The Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach stressed the importance of the 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) held in Cairo, stressing that it is the largest edition ever of the Forum, and that it represents a major turning point in supporting sustainable urban development globally.
Rossbach expressed her pride in participating in this great event, and expressed her thanks and gratitude for the efforts of the Egyptian government in hosting this global forum, which broke many records compared to previous editions of the forum, where it witnessed the registration of 24,000 people from 182 countries, the presence of 4 presidents, 60 ministers and 45 deputy ministers from 48 countries, along with 96 mayors, and 700 sessions were held, with the participation of 63,000 people in various events over five days.
During the closing session of the forum, she added that the organization of such a huge global event reflects Egypt's deep commitment to supporting sustainable urban development at the regional and international levels, adding that the forum was not just a forum for discussion, but a practical platform for future planning that enhances the ability of cities to adapt to current and future challenges, and that the records achieved by the forum this year reflect the global interest in urban development topics, and stresses the importance of adopting flexible and integrated policies and strategies.
The executive director pointed to the importance of focusing on urbanization, explaining that about 3 billion people suffer from various housing problems, especially those living in informal settlements and slums, stressing that this segment of the population is most likely to suffer from lack of basic services and housing insecurity, which requires an urgent international response.
She also stressed the need to integrate women into urban development plans and enable them to contribute actively to comprehensive urban planning, which contributes to the achievement of inclusive and sustainable cities.
Rossbach added that this year’s forum addressed several pivotal issues, such as globalization and global connectivity, and how to address the challenges that these factors pose on urban cities and societies.
She stressed that the forum aims to develop flexible plans and policies that help cities adapt to the challenges of climate change and humanitarian crises.
She praised the cooperation with various international partners, noting the importance of the "Cairo Declaration" as a road map for the future of urban development, as this declaration will be presented at the conclusion of the forum as a new framework that cities around the world can benefit from to enhance their efforts towards achieving sustainability and inclusiveness.
She continued, “We are proud to have achieved these records and in the positive interaction from all involved, this year’s World Urban Forum is not just a passing event, but an essential platform for cooperation and future planning for resilient and inclusive cities that meet the needs of all their residents.
The executive director added that our goal at UN-Habitat is to support cities to become more inclusive, resilient and resilient to crises, this forum is a vital step towards achieving that vision, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful cooperation with local and international partners in upcoming forums.
Follow the latest news on Google News
