Africa-Press – Eswatini. Eswatini has put eco city planning and better land use forward as key tools to improve housing delivery and support food security at a continental urban meeting in Nairobi, held from 8 to 10 April 2026.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Appolo Maphalala said countries need strong national planning systems to guide how land is used, as African cities continue to grow quickly and face pressure on housing and services.
He was speaking during a side event at the Second Africa Urban Forum, where he focused on eco city development as a practical way to plan towns and cities in a more organised and efficient way. “The eco city approach helps us plan land, housing, and infrastructure in a way that supports long term development,” Maphalala said.
The session was organised by the African Development Bank together with UN Habitat under discussions on sustainable and modern urban growth in Africa.
Maphalala said unplanned settlement growth continues to create challenges for service delivery and infrastructure, adding that better planning can help reduce these problems before they grow.
He also said urban planning should not focus only on housing, but must also support food production. He pointed to the Shiselweni region as an area where planned investment could link housing development with agriculture and improve local food systems.
The Minister also joined a panel discussion on how cities can become more resilient, where leaders spoke about climate change, rapid population growth, and pressure on infrastructure.
On the sidelines of the forum, Maphalala and Minister Sikhumbuzo Dlamini met officials from UN Habitat to discuss support for a national spatial planning framework and a national housing policy. The talks focused on improving coordination in how housing and infrastructure projects are planned.
The two ministers also took part in Southern African Development Community discussions on informal settlements, where countries shared ideas on how to improve living conditions and prevent further unplanned settlement growth.
Eswatini said its participation in the forum shows its focus on better planning systems that connect housing, land use, and development needs in a more organised way.
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