UN-Habitat: Next decade must focus on implementation of New Urban Agenda

Ten years after its adoption, the New Urban Agenda remains a key framework for addressing the most pressing challenges of modern urban development, Director of the Global Solutions Division of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme Raf Tuts said in a concluding statement on behalf of Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach following the first day of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku.

Report quotes him as saying discussions held during the forum once again confirmed the continued relevance of the New Urban Agenda, despite the ten years that have passed since its adoption.

"Ten years after its adoption, it still serves as a shared framework for addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time - inequality, the shortage of affordable housing, informal settlements, climate risks, infrastructure gaps, forced displacement, and the need for more inclusive, productive, and sustainable urban development," Tuts stressed.

He noted that the discussions on the first day of the forum also demonstrated the need to move from dialogue to practical implementation of the stated goals.

"At the same time, today's discussions clearly showed that the next decade must be focused on implementation," the UN-Habitat representative stated.