Launch of Catalogue of Best Practices in Housing for Somalia

The session will launch the Catalogue of Best Practices in Housing for Somalia, a practical framework capturing over two decades of experience in Somali settlements, first tracing the evolution of housing systems, then examining current market and settlement dynamics, followed by the translation of key insights into actionable pathways. The catalogue includes assessment tools that build on the notion that housing interacts with tenure, infrastructure, livelihoods, and economic opportunity, in order to support partners from the public and private sectors in identifying where upgrading, incremental support, or redevelopment is most needed. The session offers participants a unique, empirically grounded perspective on how housing systems can be strengthened in rapidly urbanizing, resource-constrained contexts, illustrating ways to improve affordability, resilience, and economic inclusion. Most importantly, it provides transferable lessons for cities and countries worldwide seeking practical, context-sensitive solutions to housing and settlement challenges. The main objectives are as follows: 1/ Showcase practical, evidence-based solutions from Somalia that illustrate how housing can support resilient, inclusive, and economically productive settlements. 2/ Share approaches that underscore UN-Habitat's strategic focus and promotion on partnerships, co-production, and sustainable urbanization. 3/ Demonstrate how housing interventions at the settlement scale can drive both social and economic outcomes. 4/ Facilitate knowledge exchange and consensus-building, enabling participants from governments, development partners, and the private sector to draw actionable insights for their own urban contexts. 5/ Inspire adoption, piloting, and adaptation of these lessons by showcasing a framework that links local experience to global urban challenges.