Africa Urban Forum II: What the Nairobi Declaration Committed To
By Kelvin Kibet | Updated October 9, 2026
The Second Africa Urban Forum (AUF2) took place in Nairobi from April 8 to 10, 2026. Convened by the African Union Commission and hosted by Kenya with technical support from UN-Habitat and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the meeting brought African governments and urban-development stakeholders together around adequate housing and sustainable urban growth.
What the Nairobi Declaration says
Member States and participants adopted the AUF2 Nairobi Declaration on April 10. It commits to time-bound action toward adequate, affordable, inclusive and climate-resilient housing and sustainable urban development. The declaration calls for governments to align national policy and fiscal support with local-government priorities, improve access to housing finance, and support regulatory reform and capacity building.
It also calls on local and regional governments to involve communities and informal-sector actors in housing and planning, and asks civil society, researchers, businesses and development partners to contribute expertise, finance and implementation support.
Why the commitments matter
Housing access is shaped by more than the number of homes built. Land-use planning, secure infrastructure, finance, transport, water, sanitation and local-government capacity also affect whether housing is affordable and connected to jobs and services.
The declaration provides a shared policy direction; it does not itself fund or deliver housing projects. Its impact will depend on national and city budgets, approved plans, public reporting and whether residents can participate in decisions that affect their neighbourhoods.
What happens next
The African Union said the Nairobi Declaration would inform the continent’s engagement at the 13th World Urban Forum. For readers assessing progress at home, useful evidence will include funded housing programmes, serviced land, infrastructure delivery and published measures of affordability and access—not only announcements or event declarations.
