UN-Habitat: 36% of UN members submitted Voluntary National Reviews

Some 36% of UN member states have already submitted their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), Edlam Abera, Head of the Knowledge and Advocacy Division of UN-Habitat, said during an event held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to her, the New Urban Agenda must be implemented until 2036: "Ten years may seem like a long time, but we know it is not, because we quickly moved from 2016 to 2026. Let me briefly share what UN-Habitat has done to assess progress: for months we have been working with stakeholders and decision-makers worldwide to evaluate advancement. One of the most important ways to measure progress is through the Voluntary National Reports of member states."

Abera added that the positive aspect is the increasing number of reports submitted: "It is not only about the number of reports, because that alone is not a success indicator. However, I believe that 70 member states submitting national reports, dedicating time and resources to this process, demonstrates their commitment to the New Urban Agenda, its implementation, and the obligations for the next 10 years. This represents 36% of UN member states, which we consider extremely positive. Compared to four years ago, when we reported on progress, this is an increase, and we are very pleased to see it."