed to key international frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), the New Urban Agenda (2036), and the African Union's Agenda 2063.
According to him, the right to housing is recognized as a fundamental human right, and the Chadian government is actively strengthening its sector policies.
"Every citizen has the right to access decent housing," he noted.
The minister stated that because climate change directly alters the growth trajectories of both cities and rural areas, a shift toward preventive frameworks is essential.
"We must move away from purely reactive measures and adopt a much more proactive, forward-looking approach," he stressed.
He added that rapid population growth and urbanization in Chad are accelerating the expansion of informal settlements and exacerbating critical infrastructure shortages.
Concluding his address, the minister stated that Chad's urban planning and housing policies will be continuously reinforced to make them more inclusive and resilient.
