UN-Habitat, Bala sign settlements upgrade boost

Sixteen urban informal settlements will receive support in building resilience to climate change and disaster risk through an adaptation fund programme to the tune of $9.024 million. Minister of Local Government, Housing and Community Development Parveen Bala signed the agreement of co-operation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Suva yesterday.

“Over the next four years the communities will be supported to prioritise their resilience projects such as drainage, access roads and bridges, flood protection,” Mr Bala said during the agreement signing. “As you are aware, the Government has moved into informal settlements to formalise settlements by issuing 99 year leases.

“While we are doing that, this programme will fit in very well in terms of providing these basic needs of our informal settlements and the Ministry in partnership with the UN have identified the projects.” UN-Habitat’s Urban Climate Resilience team leader, Silvia Gallo, who will be based with the ministry for the next four years, said they were happy to continue with this “very good project with the Government”.

“We will be reinforcing the synergies of the excellent work that the Government is doing in the informal settlements and this project does not come as a replacement but as an additional support to the Government of Fiji,” Ms Gallo said.

The 16 informal settlements earmarked for the programme are situated in Nadi, Lami, Lautoka and Sigatoka.

Half of the funding will be utilised to directly support community infrastructure but these settlements will also receive capacity development to support resilient livelihoods and the ministry will work with Live and Learn Environmental Education to support the communities.