Highlights for Friday, 31 May 2019
Victor Kisob, Deputy Executive Director, UN-Habitat, UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, and Martha Delgado Peralta, UNHA 1 President, gavel UNHA 1 to a close.
On Friday, the first UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA 1) concluded its deliberations, adopting a Ministerial Declaration, five resolutions, and one decision to promote sustainable urbanization. The resolutions concern:
The Strategic Plan for the period 2020–2023;
UN System-Wide Guidelines on Safer Cities and Human Settlements;
Enhancing capacity-building for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the urban dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
Achieving gender equality through the work of UN-Habitat to support inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements; and
Enhancing urban-rural linkages for sustainable urbanization and human settlement.
The decision highlights the arrangements for the transition towards the new governance structure of UN-Habitat, and the Ministerial Declaration portrays the commitment for accelerated implementation of the NUA towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).In the closing plenary, delegates adopted the draft report and the draft proceedings of UNHA 1 as well as the report of the first meeting of the Executive Board. In her closing remarks, Executive Director Sharif announced that “UN-Habitat is back” and lauded the Assembly for successfully completing its work, noting that 21 countries had pledged USD 152 million to support the implementation of the NUA. President Delgado gaveled the meeting to a close at 5.17 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and also produced a summary report from the 1st Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly, which is available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Morning Plenary
Delegates gather for the morning plenary.
Pamela Charlette, Minister of Habitat, Land, Infrastructure, and Land Transport, Seychelles
Ramesh Prasad Singh, Nepal Trust, Ministry of Urban Development, Nepal
Yousef Al Nuaimi, International Coordination for Housing, United Arab Emirates
Klára Dostálová, Minister of Regional Development, Czech Republic
William Bradford Marau, Minister of Lands, Housing, and Survey, Solomon Islands
Erik Lundberg, Ambassador of Finland to Kenya
Gariballa Khidir Ali Eldaw, Ambassador of Sudan to Kenya
Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation
Andrii Pravednyk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Kenya
Zaheer Allam, The Port Louis Development Initiative
Isaac Muasa and Linda Olango, Youth Advisory Board
Amie Figueiredo, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Erik Berg, Advisory Group on Gender Issues
Delegates from Shelter Afrique
Events Throughout the Day
Martha Delgado Peralta, UNHA 1 President, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, speak at the final UN-Habitat press conference.
Delegates share their views during the youth event 'Tide Turners Partners Challenge.'
Closing Plenary
Delegates gather for the closing plenary.
Martín Gómez Bustillo, Ambassador of Argentina to Kenya
Jesús Manzanilla, Ambassador of Venezuela to Kenya
Fernando Coimbra, Chair of the Drafting Committee
Lori Dando, Chair of the Executive Board
Waziri Maman, Niger, speaking on behalf of the African Group
Julia Pataki, EU
UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif
Judut Sutoyo, Indonesia
Delegates applaud the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration on innovation for better quality of life in cities and communities through accelerated implementation of the NUA towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Around the Venue
Delegates from Nigeria and Niger.
Delegates consult between sessions.
UN Security around the venue.
Delegates post their hopes for UN-Habitat on a world map made from electronic waste.
Delegates pose with their favourite SDGs.
An example of urban hydroponics on display around the venue.
A prosthetic hand made from a 3-D printer demonstrates how technology is being revolutionized to provide quicker, cheaper, and more accessible products. The same technology can be used for the fabrication of housing in the implementation of the NUA.
A wheelchair-friendly "matatu" (public service mini-van) on display around the venue demonstrates how transport systems need to take into account basic human rights.
An electric car linked to a solar-powered 'smart home' demonstrates how new designs can help to promote sustainability.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin + team covering UNHA 1: Asheline Appleton, Kenya; Nancy Williams, US; Tallash Kantai, Kenya/Uganda; Asterios Tsioumanis, Greece; and Kiara Worth, South Africa
