Open Menu
Nairobi – The UN-Habitat Assembly ended with delegates passing five resolutions on a range of topics, including safer cities, implementing the New Urban Agenda, and improving urban-rural linkages for sustainable urbanization.

The first-ever UN-Habitat Assembly, which was held under the theme “Innovation for a Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities”, concluded with a clear commitment to taking action and delivering results on urban challenges.

According to a UN-Habitat press release, delegates from 127 countries – including 4 heads of state, 49 minister and 60 mayors – adopted five resolutions at the end of the five-day meeting. These were on: safer cities and human settlements; capacity building for implementing the New Urban Agenda; gender equality to support inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements; enhancing urban-rural linkages for sustainable urbanization; and approving UN-Habitat’s new Strategic Plan 2020-2023.

At the end of the meeting, delegates also adopted a Ministerial Declaration recognizing that increasing urbanization is both “a challenge and an opportunity to promote sustainable development”. It calls for the “promotion of sustainable patterns of consumption and production” through a variety of methods, such as smart technologies, sustainable lifestyles and resource efficiency – many of which were on display during the Assembly from the 90 or so exhibitors

During the meeting, 21 countries – among them several Asian, European and African countries, including host Kenya – pledged $152 million in support of the organization’s work.

The second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly will be held from 5 to 9 June 2023.