The High-Level Meeting on the New Urban is taking place at the United Nations Headquarter in New York. The objective of the meeting is to assess progress on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda which was adopted in Quito in 2016. Further it aims at galvanizing International Communities’ collective efforts towards sustainable urbanization.
The New Urban Agenda is a road map for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and recognizes the importance of cities as engines of economic growth and transformation. It also promotes affordable and sustainable housing as part of investments in the creation of jobs and social protection systems. The meeting aims at building momentum to support implementation of New Urban Agenda.
Outcomes of the meeting will comprise a summary of Results-oriented current actions by all actors including Governments and future commitments towards implementing the New Urban Agenda as expressed by Member State delegations and participating local and non-State actors. These outcomes will inform Member States’ engagement at other high-level meetings.
A number of side events were organized as a build up to the high-level meeting beginning 21ist April, culminating into the main High-Level meeting on 28th April. Some of the key events of interest to Kenya included the Special Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social and Council (ECOSOC) held on 21st April and a Ministerial Dialogue for African Ministers responsible for Housing and Urban Development held on 27th April to galvanize Africa’s priorities on the New Urban Agenda. Others include side events on Affordable Housing and Ending Homelessness, Financing Climate Adaptation and the Role of Innovations and Technology in Accelerating Sustainable Urbanization among others.
Kenya participated at the main meeting and the side events, and was represented by a high-level delegation led by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works, Mr. James Macharia, EGH, who delivered Kenya’s Statement at the Opening Session of the meeting. He was accompanied by The Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Mr. Charles Hinga, CBS, and Senior Governments officials from Kenya’s Permanent Mission in New York, Kenya’s Permanent Mission to UN-Habitat Nairobi and the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.
