Nairobi — Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has emphasized the need for the development of housing, infrastructure and environmental sector due to the county's large population.

Speaking at the UN-Habitat Assembly on Monday, Sakaja said that Nairobi's County Government has taken up a Joint Venture approach towards delivering affordable housing.

"The city's big population growth has put a strain on the existing environment and services, hence the need for improvements in housing, infrastructure, basic services and environmental sustainability," he stated.

He further reiterated that the Nairobi County government is planning to plant 1.1 million trees to control climate change which has been the cause of erratic rainfall.

"We are also promoting green infrastructure, and we target to plant and nature 1.1 million trees," he said.

"We are focused on investing in alternative energy sources and improving waste segregation by adopting the circular model of waste management and construction of material recovery facilities (MRFs)."

He indicated that the County Government is further keen on building a strong economy by promoting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

"By promoting economic diversification, supporting small and medium enterprises and building more markets Nairobi is reducing its dependence on only a few sectors and building a more robust and resilient economy," he stated.

The UN-Habitat is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities.

It works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty.

According to the UN-Habitat, Local economic development is a locally driven, participatory development process intended to encourage the public sector, civil society actors, women, youth organizations and private stakeholders to work in partnership in the design and implementation of local development strategies by taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of a region, a locality or a value chain.

Local economic development strategies enhance links between economic growth and jobs creation.