LUANDA, July 9– The Angolan government has launched its city redevelopment and urban conversion project for the harmonious development of the territory and the management of large cities in the country.
The project has received 300 million U.S. dollars from the World Bank and will initially focus on the redevelopment of Benguela, Huambo, and Lubango through guided self-construction and strengthened local governance to improve the living conditions of the people.
Speaking at the project’s launch in Luanda on Tuesday, Juan Carlos Alvarez, World Bank’s country manager for Angola and Sao Tome and Principe, said the project is a transformative program aligned with Angola’s 2023-2027 National Development Plan to address the challenges of the country’s rapid urbanization and has a five-year implementation period.
“This project uses the Program for Results instrument for the first time in Angola. This instrument allows disbursements based on results achieved, accelerating the benefits for the population,” Alvarez said.
He noted that Angola is one of the fastest-growing countries in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of urbanization, with nearly 67 percent of the population living in urban areas, a total of over 21 million people, a figure expected to triple by 2050.
Alvarez stressed that rapid urban growth puts great pressure on cities, which face serious gaps in housing, infrastructure, and basic services. It is estimated that there will be a housing deficit of about 2.2 million units in the coming years. (Xinhua)
