Iran Ready to Cooperate with Kenya on Affordable Housing Units

The Iranian deputy minister of roads and urban development expressed his country’s readiness to assist the Kenyan government in achieving its goal of supplying one million affordable housing units through capable Iranian companies.

In a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development of Kenya Hon. Alice Wahome, Abdolreza Golpayegani described bilateral relations as a suitable foundation for expanding collaborative capacities.

On the sidelines of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Golpayegani, Managing Director of Iran Urban Renewal Company, had a meeting with Wahome, during which, the Kenyan cabinet secretary praised the valuable joint venture and described Iran-Kenya interactions as indicative of the strong relationship between the two countries.

Wahome outlined her country's programs for affordable housing provision and the goal of producing one million housing units over the past five years (200,000 units annually), utilizing the capacities of the government, private sector, and foreign companies. She invited Iran to participate in achieving the stated goal.

The Kenyan official also stressed that her country's need for primary building materials, including cement, iron, and sanitary ware, presents a suitable opportunity for imports from Iran and exports of local products in exchange for services and goods.

Golpayegani, for his part, assessed the current meeting as highly significant and stated that eradicating poverty through the provision of affordable housing is the responsibility of all countries.

The Iranian deputy minister described bilateral relations as a suitable foundation for expanding collaborative capacities and announced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist the Kenyan government in achieving its goal of supplying one million affordable housing units through capable Iranian companies.

During the meeting, Golpayegani, referring to the Republic of Kenya's experiences in informal settlement upgrading, stated that visiting Kibera neighborhood and the measures taken there was part of his travel program to Nairobi. He invited Wahome to visit Iran. Additionally, on the sidelines of the meeting, bilateral talks were held with the delegations of South Korea, Iraq, and The Gambia. - Iran Daily