Podgorica, 18 June 2019 – The 14th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Regional Housing Programme (RHP) and the 18th meeting of the RHP Fund Assembly of Donors took place on 18 June 2019 in Podgorica, Montenegro.

The RHP governance bodies convened to take stock of RHP’s progress and follow up on the strategy to ensure sustainable impact and a successful completion of the RHP in 2021. Today, assistance has reached approximately 5 000 vulnerable families and by end 2021, this figure is expected to more than double. To this end, partners agreed that implementation should be further enhanced.

RHP stakeholders discussed ways to secure a maximum number of houses delivered and deliberated on a strategy to wrap up the Programme in a responsible and sustainable way.

State Secretary Vukica Jelić emphasised the importance of the Programme for Montenegro, by referring to the flagship RHP project in Konik camp – the largest informal Roma settlement in Europe – which has now been closed down and the approximately 1 000 former inhabitants now enjoy dignified accommodation.

On behalf of the European Union, the main RHP Donor, Colin Wolfe, Head of Unit for Western Balkans Regional Cooperation, congratulated all partners for the progress made. His message focused on the relevance of the RHP on broader matters of social integration and social inclusion. The RHP is an example of cooperation among countries to replicate.

Thomáš Boček, Vice-Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank, commended all partners for the achievements made so far and reiterated the ceaseless commitment of the CEB in ensuring efficient implementation support until the end of the Programme.

In the margins of the RHP Steering Committee, the RHP stakeholders had the opportunity to visit the first RHP project in Montenegro, completed in 2016. The apartment block in Niksic now houses 62 families, who shared their life stories and experiences, 3 years after having received keys to their new RHP funded homes. With funding from the U.S. Government, Catholic Relief Service has provided income generating support to more than half of the families, thereby contributing in an important manner to the lives of the beneficiaries.

The RHP was showcased as a flagship programme of multilateral cooperation in an event hosted by UNHCR in Podgorica and dedicated to the World Refugee Day.

Key RHP figures (June 2019)
Donor contributions to projects: EUR: 237 million
National contribution to projects: EUR: 52 million
Housing units delivered: 4 500