On 14th April 2022 the Special African Ministerial Session on Sustainable urbanization will be held in Nairobi convened by UN-Habitat and the Economic Commission for Africa in preparation for the High-Level meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda to be held in New York on 28th April 2022. The Special Ministerial meeting will be preceded by a technical meeting of experts on 13th April 2022.
The Ministers will discuss crucial issues of significance to Africa with a view to escalating the outcome of the discussion on these issues as key messages to the forthcoming High-Level Meeting. In line with SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda key areas include; Ending all forms of poverty and leaving no one behind, Fostering Peace and Security, sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity, Accelerating Structural Transformation, fostering environmental sustainability and promoting regional integration.
The mega-trend of rapid urbanization clearly has global implications. In the absence of effective and sustainable urban planning, the consequences of the unprecedented rise in urbanization will be dramatic. In many places around the world, the effects can already be felt, with lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and outdated infrastructure – be it roads, public transport, water, sanitation, or electricity – escalating poverty and unemployment, safety and crime problems, pollution, and health issues, as well as poorly managed natural or man-made disasters and other catastrophes due to the effects of climate change.
The High-Level Meeting convened by the United Nations General Assembly provides a unique opportunity for Africa to leverage on the existing tractions gained on sustainable urbanization and housing. It will also provide a platform to articulate urbanization as a sustainable development agenda for Africa in line with the Agenda 2063 for Africa. It is also expected to deliver on political commitments for harnessing the economic and social values of urbanization for a structurally transformed Africa.
Although Africa continues to experience the highest rate of urbanization it remains least urbanized. Kenya supports deliberate efforts to elevate and prioritize urbanization and the New Urban Agenda by ensuring they gain prominence at all levels, including regional, National, subnational and local levels. As one of the first Member States to develop a localized version of the New Urban Agenda is committed to harnessing the Urbanization Kenya will seek to ensure that solutions and actionable commitments are provided to enable Africa experience the benefits Of Urbanization in line with our common objectives as outlined in The New Urban Agenda.