Brazzaville, July 8, 2025 – Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann, Managing Director of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), carried out an official mission in the Republic of Congo on July 7 and 8, 2025, under the high patronage of His Excellency Denis Sassou N’Guesso, President of the Republic and one of the founding fathers of the pan-African institution.
Received in audience by the Head of State, Mr. Hann received reaffirmed support for Shelter Afrique’s mission. President Sassou N’Guesso praised the strategic role of the Bank in the development of the continent and encouraged the continuation of its efforts in favor of African integration, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, intra-African trade, and expertise sharing. He placed particular emphasis on housing, considered an essential component of urban development.
A highlight of this mission was the signing, on July 8, of a consultancy and technical assistance agreement between Shelter Afrique and the Congolese Government. This partnership aims to structure and finance an ambitious program of 3,000 affordable housing units, including a pilot phase of 500 units. It stems from a diagnostic study of the housing ecosystem in the Republic of Congo, conducted using the V.I.R.A.L. methodology developed by Shelter Afrique. This project is part of the sixth pillar of the National Development Plan (NDP), dedicated to the housing sector.
Mr. Hann also met with the Prime Minister, His Excellency Anatole Collinet Makosso, who expressed the Government’s willingness to strengthen collaboration with Shelter Afrique. He notably emphasized the importance of revitalizing old public-private partnerships to energize the housing sector and improve the urban living environment.
The mission was carried out under the active coordination of the Congolese authorities, particularly under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Josué Rodrigue Ngouonimba, Minister of Construction, Urbanism, and Housing. He reaffirmed Congo’s commitment to making Shelter Afrique a major strategic partner for the implementation of the national development strategy for the housing value chain.
