One response to these challenges, and to the needed investment, is UN-HABITAT’s sustainable credit enhancement and catalytic investment approach. The agency invests in affordable and social housing and related infrastructure improvements for under-served communities in emerging markets in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Middle East. We focus on approaches that attract co-investment by domestic banking and international financial institution partners, and increase general activity in municipal finance and affordable housing finance sectors in targeted countries.

We believe that integrating market-based solutions and business approaches with community-led efforts will be the most effective way to address the scale of inadequate housing, water and sanitation for human settlements across the globe.

Indeed, UN-HABITAT has the potential to become a catalyst of global significance for financing affordable housing, urban regeneration and community development.