Serageldin: Lack of coordination between agencies hinders housing crisis solutions

A lack of coordination between different entities remains a major obstacle to overcoming the global housing crisis, stated Ismail Serageldin at an event held within the framework of WUF13, according to Report.

He said that currently, government officials, planners, financiers, and social engineers often work in isolation from one another, confined to their narrow areas of responsibility. To effectively address the issue, a comprehensive program is needed, with the first priority being a return to the proven method of providing prepared plots and services.

"The government should allocate land and provide it with basic infrastructure, including water supply and drainage, after which people can distribute the plots and build homes on them," he said.

Serageldin emphasized that such areas should be initially connected to the urban transport network and include combined facilities such as medical centers, schools, playgrounds, and local markets. In his view, this approach allows cities to plan expansion in advance and coordinate the relocation of people from high climate-risk zones-such as floodplains or landslide-prone areas-as detailed in the World Bank's Groundswell reports. He also stressed that social workers, not just engineers, must be involved in developing these projects.