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English Socio-economic inclusion in Agadez: principles, resources and local needs combined with universal knowledge and traditions of earthen architecture
On July 6th, in Agadez, Niger, CISP, in collaboration with the city's mayor, the Sultan of Aïr, and local partners from the Urbanisation 4 Change project, organised the ceremony for the delivery of ownership documents for 360 bioclimatic houses intended for as many families in the historic center.
Urbanization 4 Change works on strengthening regional stability through a response to employment challenges, offering direct and indirect alternatives for the professional and social inclusion of young people linked to the immense architectural tradition of Niger. With the aim of promoting regulated and sustainable urban development, the municipality of Agadez envisioned a new urban plan for a neighborhood located southwest of the vieille ville – the UNESCO-designated world heritage historic center – with extremely high population density. This plan was designed to accommodate around 10,000 people on approximately 55 hectares of land. The new housing plan, conceived and executed through the project, includes 1000 residences, as well as schools, health centers, markets, public offices, and all necessary infrastructure for habitation, from water and electricity networks to sewage systems and roads. Of the planned houses, 360 were constructed by CISP and allocated to vulnerable families through a selection process agreed upon with the municipality and the sultanate.
In a complex and extremely fragile and unstable context, as evidenced by the current crisis, the uniqueness and significance of such an endeavor were emphasized during the house delivery ceremony by the presence of Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission. He was on an official visit to the new neighborhood in Agadez.
"Security and economic development go hand in hand. There's no development without security, and ultimately, there's no security without development. One thing complements the other, hand in hand," stated Josep Borrell.
The Urbanisation 4 Change project is a part of the D.E.S.E.R.T. program (Durabilité de l’Environnement et Stabilisation Économique sur la Route de Transit), one AICS' important intiatives in the realm of delegated cooperation.
The project was officially concluded on June 30th, 2023. Among the notable accomplishments are: the construction of the 360 houses with sanitation facilities, and the entire water network for the new neighborhood. Additionally, the project provided training in bioclimatic construction techniques for 850 local construction workers employed at the site throughout the project's duration.
