[02 May 2016] -- Inês da Silva Magalhães assumed the function of Minister of Cities, Brazil on 22 April 2016. She previously held the post of National Secretary of Housing in Brazil from 2005.
Ms. da Silva Magalhães’ appointment was announced in the Brazilian newspaper Diário Oficial da União three days after she assumed the role of interim Minister.
A sociologist by training with a specialisation in planning, Ms. da Silva Magalhães has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector in the areas of Housing, Urban Development and Institutional Development. She has brought her knowledge and wealth of experience to various posts within the Ministry of Cities, including serving as Director of the Department for Urbanisation of Informal Settlements / Slum Upgrading between 2003 and 2005.
Since 2009, Ms. da Silva Magalhães led the largest slum uprading and housing programme in Brazil’s history. The programme, known as Minha Casa, Minha Vida, has completed the contracting for the construction of 4.2 million housing units since launching seven years ago, with 2.6 million units already made available for citizens. More than 10 million people throughout 96% of Brazil’s municipalities in 5,330 different cities now live in their own homes. The federal government has invested over BRL 294 billion (approximately USD 84.6 billion) in the Minha Casa, Minha Vida programme.
Brazil, represented by the Ministries of Brazil and CAIXA Federal Bank, joined Cities Alliance in 2003 and was a member of the Board from 2014 to 2016.
Inês da Silva Magalhães.