Better Building in Africa

National and International Advocacy

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National and International Advocacy

Strengthened by international recognition for its field work for sustainable housing in Africa, AVN has engaged into national and international advocacy, hoping to generate a better inclusion of this key issue in development initiatives and related funding mechanisms.

National Advocacy

Responsibility for matters of housing belong to the actors of the building and housing sector, governmental as well as private (ministries, public agencies, local authorities, international donors, etc.). Issues of housing can bear weight on policies and practices in a large number of fields: economy, law, vocational training, employment, environment and climate change adaptation.

AVN’s ambition if for the relevant institutions to take ownership of its sustainable housing programme, enabling the association to:

  • Act as operator for the implementation of local development plans;
  • Contribute to the emergence of a formal market supported by public and service building needs, and therefore participate in embedding the NV into building practices.

AVN therefore encourages political actors to support the NV market and integrate this solution into national and regional development strategies as well as into country-wide building programmes.


International Advocacy

AVN leads an international advocacy initiative on sustainable housing for the greater numbers and the transformation of building practices in Africa.

AVN’s presence on global-scale events (Climate Conference of Parties, Desertification Conference of Parties, Climate Chance, World Urban Forum, etc.) strengthens its public profile on the international stage and enables it to introduce its multidimensional programme integrating issues of access to housing, economic development, professional training, micro-entrepreneurship, climate change mitigation and adaptation and improvement of living standards, working conditions and provision of basic services.

Manifesto for an Appropriate Housing in Sahelian Africa

AVN presented during COP21 in Paris its Manifesto for an Appropriate Housing in Sahelian Africa.

Among the signatories:

  • Yann Arthus-Bertrand, photographer / President of the GoodPlanet Foundation
  • Abdouldaye Baldé, Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Senegal
  • Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
  • Pierre Bédier, President of the French Département of the Yvelines
  • Pascal Canfin, Director General of WWF France / ex-Minister delegate of Development
  • Jean-Louis Destans, former Consul of France in Senegal / former President of the Council of the French Département of the Eure
  • Pierre-Alexis Dumas, President of the Hermès Foundation
  • Haidar El Ali, former Minister of Ecology and Nature Protection, Senegal
  • Diéne Farba Sarr, Minister of Urban Renewal, Housing, and the Living Environment, Senegal
  • Noël Fonton, former Minister of Urbanism, Habitat, and Sanitation, Benin
  • Yvonnick Huet, Director General of Agrisud International
  • Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecological Transition and Solidarity, France
  • Joël Labbé, Senateur of Morbihan, France
  • Moussa Mara, former Prime Minister and Minister of Urbanism, Mali
  • Lamine Ouedraogo, Director General of the Green Economy and Climate Change Initiative, Burkina Faso
  • Gaëlle Raulic, General Secretary of the Habitat and Francophonie network
  • Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France
  • Gerard Sénac, President Director General of Eiffage Sénégal
  • Jean Marie Tétart, former Deputy, French Département of the Yvelines
  • Théophile Worou, former Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Benin
  • Lionel Zinsou, former Prime Minister of Benin

Sign the Manifesto

Proposal for an Adapted Housing Plan in the Sahel (PBAAS)

In June 2017 AVN has proposed to the Sahel Alliance partners the integration of sustainable housing issues in the development projects it intends to carry out in the sub-continent.

The proposal is built from existing French and international commitments in matters of development, climate change and building and construction. Its ambition is for a long-term initiative to be created for the implementation of appropriate housing policies in Africa along with professional training programmes, especially geared towards rural youth.

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