Delegates focused on the theme ‘A Sustainable Urban Future through Inclusive and Effective Multilateralism: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in times of Global Crises’ on the third day of the Second Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA2). Four panels in a High-level Interactive Dialogue discussed the key challenges and drivers affecting SDG achievement, and how national and subnational governments and stakeholders can work together to localize the SDGs.
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Setting the tone for the morning panels, Assembly President Román Meyer Falcón, Mexico, encouraged delegates to allocate 70% of their time to fieldwork and 30% to reflection to achieve the SDGs, stating “we need all of you” to make progress on the New Urban Agenda (NUA). UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif urged honest dialogue to identify, agree upon, and commit to transformative pathways to steer away from current unsustainable trajectories. Keynote speaker Mariana Mazzucato, University College London, UK, called for a value-driven ‘right to housing framework.’
The first panel on ‘The Big Challenges of Our Time,’ addressed three of the key issues contained in the Executive Director’s report on the UNHA2 special theme: achieving universal access to adequate housing, urban climate action and environmental sustainability, and strengthening urban crisis recovery.
The panel on ‘The Key Enablers Driving the SDGs in the Time of Crisis’ focused on data, financing, digital transformation and territorial approaches as facilitators for SDG progress.
Setting the tone for the afternoon panels, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed in a video address highlighted the importance of multi-level governance, long-term planning and strategic partnerships. She suggested Parties bring outcomes from UNHA2 discussion regarding SDG 11 (cities and human settlements) to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July 2023 and the SDGs Summit in September 2023.
In her keynote, Violet Shivutse, Chair, Huairou Commission, said localization is fundamentally about partnership. She stressed the need for meaningful partnerships with grassroots organizations, including through ensuring equal access to resources.
The panel discussion on ‘Multi-level Governance and SDG Localization’ between national and sub-national governments and stakeholders examined challenges, opportunities and approaches to delivering the SDGs at the local level.
The ‘Key Takeaways: Directions for the Summit of the Future’ panel sought to synthesize the key messages of the Dialogue that could shape discussions in the Summit of the Future in September 2024, which is intended to agree on an action-oriented Pact for the Future
Various ministerial sessions took place through the day, while the drafting group continued work on resolutions and decision texts.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For the 2nd Session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis
High-Level Panel 1: The Big Challenges of Our Time
Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China
Shipra Narang Suri, Chief of Urban Practices Branch, Global Solutions Division, UN-Habitat
Laban Cliff Onserio, Kenyan journalist
Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, Secretary of State, Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, Poland
Richard Chimwendo Banda, Minister for Local Government, Unity, and Culture, Malawi
Catalina Velasco Campuzano, Minister for Housing, City and Territory, Colombia
High-Level Panel 2: The Key Enablers Driving the SDGs in Times of Crises
Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Local Government Development, Malaysia
Diane Hoskins, Co-CEO, Gensler
Emil Elestianto Dardak, Vice Governor of East Java Province, Indonesia
Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Senior Special Advisor on Industrialization, African Development Bank
Dyan Currie, Chief Planner, Brisbane City Council, Australia
Amruta Byatnal, journalist
Michal Mlynár, Deputy Executive Director, UN-Habitat (left), with the panelists
Fayaz King, Special Advisor Office of the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology
High-Level Panel 3: Multi-level Governance and SDG Localization
Juhani Damski, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, Finland
Edlam Yemeru, UN-Habitat
Ignacio de la Puerta, Director of Territorial Planning, Urban Planning and Urban Regeneration, Basque Government, Spain
Violet Shivutse, Chair, Huairou Commission
Julians Amboko, journalist
Nora Vargas, Chairperson, Board of Supervisors, San Diego, US
Lenin Zambrano, Indigenous Representative, Ecuador, opened with a short musical presentation, saying "it is through music that I have learned my heritage and can pass on my Indigenous knowledge."
Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, The Gambia
High Level Panel 4: Key Takeaways: Directions for the Summit of the Future
Stephanie Egerland, Chancellor, HafenCity University Hamburg, Germany
Michal Mlynár, Deputy Executive Director, UN-Habitat
Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary-General, UCLG
Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention
From L-R: Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention; Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, UCLG; Stephanie Egerland, Kanzlerin, HafenCity University Hamburg, Germany; Michal Mlynár, Deputy Executive Director, UN-Habitat; and Laban Cliff Onserio, Kenyan journalist
Between Sessions
Around the Venue
The 12th Session of the World Urban Forum will be held in Cairo, Egypt in November 2024
