Read by Director General Mpumi Mpofu

Chairperson
Delegates and representatives of the different countries of Africa
Invited guests
Ladies and Gentlemen: 

On behalf of the South African government it is a great honor for me to welcome you here in Durban to implement a decision that has been mandated by the African Union in Maputo for this conference to take place. As you would recall this land where King Shaka built his formidable kingdom, is the same land where we launched in 2002 the African Union – the institution that has commanded us to be here again this year. In recognition of that fact therefore there is indeed cause for us to proclaim that the institutions we have collectively set up are making visible progress towards achieving the important goal we all have set for ourselves - of achieving a rebirth of the continent. 

I would like therefore to welcome you all; to welcome in particular all the officials who will play an important role in the execution of the task we have task at hand.  

Karibuni inchini yetu!

Bien venue!

Welcome to you all!

In convening this particular conference whose task will be to produce a framework for us as Africans to adequately deal with the urgent and the critical challenge of poverty alleviation through housing strategies and urban development in our region attests indeed to the fact that we ourselves, as Africans, have taken the important step of taking lead in the development of our countries. As such the history that would henceforth be written for the generations of Africa’s children that would have been born after 2005 is a history that necessarily would contain a comparison with the past. This would be the new history that would show how we as Africans managed to turn what others have consistently categorized as an ‘African tragedy’. It would be a history that would show the workings of our governance systems and its institutions to ensure the delivery of social goods and services to our people, a history that would show that where we were written off we collectively emerged to overcome the blight and the evil of poverty and homelessness, it would be a history to show how Africa planned for the future. The history that would henceforth be written, in other words, is a history of something new in Africa. That history begins here, it begins today with the work you are about to embark on. 

At the end of your deliberations we will want to have firm recommendations on an implementation plan, on the way forward. It will be a hard and a long three days but I have no doubt that you will execute the task. On your work depends the lives of 75% of Africa’s urbanized people, on your work depends Africa’s future development, and on you rests the hopes of all our people for a better life. You know you cannot fail them!

I wish you success in your deliberations.