According to UN-Habitat, the impacts of the new coronavirus disease could be considerably higher on the urban poor living in slums, coupled with overcrowded public transport and marketplaces, where these makes it difficult to follow the recommended measures such as social distancing and self-isolation, and consequently, make Africa’s cities hotbeds for COVID-19.

The African Union Commission (AUC) through the Specialized Technical Committee (STC No. 8) on Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development and Decentralization Bureau has received the mandate to engage in the process of the development of an AU Model Law on Housing, Urban and human settlements, the AU Model Law will be an intermediary legal instrument towards the elaboration of an African Charter of Values and Principles on Housing, Urban Development, and Human Settlements. The model law is coordinated by the AUC in collaboration with UN-Habitat, Shelter Afrique, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the United Cities and Local Government Africa (UCGLA).