Boosting Investment in Low-Cost Building Materials

The Commonwealth encourages the adoption of innovative, energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies.

A Stakeholders' Technical Workshop on the Development of Construction Materials for Low-Cost Buildings in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Region, will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 17 to 20 May 2005. The event is organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the COMESA Secretariat and Kenya's Ministry of Lands and Housing.

This workshop brings together up to 45 representatives from the public and private sectors who are involved in the construction industry.

George Saibel, Director of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Special Advisory Services Division (SASD), said: "A significant part of the struggle to deliver houses in volume and at an affordable cost is the use of appropriate technology in construction and in the choice of building materials. So, we want to promote investment opportunities in the building materials sector and encourage the adoption of innovative energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. By using locally occurring natural materials and new production technologies targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), we can improve their economic prospects as well as reduce the cost of building materials considerably."
 
The workshop is part of a technical assistance project to enhance the competitiveness of SME building material producers and building companies. Extensive research was conducted in six COMESA countries -- Kenya, Malawi, Seychelles, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia -- to build an inventory of available local resources; to investigate SME involvement; and to review policies affecting building material production.

The findings will be discussed at the workshop, as part of an assessment of constraints and opportunities confronting SMEs, particularly in building material production and ways to adopt new methods and technologies. Participants will also examine business risks and potential.

Roland Charles, SASD Adviser for Enterprise, explained: "SMEs are a major force in the building construction industry in the COMESA region, mainly as building contractors or wholesalers and retailers. Building materials are usually sourced from bigger suppliers and are often imported, impacting negatively on foreign reserves. Materials that are currently produced by SMEs rarely meet acceptable technical standards and are normally sold in informal markets. With proper training, financial backing and a supportive business environment, SMEs in COMESA can become significant producers of building materials."

Mupelwa Sichilima, Project Leader for the Building Material Project in COMESA, said any programme that supports small business development and creates jobs is beneficial to the community. "It is useful to learn about new technologies, techniques and ideas in the construction industry so that we can use these applications in our local industries. This workshop by the Commonwealth Secretariat offers a platform for us to discuss issues and to share experiences so that we can continue to build on the best practices from different nations."

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 234, 11 May 2005

Secretariat Links:

• Special Advisory Services Division

Related Websites:

• COMESA