Pretoria/ South Africa and Nairobi/Kenya (10 August 2026) – The Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Anacláudia Rossbach, will officially launch South Africa’s UN-Habitat Country Office in the City of Tshwane in Gauteng. 

Approved by Cabinet in March 2024, the establishment of the UN-Habitat Country Office and Country Programme in South Africa marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the joint framework signed between the government of South Africa and UN-Habitat to support national priorities, including spatial transformation, urban development, housing, and sustainable human settlements. 

The UN-Habitat Country Office and Country Programme will strengthen South Africa's capacity to accelerate the implementation of its spatial transformation, integrated human settlements, climate resilience, urban finance, and local government agenda by providing strategic guidance, technical assistance, and facilitating partnerships aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP), Integrated Urban Development Framework, the District Development Model, the New Urban Agenda and the 2024–2029 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP). The UN-Habitat Country Office will ensure and strengthen collaboration with SADC, the continent and the world through good practices.

The Executive Director of UN-Habitat is expected to participate at the South African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers Meeting, scheduled for 13 August 2026 in eThekwini. Her participation will reaffirm UN-Habitat's commitment to partnering with the region in advancing inclusive, resilient, safe, and sustainable cities and human settlements, while reinforcing South Africa's leadership in driving the regional urban agenda and the implementation of the SADC regional strategy on informal settlements and the New Urban Agenda.

Following the launch of the UN-Habitat Country Office, Minister Simelane and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms Anacláudia Rossbach, will participate in the Women of Human Settlements Ministerial Dialogue. Convened under the theme: “Leading with Vision, Serving with Purpose, Leaving a Legacy”, the dialogue seeks to position women’s leadership as a strategic driver of sustainable and inclusive human settlements, share leadership experiences, lessons, and practical insights from women who have pioneered change within government and international development platforms.

The Minister and Executive Director will be joined by Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya.


The details of the two-day activities are as follows: 

DAY ONE

Activity One: Housing handover and project visit

Date: Thursday, 13 August 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Kennedy Road 

Activity Two: Project walkabout
Time: 11h30
Venue: Austerville Housing Project
Time: 11h30 

DAY TWO

Activity One: Inaugural Launch of the UN-Habitat Country Office
Date: Friday, 14 August 2026
Time: 10:00
Venue: 4th Floor, UN House, 351 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria. 

Activity Two: Women of Human Settlements Ministerial Dialogue

Date: Friday, 14 August 2026
Time: 18h00
Venue: TBC

Members of the media intending to cover the launch of the UN Habitat Country Office are urged to RSVP with Isaac.Skhosana@dhs.gov.za or Tebogo.Mkhabela@dhs.gov.za

Enquiries: Tsekiso Machike, Spokesperson to the Minister on 077 410 5050 Tsekiso.machike@dhs.gov.za   

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements, South Africa and UN-Habitat, United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya