São Paulo hosts IBSA Dialogue Forum on Housing

From March, 12-14th the Metropolis Initiative “Mentoring on Upgrading Informal Settlements attended to IBSA Seminar in São Paulo.The purpose of the Seminar was to share experiences in the formulation of public policies in emerging countries with an emphasis on sustainable development.

The São Paulo Secretary of Housing, Mr. José Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto, attended the closing session.

"We are available as a laboratory for research initiatives involving social housing. We have a cooperation going on with Durban in South Africa and there is also interest from Mozambique in partnering with us".

The information exchanged at the IBSA Seminar will subsidize major international debates on sustainability and social inclusion in cities and metropolitan areas of emerging countries, as the World Urban Forum and the Habitat Conference.

About the Metropolis Initiative Mentoring on Upgrading Informal Settlements

This Metropolis Initiative, led by Durban, São Paulo, and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), was identified and designed by following up on a learning event run by UCLG and Metropolis in Durban, where the history of service and housing in informal areas in São Paulo and other Brazilian cities was highlighted as a relevant experience for African cities. The project in Durban takes place in Welbedacht community with around 4,500 families for which SEHAB helped to design a social work plan for community diagnosis to identify their key demands and enable the upgrading of their neighborhood.

About IBSA: India – Brazil – South Africa

IBSA is a coordinating mechanism between three emerging countries: India, Brazil and South Africa, three multiethnic and multicultural democracies, who are determined to unite their voices on global issues and deepen their mutual relationship in different areas.