(6th meeting) High-Level Political Forum 2026

Could you please take a seat? Excellencies, distinguished delegates, good afternoon. The 6th meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development convened under the auspices of Economic and Social Council at its 2026 session, is called to order. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I invite the Forum to resume its considerations of Sub-item A of Agenda Item 2, Review of Sustainable Development Goal 6, 9, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17 to hold an interactive panel discussion on SDG 11 and interlinkages with other SDGs, sustainable cities and communities. Since the last review of the SDG 11 in 2024, notable progress has been made. However, gains remain insufficient to place SDG 11 on track for achievement by 2030. Today's panel discussions will examine what is required to accelerate progress towards the SDG 11 and advance sustainable urban transformations globally. Before we begin our discussions, I invite Forum to first view a video highlighting key findings from the recently released 2026 SDG Progress Report related to Goal 11. Please play the video.

Urban development shows mixed progress alongside persistent challenges. While the share of slum dwellers has fallen in some regions, the total number has surged to 1.16 billion worldwide, which is 1 in 4 urban residents living in slums in 2024. Without accelerated investment, the slum population could exceed 1.2 billion by 2030. Public transport access rose from 53.2% to 61.5% between 2020 and 2025, yet most cities rely on low-capacity systems like buses. For the first time in 25 years, urban land consumption growth and population growth rates are nearly in step, at 0.83% and 0.81%, respectively, in 2020-2025, demonstrating land use efficiency. However, only 17% of urban land is allocated to streets and public open spaces, far below the 30% to 45% target, leaving fewer residents within reach of a park or green space. Supporting sustainable urban development will require integrated, data-driven urban planning that expands affordable housing, sustainable transport, and public spaces while curbing inefficient urban sprawl and ensuring more inclusive and resilient cities. Find more insights in the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026. Thank you.

I'm now pleased to welcome our guest speaker as well as our moderator, Mr. Robert de Graaff, President-Elect of the International Science Council. I now hand over the conduct of the discussions to the moderator, and you have the floor now.

Thank you, Mr. President, and a warm welcome to Your Excellencies, distinguished representatives, and anybody with an acute interest in SDG 11, will be the topic today. I'm representing here the International Science Council, which is the oldest and largest organization representing the scientific community, and we are one of the— one of our goals is to serve the United Nations and ECOSOC in all matters scientific, and it's a great pleasure here to moderate this panel. Now, cities have always been places where people, ideas, innovations have come together, but I think we see also that they are a focus point of many of the greatest Challenges in Sustainability. Today's discussion will be, as many during this High-Level Political Forum, aimed at the several years that we still have to go to 2030. We're in the homestretch, so to say, of that ambitious program, and we will discuss, you know, how we can accelerate the various kind of implementations. And it's kind of interesting the role that cities play Here at the United Nations, we often discuss the international framework, the matters that transcend the scale of member states, but in many ways, I think we see that the solutions are at the subnational level— cities that not only bring people together, but they bring many of the Sustainable Development Goals together. So this will be much more, I think, a discussion than just SDG 11. I think all the SDGs will play an important role, whether it's housing, transport, infrastructure, energy, water, public health. And cities themselves will also be— I'm sure will be seen as laboratories where solutions can be created and innovations can spread. So this trajectory from knowledge to implementation is a very important one, the role that cities will play. There are many ways, in many countries, in the lead. They often have a role that's to some extent independent of national policies and policies. And so I myself look very much forward to the panel discussion that I will be moderating. And let me briefly introduce our two panelists, very distinguished panelists. The first is Madam Anna-Claudia Rosbach. She's the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, also known as UN-Habitat, serving at the level of Under-Secretary-General, and she assumed that role in 2024 following election by the UN General Assembly. And she's a Brazilian economist with many decades of experience in housing and urban policy. And our second speaker is Madam Amebola Akinayo. She's the Managing Director and CEO of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority,, a position she's held since 2019, a highly chartered, regarded civil engineer with 30 years of professional experience both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. So both of them, thank you so much for being willing to have this panel, and we'll— the way we'll set up, we'll have some— first, I have a general question to both of you, and then we go into more details, but please, feel free to react to each other and make this a spontaneous conversation. But perhaps first a question to kick off the discussion to both of you, which is a big question, perhaps a difficult question, but what are for you the main lessons we have learned from now a decade of SDG 11 implementation and from the New Urban Agenda, and what can we really do to make further progress and more accelerated progress on that trajectory. And can I start with you, Madam Rosbach?

Sure. Thank you, Moderator, and I take the opportunity to greet also His Excellency Lok Tapa, President of ECOSOC, and my colleague panelists, Ms. Abimbola Akinajo, and all of you for being here on the SDG 11 Day. But 4 points. First, this review of SDG 11 coincides with the 10 years of the New Urban Agenda that was endorsed in Quito, Ecuador in 2016. And then next week we are going to review it at its midterm. So these both reflections, they go hand in hand. The second point is SDG 11 had progresses, but but also challenges. And I think the video highlighted some areas of progress. Yes, we had progress in terms of access to public transportation. I believe my colleague will speak more about that. We had progress in terms of public waste— sorry, waste management, land consumption. We have been able to balance urban sprawl. Still challenging. We reduced disaster mortality, to give some examples.. But all these examples, they also reflect the other side of the coin. They are challenges. So we still don't have 100% of the population with their waste being well managed. We still don't have 100% of the population with access to public transportation. We have more disasters, right? We have more national urban policies, but we have less money that funds these urban policies. My third point is that the New Urban Agenda brought housing to the center and spoke about embedding informal settlements into urban planning, into national policies. And this is the area where I think we're really, really lagging behind and where the biggest challenge is. Because at the same time, as you said, housing can be a solution actually for almost all SDGs if we want to amplify the access to education. Kids need to have a safe house to come back and do their homework, a safe house to be healthy. You need an address if you want to find a job or if you want to start your business. But on the other hand, housing requires very complex coordination and multilevel action. So, informal settlements, 1 billion people, it's just unacceptable. We cannot afford to have another generation of kids being born in slums. And we cannot afford to have another pandemic where people living in slums, they don't have access to the basics. So my final point, my fourth point, is that, uh, when SDG 11 was conceived, it came last minute towards the end. And now we learn after 10 years that cities are actually at the forefront. So the local action is critical for climate action Local action is critical for the SDGs, and local action is critical for us to achieve all the global commitments that we have.

Thank you so much, and we will continue the conversation in a moment, but perhaps also to you, Madam Akinajo, perhaps from your perspective, what have you learned in the past 10 years and what should we do and act to accelerate progress?

Thank you very much, Mr. Moderator, and afternoon to everybody, acknowledging the President and Executive Director of UN-Habitat. So for me, when I look at this, I say to myself, there has been progress, just as has been said. We have seen a lot of awareness, a lot of countries have picked it up and we're all active in the business of trying to achieve the goals. But if I take it back and say that, okay, this is a problem for cities, or so it is being coined, and I'm looking at it from the perspective of— from the lenses of my own city. I come from Lagos, one of the fastest growing urban populations in the world. Now, for Lagos, I see over What are the lessons we're saying? And we're saying, for me, I start off by saying that, and I agree with you, it needs to be localized. What we find is that in a lot of countries, nationals, they will adopt the system and then it stays there. You need to begin to bring it down, cascade it down to the cities, who are the ones who have to deal with this matter anyway. Cascade it so that the cities are ensuring to be invested, funded, and committed to achieving the goals. When we do that, we begin to see more positive outcomes. Another thing I would say is that we all know that the SDGs speaking to urban planning, transportation, social inclusion, the environment, but we also know that most cities in the world have individual agencies dealing with each of these, so there is a problem here. For us to achieve SDG 11 goals, there needs to be a collaboration and an integration between all these agencies so that we can achieve faster the goals that were all being set. But the one thing I think, finally, about the SDG 11 is that we all say that it's about cities, livable cities, right? And one of the things we see, that I see, and I take my city again as an example, Every day we see 2,000 to 3,000 people migrating to the city. Now, the current population of Lagos is about 22 million. We are projected to become 50 million by 2050. Today, Lagos has identified over 200 slum areas, and this will only increase. It will only increase because development can never catch up with that level of growth of slum areas. Now, as the population in the cities grow, the challenges will keep growing, and we can't really begin to engineer the cities to respond to that level of rapid growth. And I would say that maybe we need to begin to— whilst we are focusing on the cities and continuing to implement policies and implementation and actions to drive the SDG 11 goal, we need to begin to look at the rural areas, especially for African cities or African countries. What is driving urban population is the lack of infrastructure in the rural places. And my opinion is that let us start to look at growing and developing rural communities, providing amenities that will support encouragement of settlement in those rural communities, such as water, power, transport links, schools, jobs, access, all of those things so that we begin to dissuade people from moving, from migrating into the cities. Now, in addition, we must strengthen also transport connectivity. So if I live in the rural area, something— I should be encouraged to stay, maybe go to the cities to work, and that means I have to have great transport links to be able to do that. And also when we look at things like housing, we need to begin to get creative. I look at my city, for instance. Everybody is building houses and they're building it concrete, bricks, mortar. But we know that those things are expensive, especially in the third world country. Let's begin to explore other modular ways that we can implement housing that will be mass and will be affordable. Not my area, but I think that is something that we need to be looking at. And also amend physical planning laws. In my city, I don't see enough high-rises. Now, Lagos is the smallest city in Nigeria, but it hosts 10%, more than 10% of the population. There is no way what we have is going to work if we continue to build the way we're building. We need to encourage ourselves to build higher. We need to encourage ourselves to understand that this problem is here to stay. Today, and it cannot be fixed by cities. We need to look outside of the cities as well as do the work that we're doing in the cities. Thank you.

Thank you. And, and, uh, how interesting that both your interventions show how intimately your, your areas are already connected, right? It's like SDG 11 is like a thread, you pull it and all the other elements come together. Perhaps, uh, coming back to you, Ana Claudia, I think you— if you look at— you, I think, rightly identified affordability or just availability of housing as the crucial first step, because that's what gets people started in addressing all the other issues. Perhaps a set of questions about— we see many solutions being discovered within cities, etc. And I think we all can speak on the power that cities have, because they bring things at the local level. But two questions: what is necessary from national governments to kind of facilitate those innovations, etc.? And also, if we again take a planetary point of view, there are all these cities, and there are a lot of kind of natural experiments happening. There's a lot of knowledge being generated. How can we make sure that that information circulates, that we can learn from each other because it's many of the same challenges and a lot of creative solutions, but we would love them to spread around. So perhaps you can reflect on those issues. Good points,

Professor. Perhaps to start responding the second one, but coming back to that later, coming to the High-Level Political Forum, I was just asked this morning, why is it really— by a journalist— why is it relevant to come here? And I think one of the aspects of relevance is also a great space for us to exchange and to see what's happening and the trends and so on. But yeah, availability of housing and affordability is now global. Therefore, we have been naming the situation as a global housing crisis. What would be a prevalent situation in the Global South, meaning that the markets will be like 5 8, max 10% of the households, right, family would be less likely to go to a market and rent or buy a house in Africa, in Latin America, in Southeast Asia. Now it became a global issue. So more than half, more than half of the population spend more than 30% of their incomes in housing. And this is too much, especially for the South. So we have to look at solutions locally, and there's no one-size-fits-all, as everything that we do in life. So if you look, for example, at the Global North or even the Americas, there is already a considerable built environment that can be recycled, can be reused, can be resignified, right? And we have to think about the future. I agree with you People will have to live in a different way. We cannot afford, you know, for the future to keep the same form of living. So we have to look at densification. We have to look at high-rise. As I said before, land consumption has stabilized vis-à-vis population growth. But, you know, we can— it's not ideal yet. And we can revert eventually the situation if we don't take care. And it's not by informal settlements. Is by formal real estate developments and low-rise. And this is on the report. However, we still need to build a lot, especially in these regions, and to be very specific, Africa and Southeast Asia, where 2 billion people are coming to cities in the next couple of decades. So we have to build. And where we build, where we find, how we build will have implications in terms of climate, We have— we'll have implications in terms of social cohesion. We'll have implications in terms of economic development, local economic development, right? Housing is an industry in itself. So if we are able to max out this combination, then we can have a win-win situation where we, at the same time, create opportunities, job opportunities, labor in cities for people coming, right, and then provide the needs that we have. So we have to look at the different contexts, and we have to create all the spaces at the regional level, at the country level, where cities can exchange, where countries can exchange. We offer the World Urban Forum. We just had, uh, the 13th edition in Azerbaijan, co-hosted in Baku, where we had 58,000 people coming. This only shows the relevance that the global community, uh, you know, sees, uh, in terms of accessing housing. Housing was the theme of the forum. Thank you so

much, and perhaps also to you, Madam Akinagawa. So you already talked about transport being intimately connected to housing, to development outside cities. From your perspective, you know, if you look at how governments, you know, what governments should do, often they have their own silos, right? It's called ministries, etc. So how do you deal with that? How do you connect with those issues with your national government, but also are you personally inspired by examples you see in other countries? Is there a different way to look at transportation perhaps for the Global South that, you know, is really new and innovative? And how are you yourself inspired in those issues? Okay, thank you.

As we all agree, transportation is what drives any economy. It's mobility that ensures that we can do commerce, and it's only when a city gets that right that really and truly you will experience growth. Even with housing, you need transportation to make it happen. You need them to be able to be transported after they have found housing so that they can pay for that housing because they now are able to travel to a job. For me, I look at it and I say, and it's great that you mentioned the Global South because we have very, very different challenges to the Global North. The Global North is completely, well, majorly developed and they have a very robust public transport system. The backbone of any transportation in any city has to be the public transport. We cannot all drive in our personal cars. Now, this is a big challenge for us in the Global South in the sense that The majority of our public transport is not formalized, so we're working out of small vehicles. We need to begin to drive ourselves in the direction of mass transportation. We need to begin to understand what it will take for us to develop public transport systems that cater to the nature of moving people. If I go back to my city, my reference point, Lagos, we do 30 million trips daily. Only 43% of that is walking trips. So imagine the number of trips that we have to manage. But how can I manage it when all I have— the majority of what I have are buses? We have these small buses which is prevalent in all of major African cities. In Lagos, they call it Danfo. Somewhere else it's the matutas. Whatever you call it, they're small buses, and that is the backbone of your public transport system. That's not going to work. It has to be evolved differently. Things have to move, and things have to move differently. Now, for us, we also note that over 35% of GHG emissions in Lagos is by public transport, and that's because we're doing all of this movement in small, small bites. So for us, I say that there needs to be a formalization or a transition that must happen in African cities where our informal sector begins to be transitioned into formal sectors. And I see that we're doing that in Lagos today. We need to begin to implement large-scale mass transportation systems so that when we carry in people, I am not carrying 10, 12 passengers, but I am carrying 1,000, 1,500. Those are the ways in which we will begin to see to see changes in our public transport system which will drive the economy and work throughout the fabric of society that ensures that these goals are met. Thank you. And in

some way, I think you— both of you have a piece of the puzzle, right, which in the end is necessary to solve this issue of cities. Perhaps a brief question: what can you do from each other? From the housing perspective, what do you need from transport? And from transport, what would you need from housing? Very brief answer, perhaps. So I think she started

saying we need coordination. And I would say traditionally, cities have been planned around the past history, how people moved from one place to the other. For the future, we have to incorporate new patterns. We have to incorporate in the data people that were not visible. For example, all these people walking in Lagos, they have no data to start with. So we have to map the reality, how people are moving from one place to the other, and we have to make sure that both housing and transportation go hand in hand, and we can win if we do that because we generate value, and this value can be captured and invested in the city. Madam Akinajo, from your

point of view, what can housing do to help you? So when housing is being

planned, and this comes from the physical planning, that's what we call it, you said ministries, that's what we call it where I come from, it's a physical planning unit of the state, and they usually work with the housing. And you are absolutely correct, we need to be able to understand new patterns. I need to understand where people are going and why they're going where they're going. And can I engineer them to go somewhere different? That's another way to look at it. Can I make sure that when I plan I plan a housing system, I plan a housing system that will ensure that they have recreation, they have school, they have all of that around them so they're not traveling for more. We talk about the 15 minutes. Those are the sorts of things that when planning of housing projects are being considered, you consider everything so that you are not forcing people to do what we do today in literally every city. Transport themselves 1 hour, 1.5 hours, and it's like there's nothing wrong with that. But there's absolutely everything wrong with that because that's bad for health, that's bad for everything. So there needs to be coordination. Absolutely right, Ana Claudia. We need to coordinate. We need to engineer and make people do what will make it less in terms of journey times and travel times.. And that means that housing, physical planning, and transportation need to sit and speak and constantly collaborate to ensure that we have livable cities. And how nice that you are

sitting here together. I think that's really good. I think it's time for intervention from our lead discussant, which is Madam Katherine Klein from the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, to share her perspective from the floor. Thank you very much. As you

said, my name is Katherine Klein. I'm speaking today on behalf of the ECE, Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism, which is a member of the Major Group and Other Stakeholders. As cities around the world experience unprecedented population aging, age-friendly urban planning is no longer a niche concern. It's becoming central to achieving SDG 11 and building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities. Progress on SDG is also progress across the 2030 Agenda, as we've heard. Secure and affordable housing, accessible transport, inclusive public spaces are all powerful enablers of poverty reduction, better health, reduced inequalities,— and stronger, more cohesive communities. However, older persons, particularly older women, persons with disabilities, and those living in poverty continue to face significant barriers to adequate housing, accessible transport, meaningful participation in urban life. Their perspectives should therefore be integral to urban planning. Since the last review of SDG 11, there have been some improvements, as we heard, in data availability, monitoring systems, and uptake of national urban policies and integrated policies on climate change and disaster risk, enhanced use of geospatial data, and increasing recognition of the role of local and regional governments in co-designing and planning policies. However, persistent challenges remain: lack of accessible and affordable housing, as we've heard, growth of informal settlements creating urban sprawl, air pollution, hot cities, infrastructure vulnerability, as well as an unequal access of marginalized people to public services and public spaces. Therefore, it is imperative that we, one, understand that successful urban transformation requires meaningful participation at every stage, Cities are most sustainable when policies are designed with communities rather than simply for them. Two, adopt a people-centered, age, gender, and disability-sensitive approach to urban planning, taking advantage of indigenous and grassroots local knowledge and experience and empowering local governments with adequate and secure financing. Three, prioritize equity, housing, and inclusive urban development, adopt the World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Initiative, and take example of Finland's Housing First, which is a key model showing that long-term investment and understanding that housing is, as our Executive Director of UN-Habitat has said, is a prerequisite to the other SDG goals. Finally, 4, leverage urban systems to advance sustainability and resilience. Stronger collaboration between governments, civil society, research institutions, the private sector, and international partners drawing on local knowledge and experience by taking a universal co-design process toward policy creation and implementation. The encouraging news is that many of the solutions already exist. Our challenge is no longer identifying what works, but scaling those solutions through political commitment, long-term investment, and genuine partnerships across all sectors of society. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for that

very meaningful intervention. And I want to turn back to our panelists to respond and perhaps also take a slightly broader perspective because the thing that was really mentioned here is, you know, cities are also— have great diversity and are very— inequalities and these vulnerabilities also add up as you very powerfully say, look at the elderly, look at disabled, etc. So perhaps both of you, some reflection on this component of how to deal with these different communities, different local groups, different needs, and particularly, you know, to which extent can we address that kind of these huge inequalities that are there. Perhaps, Manon Rosbach, you want to start with a brief reflection on that theme? Sure. Thank you, Robert. Thank

you, Catherine, for the intervention. I think you mentioned a couple of things that are very, very important, and actually one of the indicators of SDG 11 talks about participation in planning, and we are discussing a lot here about the what, right, the coordination, but how we do that, and perhaps this is one of the main challenges that we have. Yes, local governments, you know, at the driver's seat, as you mentioned, is extremely important. But as you asked before, and I didn't respond, Robert, what is the role of the national— there's a role, there's the money, there's the law, the regulation. They need that. They cannot do that by themselves. They are carrying the burden there. But we need to have participatory governance structures, and this is on the New Urban Agenda. And I think I will bring that at the center because we Once we have that, then we are able to overcome the challenges that Abimbola was mentioning— coordination, you know, go cross-sector, but really make sure that all perspectives are embedded. And right now, the cities that we have, they have been built, you know, under a bias where we have a large part of the population have been excluded. And let's start with women. Cities have not being planned by women, with women, or for women in the past. Thank you for that very powerful

point. Amavoyo, also for your perspective, these various different constituents, how do you deal with that? Thank you. Thank you very much, Catherine.

And I must say that one thing that struck me— two things, actually, from what you said— is about to design communities with or to design infrastructure with the communities rather than for them. And this is all about— and I think that's what Ana Claudia was saying as well— it's about stakeholder engagements, ensuring that you don't do design or you don't put out policies without finding out how it's going to affect them. And you ensure that you talk to the community and get their, their views, their buying— not just their buying, their perspective. They may— you may want to go you go one way, they want to take you somewhere else. And obviously that then deals with all of our special needs people, the elderly, the persons living with disability. You need to understand that this city is made up of very, very, very different, uh, sets of, uh, individuals, and the ability to understand that and carry that forward. But there's something else that you said, and, and that really resonates with me because I almost have a canvas that I can start with. And you said the encouraging news is that solutions already exist and it needs scaling. And really and truly, that is one of the greatest parts of this problem that we have. Nobody is having to go and rewrite a position or to go and define a new problem. The problem, we all know what it is.— and in fairness, the solutions have been— we have cities that have done well. So for— when I look at the Global South, for instance, there are so many examples we can lean on. And in doing that, it makes it easy for us to grow without maybe the problems that the initial ones happened to. For me, that statement really is what resonates with me, that it exists already. To learn to utilize, to scale, and bring about the development that we're looking for. Thank you. Well, thank you so much. We will return back

to you at the very end when we have all the interventions, but for now, I want to thank you for this lively conversation. Clearly, you know, there's no lack of knowledge, insight, energy, and inspiration from the two of you, so actually that was kind of heartwarming, so I want to thank both of you for your brilliant interventions and discussions. And with that, I return the word back to you, Mr. President. Thank you. I thank the moderator, Robert, for

conducting this panel discussion. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we will now proceed to the interactive discussion. Delegations wishing to intervene are invited to request the floor by pressing the microphone button. I also take the opportunity to remind participants that the time limit for the intervention from the floor is 3 minutes for the group and 2 minutes for the national statement. A countdown clock is visible on the screen. To alert the speaker when it is time to conclude your statements. In case speaker exceeds their time limit, the microphone will be automatically deactivated. I apologize in advance if speakers are cut off. This measure is being taken to ensure that all speakers can deliver their statement in the limited time available for the discussion. To ensure proper interpretations, delegations are asked to speak at a normal pace and to provide a written copy of their statement by email, by email to e-statements@un.org. With this, I would like to give the floor to Mr. Martin Westbeth-Moore State Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development of Norway, to be followed by Finland. Mr. President, thank you for many wise reflections

so far. Ladies and gentlemen, we must succeed in cities and local communities if we are to achieve the SDGs. The SDGs should affect how we plan, build, and manage our cities and communities. Adquate and affordable housing can advance inclusion, equity, and resilience, and should be at the center of how we develop cities and communities. SDG implementation is a shared responsibility between levels of government. Local authorities play an important role in implementation. Therefore, any national sustainable development strategy should localize the SDGs. Local authorities constitute an integrated component of Norway's multi-level system of governance. A whole-of-government approach strengthens implementations and partnerships. Consultations between different levels of government is a guiding principle for policymaking. Local and local authorities are central partners in the development of voluntary national reviews. We support the development of voluntary subnational and local reviews as an important supplement to the VNRs. Both have been produced in Norway. Finally, we appreciate the important work the UN has done to develop guidelines and tools for localizing the SDGs and making the voluntary reviews tools for implementation. Thank you. I thank the State Secretary in the Ministry of Local

Government and Regional Development of Norway. Now I give the floor to Mr. Mika Niikainen, Vice Minister for Environment of Finland, to be followed by India. Thank you, Chair. Finland's implementation of the SGD

11 is guided by 4 key priorities: ensuring access to housing, promoting holistic urban planning, advancing low-carbon construction, and creating greener, healthier cities. Finland has achieved notable results in reducing homelessness through cooperation between the state, municipalities, and civil society. A cornerstone of this success has been the Housing First principle, which recognizes housing as a basic human right. A current government program aims to eliminate long-term homelessness by 2027. At the same time, we are strengthening integrated urban development. Through our agreement on land use, housing, and transport, the Ministries of the Environment and Transport work closely with 7 major city regions. Cities commit to increasing land use efficiency and housing supply while the state supports these efforts through investments in transport infrastructure. Finland's new Construction Act is among the first in the world to require whole-life carbon assessment for buildings. Through the building permit process, Developers must provide a climate declaration covering both the carbon footprint and positive carbon handprint of their projects. Finally, greener cities are vital for both people and planet. The EU Nature Restoration Regulation provides a clear long-term framework for increasing urban green spaces and tree canopy or cover that are essential to tackle the impacts of urban heat, for example. Finland stands ready to engage in cooperation and partnerships also internationally, including through SGT localization initiative to support sustainable urban development for all. Thank you. I thank the Vice Minister for Environment of Finland.

Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of India speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends on Science for Action, to be followed by Kotewa. Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver this

statement on behalf of the Group of Friends on Science for Action. The full version of the statement has been sent to the Secretariat for record. SDG 11 provides a particularly important lens through which to assess progress on the implementation of the entire 2030 Agenda. Resilient infrastructure, clean energy, and innovation ultimately take shape or fail to take shape in the cities and communities where most of humanity now lives. The science needed to make cities livable, inclusive, and resilient is being developed, piloted, and proven in real urban environments. So what lacks is not knowledge, but the institutional capacity to plan and govern across interconnected urban systems. And the science that cities depend on is remarkably broad. The hydrology behind safe water, the climate science of urban heat, the engineering of resilient buildings and transport, the data science that transforms information from sensors and satellites into safer, more livable streets. For SDG 11, strengthening the science policy interface is therefore not simply about producing more evidence, but about embedding scientific knowledge into urban decision-making at every stage, from planning and investment to implementation and monitoring. This requires sustained dialogue among scientists, policymakers, local authorities, and communities, supported by interoperable data systems, open scientific collaboration, and stronger institutional capacities. The science-policy interface therefore must be a two-way process. Science must be made legible to policymakers, and policy must create the sustained conditions through new financing, shared access to research infrastructure, and strengthened capacity in developing countries that allow innovation to reach those who need it most. But science policy interfaces must also enable coordination across institutions and sectors, helping decision makers move beyond fragmented approaches to infrastructure water, housing, and climate resilience. The Group of Friends on Science for Action stands ready to advance that agenda. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of India speaking

on behalf of the Group of Friends on Science for Action. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire, to be followed by Cuba. Thank you, Mr. President. We welcome the efforts made by the United

Nations to promote sustainable urbanization through the New Urban Agenda, UN-Habitat, and the Pact for the Future. For us, cities are not just living spaces. They are the driving force of our economic, social, and environmental transformation. Our urbanization rate is 3.2%. By 2030, and therefore they're very important. So a National Development Plan for 2026-2030 assigns priority to such things as development of our territory, the sanitation, to the tune of $3 billion. The extension of our work covering about 95%, including access to water and social services, contributes to improving the quality of life. We're calling for greater funding, technology transfer, and international partnership so as to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goals. Investing in sustainable cities is investing in human shared prosperity, and the promise that no one will be left behind. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire. Now I

give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba, to be followed by Indonesia. Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, President. Cuba has a standing

commitment to implementing the New Urban Agenda and we have made great steps towards implementing this in Cuba that involves urban planning, housing, mobility, climate resilience, infrastructure, land use management, participation of local communities and citizens. We are grateful for the support of UN-Habitat in this regard. We have a national urban policy, a solid legal framework of local legal tools that enable the balanced and resilient development of the country. Our constitution recognizes the right of every individual to a healthy and safe habitat. However, in implementing SDGs, we still need to develop a truly favorable environment. We need— we suffer from limited access to financing, technology, and markets, as well as growing Economic inequalities in the East continue to restrict the development of many developing countries in terms of investment in housing. In the case of Cuba, the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States and the recent energy stranglehold represent the major blocks to implementing the New Urban Agenda. The impacts deeply impact our access to construction materials, the energy infrastructure and the necessary financial resources that are absolutely indispensable to improving the habitat conditions and to guaranteeing more sustainable and resilient cities. The inclusion of Cuba in the list of supposed state sponsors of terror has led to even greater difficulties. Despite this, Cuba continues to move forward, strengthening urban planning by broadening community participation and promoting climate resilience as well as the for the development of public policies that are aimed at leaving no one behind. Nonetheless, I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba. Now I give the floor

to the distinguished representative of Indonesia, to be followed by Poland. Thank you, Mr. President. As we approach 2030, SDG 11 reminds us that the future

of sustainable development will be shaped in our cities. Indonesia experience shows that challenge is not only to manage urban growth, it is also to ensure that growth delivers inclusion, resilience, and sustainability together. Indonesia is advancing this vision through its National Urban Policy 2045. This policy provides a long-term framework for balanced urban system, livable and inclusive cities, competitive urban economies, green and resilient cities, and integrated urban governance. Indonesia highlight three priorities: First, integrated urban development must connect housing, sustainable transport, basic infrastructure, and public services. Second, sustainable mobility must support more inclusive and connected urban growth. The Jakarta Metropolitan Region, now one of the largest urban regions in the world, provides a strong example. Its transportation network brings together metro, commuter line, bus rapid transit feeder services into a single public transport ecosystem while keeping public transport affordable for all. This supports compact development, better access to opportunities, and lower emissions. Third, stronger means of implementation is essential. This means investing in better urban data and geospatial systems, mobilizing more integrated financing, strengthening local government capacity, and improving coordination across levels of government. In this context, National urban policies, voluntary local review, and partnership can turn urban commitment into concrete investment and stronger accountability. Indonesia also underscored the importance of meaningful participation. Indonesia remains committed to working with all partners to build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia. Now I give the floor

to the distinguished with representative of Poland, to be followed by Interpol. Dear Excellencies, distinguished delegates, as recognized in the New Urban

Agenda, data, technology, and innovation are critical enablers of sustainable cities and communities. In response, Statistics Poland has developed the SDG Experimental Statistics Platform, which supports evidence-based urban policy and planning. These data are based on geospatial information and integrate Earth observations. This provides high spatial detail essential for local decisions. The SDG experimental statistics are already in use, including through the Urban Toolkit, which supports Polish municipalities in integrating SDGs into local policies and action. Poland is also using data-driven decision-making to develop its new adaptation strategy and action plan. The strategy sets long-term priorities for strengthening climate resilience, particularly in cities, and is based on climate risk and vulnerability assessments prepared by national research institutes. Data is not only information, it is the foundation of better cities, and data linking in today's increasingly complex urban realities is no longer optional. It is essential. Sustained investment in data infrastructure is therefore not a cost. It is a prerequisite for achieving the SDGs. However, the greatest impact can be made by combining infrastructure investment with collaboration, as cities and rural areas are mutually dependent through labor, food production, innovation, and ecosystem services. Development should strengthen the cooperation and ensure that the benefits of growth are shared across all territories. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Poland. Now I give the floor to the

distinguished representative of Interpol, to be followed by Canada. Thank you, Mr. President. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, security is the

foundation upon which sustainable development is built. Without security, progress on health, education, and prosperity stalls. It is with this understanding that Interpol has designed its global policing goals around the 2030 Agenda so that global security efforts help drive the Sustainable Development Goals forward. Today's discussion speaks directly to our mandate. As the world's largest international criminal police organization, Interpol is committed to advancing the security and resilience that SDG 11 envisions. Two targets under this goal capture where our work makes a tangible contribution. First, Target 11.4 calls for the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage. Criminal networks are increasingly profiting from the trafficking in cultural property, stripping communities of the heritage that defines their identity and history. The international community has recognized the role of Interpol in addressing this threat through instruments such as United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347 and, most recently, General Assembly Resolution 79/133 on trafficking in cultural property. Second, Target 11.5 focuses on reducing the impact of disasters on our communities. When disaster strikes, Interpol's Incident Response Teams stand ready to be deployed to provide technical assistance in areas such as disaster victim identification. Together, these efforts demonstrate that international police cooperation not only protects people from crime but also helps safeguard the heritage, resilience, and social fabric that makes communities sustainable. Mr. President, colleagues, we often hear sustainable development and security discussed as though they belong to separate agendas. In reality, these concepts are intrinsically linked. Interpol remains committed to working with the United Nations and our member countries to create the safe, inclusive, and resilient environment— I thank the distinguished representative of Interpol. Now I give the floor to the

distinguished representative of Canada, to be followed by Malta. Thank you, Mr. President. Les villes et les collectivités— cities and communities, if

they are sustainable, are not characterized by just investment but by the availability of housing and the services to improve the daily lives of people. The experience of Canada has shown that programmes rest less on individual progress, but rather on coordinated work when it comes to housing, infrastructure. Air pollution and lack of access to transit disproportionately affect Indigenous communities, single-parent households, and people with low incomes. Addressing SDG 11 therefore requires infrastructure and governance that reflects local realities and promotes shared decision-making. To build on these points, I turn the mic to civil society representative Kelly Moore, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Association of Planners. Our experience has shown that progress is accelerated when urban systems are intentionally

integrated across sectors, disciplines, and orders of government. Canada's whole-of-society approach is reflected in the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative, initiative, where partners are working together to localize implementation. As one example, through the Rapid Planning Toolkit, we bring together local and state governments, civil society, academia, built environment professionals, and the private sector in a participatory process—planning process—that connects community knowledge with data, investments, and decision-making. The result is better coordinated action that strengthens resilience, supports inclusive development, and helps communities move more quickly from planning to implementation. Progress depends on localized delivery, and localized delivery is strongest when urban systems are intentionally integrated. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representatives of Canada. Now I give the floor to the distinguished

representative of Malta, to be followed by Mexico. Chair, as we approach the final stretch towards 2030, Sustainable Development Goal 11 reminds us

that the future of sustainable development will largely be shaped in our cities and communities. While progress has been made through stronger data systems with more integrated urban policies and greater recognition of local governments, these gains remain uneven and insufficient to place us on track to achieve SDG 11 by 2030. As Malta's United Nations Youth Delegate, I wish to emphasize one fundamental principle: sustainable cities cannot be designed for young people without being designed with young people. Across the world, young people are already driving innovation in climate action, digital solutions, community planning, and social entrepreneurship, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in urban governance and decision-making. Participation should not be limited to consultation exercises It must evolve into genuine co-creation where young people are recognized as partners in designing policies that shape the places where they live, work, and build their futures. Urban transformation also requires integrated thinking. Affordable housing, sustainable transport, accessible public spaces, climate resilience, sustainable food systems, and the circular economy should not be treated as separate policy areas. They are deeply interconnected and our responses must reflect this reality. Investments in one area should generate positive outcomes across multiple SDGs. As an island state, Malta understands both the opportunities and the constraints of pursuing sustainable urban development within limited land and natural resources. We have learned that resilience depends not only on infrastructure, but also on strong communities, inclusive institutions, and meaningful partnerships. If we want to commit towards delivering SDG 11, we must move beyond building smarter cities to building fairer, more inclusive, and more participatory ones. Cities should not merely accommodate future generations, they need to be shaped by them. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Malta, and now I give the floor to the distinguished

representative of Mexico, to be followed by volunteers stakeholder group. Thank you very much, President. Mexico promotes a territorial development approach that places

people at the center of our public policy. From this perspective, building sustainable cities means integrating a whole set of dimensions—social, economic, and environmental—in order to improve well-being and to step up implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Mexico's National Development Plan 2025 through 2030 advances a new vision of territory. Rather than just a space to be regulated, it is conceived of as a system in which people, ecosystems, infrastructure, and productive activities all interact. This approach strengthens urban planning. It reduces inequalities and fosters more resilient and inclusive communities. For Mexico, environmental Sustainability is not just an extra from development planning, it is a prerequisite for achieving urban development. Protecting ecosystems, enhancing climate resilience, and promoting orderly territorial planning are essential to improving people's quality of life. We also recognize that safer, more accessible, and sustainable mobility is a key component of territorial development and that building sustainable cities requires the active participation of young people, indigenous peoples, and local communities in the design and implementation of public policies. Mexico has strengthened this paradigm through partnerships with UN-Habitat, the European Union, and the Inter-American Development Bank, as well as the German Cooperation Agency, in order to bolster land use planning, sustainable mobility, and comprehensive risk management. Finally, we invite you to participate in the 14th edition of the World Urban Forum, which will be held in Mexico City in 2028. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative

of Volunteers International Group, to be followed by Switzerland. Shukran saad raees, lakad khatana shou. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have come a long way together and the challenge today

is not simply the definition of sustainability, but rather to measure the impact and maintain the momentum and to achieve results. And SDG 11 is no doubt a comprehensive platform for the 2030 SDG agenda, as it is a space where all of the different SDGs meet together, all 17 of them, through local action. Every decision that is made is able to achieve several goals at the same time. Because one investment would allow us to enhance water, energy, infrastructure, the ability to achieve climate resilience as well as responsible production and consumption and economic opportunities and the quality of life. This all requires integrated policies that are based on evidence and data. And at the Saudi Initiative for Green Buildings, we have combined over 200 projects for green buildings throughout the Arab area, the Arab world. Shows that integrated solutions are able to achieve progress that is in tandem with SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12. And the Al Qasim area embodies the strength of local action. 1.3 million people reside there and they contribute to 300,000 volunteers— over 300,000 volunteers work there, which is approximately 1 in every 4 of the residents in building more resilient buildings and more inclusive sustainable ones. Science offers the data and innovation provides the tools and AI provides the data. But human wisdom is what provides trust and confidence and balances the different priorities and creates a society that leaves no one behind. And if we want our cities to be sustainable, then we must continue to work on the element that makes the city sustainable, which is the human being. The world is now ready to transfer volunteer work into work that can be measurable and that can contribute. Mike has been cut off. I thank the distinguished representative of Voluntary Stakeholder Group. Now I give the floor to the distinguished

representative of Switzerland to be followed by Israel. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Mr. President. Excellencies, good afternoon. I represent the city of Bern in Switzerland.

It's clear for us that attaining SDG requires coordinated efforts at all levels—state, region, cities—by integrating to this civil society all of the stakeholders. This is a guarantee that no one would be left behind. It's important to integrate all of the stakeholders, otherwise this will not work. The cities are the driving force of sustainable development, the laboratories for innovation, as was said by, by the members of the panel. They are the energy for the future when we're talking about energy transition. This also applies for the, to the mobility of the future and for the circular economy, and of course when it comes to social inclusion. So I'm asking you, where if not in the cities people live together and create societies for the future together. This is the urban feeling. This is what urbanity is. It's true for all cities throughout the world. The mayors of the cities of Geneva, Basel, and Bern are exploring the key roles of the cities in attaining the SDGs in developing of our territories, our transportation, and especially in housing. It's true that a major driving force is affordable housing. We support international cooperation on sustainable urban development, and we do this through the Forum of Mayors in Geneva, which will take place in October of this year. This is— and the organization which supports this is a Global Cities Hub, also in Geneva, and I invite you very warmly participate in either in the Forum of Mayors or in the Global Cities Hub. I thank you very much. I thank the distinguished representative of Switzerland. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel,

to be followed by Ireland. Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished delegates. I addressed this plenary for the first time 8 years ago. Sharing Israel's unique

urban challenges. Since then, we have pushed urban planning for beyond building houses, launching national walkability strategies, placemaking manuals, age-friendly spaces, mixed-use innovation districts, establishing a national urban lab, and much more. We also proudly support the Israeli Urban Forum, an essential initiative led by civil society, ensuring that residents actively guide our urban future. Today, as head of the, of the Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Construction and Housing of Israel, I am honored to present our new national report on SDG 11, accessible directly by scanning the QR next to me. To handle rapid population growth in strictly limited land, our strategic housing plans set regional targets for 2040 and 2050, marketing over half of our state-owned land through subsidized discount programs. For Target 11.3, urban regeneration is our top priority. We fund 51 local regeneration administrations nationwide and mandate our green assessment tool, Neighbourhood 360, upgrading aging areas into compact, walkable neighbourhoods with convenient public transport access. Furthermore, under Target 11.5, planning must drive crisis recovery. In our southern region, severely hit in the heinous and cowardly terrorist invasion of October 7, 2023, we are directly managing a $480 million infrastructure budget. Guided by our new Damage Rehabilitation Law and Build Back Better principles, we are rebuilding communities better, stronger, and safer, linking housing directly with decentralized solar grids and water reuse systems. Yet looking back at our progress, I must be honest: it is still not enough. Sustainable urbanization is not a finish line; It is a daily commitment to turn these plans into living neighborhoods that are genuinely inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the distinguished representative of Israel. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland, to be followed

by France. Thank you, Chair. I deliver this intervention today as one of Ireland's UN Youth Delegates. Young people must be recognized as equal partners

if we are to be successful in achieving the SDGs. A better world cannot be built for young people without young people. Progress on the SDGs requires a rights-based and intergenerational approach. Decisions made today must safeguard the well-being, opportunities, and environmental sustainability of future generations. To build an inclusive future for all, we must create participation pathways that are accessible and accountable. That means providing civic education to young people and ensuring participatory democracy through non-formal education and resourcing youth-led organizations. As one of Ireland's UN Youth Delegates, I encourage member states to recognize young people as partners in achieving the SDGs, including through the involvement of young people in voluntary national reviews. More than half the global population is now living in cities, and that this is projected to be nearly 70% by 2050. Cities are powerful magnets of talent, drivers of competitiveness, digitalisation, innovation, and investment. However, cities face numerous challenges such as shortage of housing, high energy costs, poverty, and challenges related to the adverse impacts of climate change. Young people want communities where affordable housing, education, employment, and recreation are accessible through safe, reliable public transport, making transport-oriented development a key tool for creating inclusive and sustainable cities and communities. Urban and rural planning should actively involve young people in decision-making and ensure that communities are designed to support well-being, participation, and climate resilience. It is critical that young people are not simply viewed as beneficiaries of policies who exist between their home environments and school, but as active participants in their communities and therefore key stakeholders in the development of urban planning. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Ireland. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France, to be followed by

Zimbabwe. President. Thank you, Mr. President. In the context of generalized urbanization, cities are one of the major challenges for sustainable development

because they consume land, energy, and resources. They contribute to accelerate global changes while being amongst the first to suffer the consequences. Cities are also where innovation is concentrated, the hope for social mobility, and looking for solutions for the future. We remain determined to have inhabitable and inclusive cities for everyone by supporting cooperation projects, in particular with local governments. The Institute for Development Research is of the view that the cities is a major place for research which needs to be covered by interdisciplinary and partnership approach open to various kinds of production and knowledge. Such an approach would enable us to better understand what is at stake in major metropolis and small cities, crisis in— for the— our resources and climate and biodiversity as well. To meet these challenges, challenges, we need to strengthen the observation capacities by collecting data at all levels and integrate our specificities in each of our communities. With our academic partners, we commit ourselves to develop programs having to do with digitalizing our work, in particular when it comes to urban planning and coastal cities. SDG 11 tells us that we need to have shared knowledge so as to come up with with public solutions and reduce inequalities. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of France. Now, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe, to be followed by Suriname.

Okay. Thank you very much, Chair. In line with relevant policy frameworks, my government is pursuing integrated urban development through the rehabilitation

of water, and sanitation infrastructure, modernization of solid waste management systems, investments in renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure, and housing delivery programs. Devolution— sorry, it's okay— devolution and decentralization programs are empowering local authorities to undertake development initiatives that respond to local priorities and strengthen citizen participation in governance and service delivery. To strengthen evidence-based planning and accountability monitoring in SDG localization, Zimbabwe has developed the SDGs MSDS Data Collection Tool. The tool also supports voluntary local reviews and facilitates integration of SDGs into the local planning and governance systems. Your delegations are invited to a side event that Zimbabwe will host on July 15th, 2026, to showcase this SDGs Data Collection Tool. Achieving SDG 11 requires sufficient means of implementation and partnerships through increased financing for sustainable urban infrastructure, affordable housing, climate adaptation, technology transfer, digital innovation, and capacity building for local authorities, as well as strengthen data collection systems. In conclusion, Zimbabwe remains committed to working with all stakeholders to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities. Through strengthened partnerships and data-driven development, we can accelerate progress towards SDG 11 and ensure that no one and no place is left behind. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Suriname, to be followed by FAO. Thank you, Mr.

President. In 2025, Suriname reached an important milestone with the launch of its first national spatial development vision 2025-2050, anchored

in SDG 11 and the UN-Habitat New Urban It provides our long-term roadmap for building sustainable, resilient, and inclusive communities. Our development challenges are well defined. Almost two-thirds of our population lives in the coastal areas, placing increasing pressure on housing, mobility, drainage, and public services, while communities in the interior continue to face limited access to essential infrastructure. In response, Suriname is advancing a comprehensive approach to spatial planning. We are strengthening the legal and policy framework for sustainable land use, supported by national planning standards that promote climate resilience, efficient land use, green public spaces, and sustainable mobility. At the same time, we are investing in improved waste management, climate resilient infrastructure, and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage while encouraging balanced regional development to create opportunities beyond the coastal zone. These ambitions require partnership. We therefore welcome continued international cooperation in strengthening spatial planning, urban data systems, climate adaptation, and financing for resilient housing, drainage, and sustainable infrastructure. Together, we can build communities that are inclusive, resilient, and prepared for future generations. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Suriname. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of FAO, to be followed by South Africa. Thank you,

Mr. President. FAO welcomes the opportunity to be part of this discussion. To bring in an element that has not really been reflected today, but is critical

to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, agrifood systems should be integrated in national urban policies and city and territorial planning to enable cities to deliver greener, healthier, and more resilient outcomes, linking food security and nutrition, climate action, public health, and urban development. Procurement and market instruments should be used to improve access to affordable, healthy diets especially in low-income and informal neighborhoods, while supporting local producers and inclusive urban communities. Multi-level governance should be strengthened by aligning mandates, policies, and financing across national and local levels. This enables cities to move beyond fragmented pilots and scale proven agrifood system solutions. FAO's Network of Intermediate Cities and Food Systems, which brings together 66 cities from 10 countries, and the FAO Green Cities Initiative provide integrated, sustainable, productive, and circular solutions that serve as a practical model for this approach. Investment in city-region diagnostics and disaggregated data systems are needed to identify bottlenecks, manage trade-offs, and target and guide investment in agrifood systems across the urban-rural continuum. Partnerships for delivery at scale should be mobilized by aligning city networks governments, UN entities, and financiers around practical implementation pathways and sustainable finance. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Food and Agriculture Organization. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa, to be

followed by Ecuador. Mr. President, It is relevant that this year's HLPF also reviews SDG 11, as this coincides with the review of the New Urban Agenda. South Africa's implementation of SDG

11 and the New Urban Agenda is underpinned by two important pillars: one, enhanced service delivery, that is implementing integrated human settlement programs that promote spatial transformation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth; and 2, scaling up innovative building technologies through supporting innovation that can deliver cost-effective, low-carbon, and climate adaptive homes. This approach stems from the realization that in South Africa, despite decades of democratic planning and investment, South African cities and towns continue to reflect inherited patterns of exclusion and distance, with many residents living far from economic opportunities. It is against this background that South Africa has adopted the First Home Finance Programme, which is a government subsidy that enables qualifying beneficiaries to buy or build their first home on an affordable basis in both urban and rural areas. Moreover, through the Integrated Urban Development Framework and the District Development Model, the government has outlined a policy framework for transforming and restructuring South Africa's urban spaces, guided by the vision of creating functional, safe, resource-efficient cities and towns that are socially integrated, economically inclusive, and globally competitive, where residents actively participate in urban life. South Africa's 2026 Country Report on Progress in the Implement— Implementation of the New Urban Agenda reveals our government's efforts to coordinate domestic partnership focusing on expanding access to social housing funding. In conclusion, Mr. President, by implementing SDG 11 and the urban agenda— I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa. I, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador, to be followed by Senegal. Thank you,

President. Building inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities is essential for achieving sustainable development and to meeting the 2030 Agenda

goals. For my delegation, implementation of SDG 11 requires a recognition that cities should be spaces where economic development, social inclusion, and environmental protection all converge. This is why Ecuador has implemented 3 key actions aimed at achieving Agenda 2030, as well as the commitments that were made during Habitat— the Habitat III Conference in 2016, where the New Urban Agenda was adopted in Quito, Ecuador. In 2020, we adopted the Sustainable Habitat Agenda of Ecuador through 2020— 2036, the national roadmap for implementation of the New Urban Agenda. We also have a national urban policy that was prepared and participatory manner and we have also twice presented our national report on implementation of the New Urban Agenda. These are all tools that have made it possible to analyze progress and challenges that remain. President, the upcoming high-level meeting on the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda represents an opportunity for us to renew our commitments to sustainable urban development and to adjust the framework for action ahead of the new challenges facing our cities, Achieving SDG 11 requires a strengthening of the means of implementation for developing countries. We need greater investment in adequate housing, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable urban planning. In this effort, public-private partnerships and the role of local authorities is absolutely fundamental. Ecuador has reaffirmed its commitment to working together with the international community and local actors to make urbanization an opportunity for reducing inequalities and generating wellbeing and secure cities. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Ecuador. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Senegal, to be followed by Ethiopia. Mr. President, Excellencies,

ladies and gentlemen, I would like to, at the outset, congratulate you and members of the panel for your valuable contributions to this smooth running of

our work. Individual and collective well-being depends on several factors, including the existence and accessibility of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements. Nonetheless, we must recognize that developing countries are facing many challenges, including the deficit of social housing, uncontrolled urbanization, inadequacies in the management and recovery of waste, including plastic waste,— on the weakness of urban green spaces. To remedy this, it is necessary to strengthen governments and planning, to develop appropriate infrastructure, and promote solutions that integrate resilience and ecological transition. In our national context, urbanization is a major issue with a growing concentration of populations in urban centers, particularly in the metropolitan Dakar area. As a result, considerable efforts have been made by the state to improve access to housing, to strengthen urban planning, to modernize infrastructure, and promote a healthier and more sustainable living environment. Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, another important aspect having to do with the problem of waste management. Since 2015, we have been working resolutely to improve this management. The actions carried out in this context are based on the program for the promotion of integrated management in the economy of solid waste in Senegal. At the same time, through the Senegal Green Spaces Program, we're implementing policies to facilitate access for all to safe and inclusive green spaces and public spaces. To be viable, this must be based on multi-stakeholder partnerships. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Senegal Thank you, Senegal. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia, to be followed by Botswana. Thank you,

Mr. President. Allow me to highlight some of our efforts towards achieving SDG 11. The government of Ethiopia is currently implementing an ambitious nationwide urban transformation

agenda aimed at creating more livable cities through the integration of high-quality infrastructure with environmentally sustainable approaches. Our urbanization strategy is being operationalized through the Corridor Development Program. This program integrates transport, housing, green spaces, and economic infrastructure into coordinated urban upgrades. It's designed to improve the quality of life for our citizens by creating more comfortable, modern, and livable urban environments. Mr. President, In our effort to implement the National Housing Development Strategy, we have upgraded slum areas to create an improved livability by ensuring compensation for displaced residents, constructing in-situ public housing, and embedding smart city futures. The government of Ethiopia is also implementing Riverside Projects, which is a comprehensive urban development endeavor launched in 2019 with an objective to to revitalize Addis Ababa by transforming the city's riverside into vibrant public spaces, thereby enhancing residents' quality of life and boosting tourism. Mr. President, despite these efforts, informal settlements remain a formidable challenge. Therefore, national efforts need to be supported by our shared international commitments with the view to achieve these treaties in the remaining 4 years. In conclusion, we believe coordinated cooperation that prioritizes integrated people-centered urbanization helps to rebuild cities that are not only sustainable but also engines of equitable growth and social cohesion. I thank you, Mr. President. I thank the distinguished representative of Ethiopia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Botswana, to be followed by Nepal. Thank you, Chair. Mr. President, Botswana has made

notable progress in advancing SDG 11. This has been achieved through such as the revised National Settlement Policy, National Spatial Plan 2036, National

Policy on Housing, Town and Country Planning Act, and successive National Development Plans. As of 2022, approximately 85% of the population was residing in quality housing. The proportion of of the population using safely managed drinking water and sanitation services reached 78% and 68% respectively in 2022. Moreover, investments in housing, infrastructure, health, education, transport, and even services have supported orderly settlement growth across the country. Botswana is conceptualizing an integrated public transport system for Greater Gaborone, the capital. The system is expected to use high capacity electric buses. This in aid of sustainable urban mobility and a reduction in carbon emissions. Enhanced institutional reforms are underway to strengthen public transport governance and coordination. Despite this progress, there are challenges. These include rapid urbanization, rising demand for affordable housing and serviced land, infrastructure gaps, rural-urban disparities, and the growing impacts of climate change.. Mr. President, to accelerate progress towards SDG 11 by 2030, Botswana prioritizes local authority capacity building, decentralized disaster risk management, inclusive governance, improved data systems, and evidence-based planning. Botswana recognizes that strengthened partnerships, including innovative financing mechanisms between and among the government, private sector development partners, Government, civil society, and communities are critical to building safe, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable human settlements for all. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Botswana. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nepal, to be followed by IUCN. Thank you, Mr. President. Nepal's report card on SDG 11 shows mixed

results. We have reduced the portion of people living in slums and informal settlements, expanded access to safer housing, and increased the number

of planned cities. The post-2015 earthquake resilient reconstruction and rehabilitation program represents a successful model of building back better, combining resilient infrastructure with community participation and social inclusion. We also succeeded in reducing disaster impacts, with less population affected by natural calamities. Urban air quality has improved, for several key pollutants, reflecting sustained efforts to strengthen environmental management. Our experience demonstrates that inclusive democratic governance and empowered local governments can drive more participatory, resilient, and people-centered urban development. At the same time, community-based reconstruction, social protection, and housing support help strengthen disaster resilience and expand access to safe housing and essential services, particularly for vulnerable groups. Despite progress, growing urbanization outpaces infrastructure and service delivery, creating pressures on affordable housing, resilient transport, water sanitation, waste management, and resilient— sorry, essential urban services. Moving forward, I wish to underscore the following points. First, scale up investment in resilient urban infrastructure to expand sustainable transport, public spaces, and disaster-resilient services that can meet the demands of rapid urbanization. Second, prioritize affordable and adequate housing for all. Third, empower governments and communities through international support, adequate concessional financing, institution building, agile data system, and public-private partnership. Fourth, accelerate transition to greener cities. Finally, adopt integrated and inclusive urban planning that integrates infrastructure development, community participation, science and nature-based solutions, including the needs of vulnerable groups, to build sustainable cities. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Nepal. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of IUCN, to be followed by Bangladesh. Thank you, Chair. By 2030, as we've heard today, most of humanity will

live in cities. How those cities are planned will determine not only human well-being, but the fate of biodiversity. Cities should be considered not

as competitors with nature, but as potential leaders of a nature-positive future. Urban planning that integrates biodiversity such as green corridors, urban wetlands, and nature-based solutions for flooding and heat delivers measurable returns: cleaner air, cooler streets, stronger climate resilience, and renewed connection between people and the natural world. For this potential to be realized, local decision-making must be strengthened. We also stress the importance of reconnecting people with nature within urban life itself. Not as a luxury, but as a foundation for public health, social cohesion, and environmental stewardship. Urban transformation cannot be pursued in silos. Coherence between SDG 11 and the broader 2030 Agenda, and synergies with the Rio Conventions, will be essential to ensure cities contribute to, rather than undermine, global biodiversity and climate goals. IUCN looks forward to working with member states and local authorities to put nature at the heart of urban planning. Thank you, Chair. I thank the distinguished representative of IUCN. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh, to be followed by Czechia. Thank you, Mr. President. Bangladesh is undergoing one of the most

rapid urbanization in South Asia. Our cities are engines of economic growth, but That urbanization has been taking toll on government, other infrastructure

investments. Particularly the urbanization— a total share of urban population has increased from 20% in 2000 to 40% in 2026. So it's a huge urbanization-related pressure on governments. So this urbanization has been happening, particularly that 3 types of migration. One is climatic migration, another one is consumption-led migration, another one is industrial industrialization, which are mostly unplanned urbanization. So the government confronts severe infrastructure inadequacies, particularly in drainage and water, waste management, informal settlements and housing, and also climatic issues, particularly air pollution, waterlogging, and other things that undermining the livability of our cities. This reality is a stark reminder that without a decisive shift in approach, it is not possible to achieve the vision of inclusive and resilient sustainable cities by 2030. Our Bangladesh government, led by Prime Minister Tariq Rahman, already emphasized on integrated policies, particularly integration of spatial planning, decentralization policies, and also industrialization policies. And without this integration, it is not possible to achieve sustainable cities. And the good thing that Bangladesh has recently adopted its first ever national urban policy, Then also a special planning act already passed in the parliament. And also you'll be happy to know that Bangladesh has taken initiative to pilot SDG villages that might have positive spillover benefits on urbanization. The important thing is that financing is important for all these issues. I thank the distinguished representative of Bangladesh. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Czechia, to be followed by Ukraine. Thank you, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. SDG 11 is where global

ambitions meet local realities. The effective delivery depends crucially on the capacity of regional and on local authorities and their autonomy to act,

as well as on the active involvement of a wide range of local stakeholders to design and implement projects that truly improve people's lives. Great emphasis should be placed on sharing know-how regarding the social, economic, and climate resilience of the urban milieu, which is considered a prerequisite for stability and long-term sustainability. Closer links between policies and integrated territorial approaches are essential to deliver solutions tailored to the real needs of cities and communities. Localization must remain at the heart of SDG implementation. Local governments are not only implementers, they are also policy innovators in SDG localization. Investments in smarter cities and smart regions promote digital and innovative solutions that improve public services and strengthen resilience. Our experience shows that the main barrier is often not the lack of solutions, but the difficulty of scaling them. Many cities are innovative in smart mobility, energy efficiency, and/or participatory planning, but there are limits linked with administrative capacity, legislation, funding, and general knowledge of new development approaches. This is where stronger multilevel governance and targeted capacity building become reality. In conclusion, the localization of SDG 11 is not only a policy priority, it is a practical pathway to achieving the 2030 Agenda. By implementing local— empowering local governments, enhancing cooperation across levels, and investing in innovation and people, countries can continue to translate global commitments into tangible improvements in everyday life. Thank you. Thank you, distinguished representative of Czechia. And now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine, to be followed by Brazil. Mr. President, Ukraine remains firmly committed to achieving SDG 11. Before Russia's

full-scale invasion, Ukraine has made significant progress in advancing sustainable urban development. We invested in affordable housing, sustainable

transport, energy-efficient buildings, improved waste management, modern urban infrastructure, and disaster resilience. However, since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, these efforts have been severely undermined, undermined as a direct consequences of the aggression. Modern 250,000 residential buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed or heavily damaged. Entire urban landscapes, including Mariupol, Bakhmut, Volnovakha, Popasna, Rubizhne, and others, have been devastated. Large front-line cities such as Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Sumy, and others continue to endure relentless attacks. At the same time, cities and communities across the entire territory of Ukraine are, are subjected to regular Russian missile and drone strikes deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, energy facilities, and transport networks. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, creating one of the largest population displacements in Europe since World War II. Despite this Despite the enormous challenges, Ukraine remains committed to achieving SDG 11. We are determined to rebuild our cities and communities based on the principles of resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, and accessibility. However, genuine recovery and sustainable development are impossible without a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter. We express our support to UN-Habitat and deeply appreciate its consistent assistance to Ukraine essential. I thank the distinguished representative of Ukraine. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil, to be followed by Thailand. Mr. President, SDG 11 addresses a central development paradox. Cities generate opportunity

and prosperity but also concentrate inequality and vulnerability. As climate change intensifies extreme events, populations in informal settlements

suffer most from inadequate housing, infrastructure, and services. SDG 11 is therefore both an urban planning and a social justice agenda. Brazil speaks from the experience of a country where more than 85% of the population lives in urban areas, often shaped by rapid and unequal urbanization. The share of the urban population living in precarious, informal, or inadequate housing fell from about 39% in 2010 to 31% in 2022, but the gap remains significant and large. Under the coordination of its Ministries of Cities, Brazil has significantly expanded social housing, invested in urbanization of informal settlements, and land tenure regularization, and sought to connect housing with sanitation, mobility, and public services. Disaster risk reduction is equally central. Brazil faces floods, landslides, droughts, and urban heat islands with growing intensity. Over 69% of municipalities now implement disaster risk reduction strategies aligned with national guidelines. Two lessons are essential. First, urban resilience requires addressing the roots of informality: land markets, investment gaps, exclusionary planning, poverty, and insecure tenure. Housing must be treated as a human right. Second, social protection is part of urban resilience because there is no social justice without urban justice. To this. Brazil remains committed to— I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand, to be followed by Spain. Thank you, Mr. President. Thailand is facing the risk of rapid urbanization and economic growth alongside

continuous internal migration, resulting in increased demand for housing and basic services and contributing to the growth of slums and informal

settlement housing unaffordability and unplanned urban expansion. To address this, Thailand is developing area-based city plans for all provinces, covering land use, transportation, and conservation of natural resources. In 2030, we are promoting to build low-carbon, resilient, and sustainable cities while enabling community participation in housing development. Thailand believes inclusive and participatory urban planning is the foundation for reducing impurity, and we look forward to the High-Level Meeting on New Urban Agenda Mid-term Review next week as an important milestone to achieve SDG 11 for all. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain, to be followed by UNESCO. Muchas gracias, señor Presidente. Thank you very much, President. For Spain, SDG 11 is crucial. Resilient cities

and communities are a prerequisite for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Our renewed sustainable development strategy, adopted in February together with

governments and our network of regional and local planning reaffirm local SDGs and extends to areas such as localized care and climate adaptation. And Spain's urban agenda has become a real policy lever for territorial implementation of the 2030 Agenda. I wish to highlight the Sustainable Mobility Law which defines accessibility as a right and guarantees coordinated territorial planning together with a commitment to digitization and innovation. We also have a strategy to combat transport poverty. In terms of disaster prevention and strengthening resilience to disasters, in line with Sendai framework. We're working with civil society as well. We're also driving training and preparation for many of the educational centers on 25,000 across the country. We've developed a state protocol for attention and communication for people with disabilities in emergencies as well. At the international level, we are working on— cooperation and thanks to the joint SDG funds since 2023, the Spanish city of Bilbao has hosted the Secretariat of the Local Coalition 2030. Together with the coalition and the OECD, we have launched a financing initiative under FFD4 to ensure access to economic resources and funding for local governments. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Spain. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UNESCO, to be followed by Sudan. Thank you, Chair. Today's discussion has made clear that despite important progress, SDG 11 remains off track. At a time

of accelerating climate change, rapid urbanization, and growing inequalities, we need solutions that deliver across multiple SDGs. Culture is

one of those solutions. Target 11.4 provides an important entry point through the protection and safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage. But culture's contribution extends far beyond heritage. It strengthens local economies through tourism and the creative industries. It fosters social cohesion and a shared sense of belonging, supports climate resilience through the adaptive use of buildings and traditional knowledge, and helps communities recover from crisis and conflict. This integrated role is increasingly reflected in global frameworks, from the New Urban Agenda to the Pact for the Future. At UNESCO, we are working with partners to translate these commitments on culture into action. For instance, through the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, now connecting more than 400 cities, we support local authorities in using culture and creativity to drive sustainable urban development. Allow me to conclude with 3 recommendations. First, Integrate culture across urban, climate, social, and economic policies as a cross-cutting enabler of sustainable development. Second, strengthen partnerships among national and local governments, the UN system, civil society, and the private sector to scale culture-based urban solutions. And third, invest in stronger data and financing so culture's contribution to resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities can fully be measured, supported, and and expand it. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of UNESCO. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan, to be followed by Armenia. Shukran as-saydar, yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair, Your Excellencies. Sudan faces nowadays a real urban emergency that is unprecedented.

The war against Sudan created the largest displacement crisis in the world. Millions of people came to cities which produced growing pressures

on urban cities, on the infrastructure where urban neighborhoods were destroyed or heavily damaged as the families searched for safety and for housing. Despite these challenges and because we are convinced about the importance of building and resilience, Prime Minister launched his initiative, 1 million housing units, and we continue to implement the urban development project for several cities to diagnose their situation during the displacement and the return of the people to their original cities. We would like to highlight 3 priorities. First, we need to address housing and basic services in the context of conflicts and displacement as are pivotal and not marginal issues. We should recognize informal settlements that host the IDPs as part of the urban fabric while providing basic services instead of excluding them from planning and statistics. Rebuilding information and data systems is a prerequisite for any urban planning policy for recovery. Third, providing resilience in urban settings in fragile and conflict-prone countries should be flexible and adaptable. We believe that our cities will continue to rise again and that this crisis can be transformed into an opportunity to rebuild cities that are more just, more sustainable, that guarantee the rights of all the citizens. We reiterate our commitment to the the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to not leave anyone behind. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Sudan. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia, to be followed by Portugal. Thank you, Mr. President. Accelerating progress on sustainable cities and human settlements requires inclusive and integrated

approaches that connect urban planning with climate action, resilience, and and sustainable economic growth. Stronger data systems, integrated national

urban policies and planning, and geospatial tools can help guide more effective decisions, but they also must be translated into concrete actions and results on the ground. This is particularly urgent as cities face growing pressures of climate change, environmental degradation, air pollution, and infrastructure vulnerabilities. Sustainable urban development must therefore prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure, resource-efficient urban urban planning, sustainable mobility, nature-based solutions, disaster risk reduction, and environmentally sound waste and water management. At the same time, cities must be safe, inclusive, and accessible for all. This requires age and gender responsive and disability inclusive planning, safe public spaces free from violence and harassment, equal access to basic services, and the full and meaningful participation of women and girls in urban decision-making. For Armenia, Sustainable urban development is closely linked to resilience, connectivity, and balanced territorial development. As landlocked and mountainous country, we attach particular importance to strengthening links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas, improving access to jobs, markets, education, healthcare, and basic services, and investing in resilient infrastructure and sustainable mobility. Accelerating SDG 11 requires addressing the financing gap. Many countries, including middle-income Cities face growing infrastructure needs while also dealing with constraints, fiscal space, limited access to affordable and long-term financing. In this context, support for bankable and investment-ready project pipelines, capacity building, technology transfer, and access to concessional innovative financing will be essential. In conclusion, we believe that cities can be powerful platforms for innovation, climate action, and SDG acceleration. Which must be supported by coherent national policies and effective implementation. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Armenia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal, to be followed by United Arab Emirates. Portugal, you have the floor now. Thank you, Mr. President. Achieving the 2030 Agenda and SDG 11 requires integrated governance

based on whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches, strong local ownership, and better data to guide public policies. Portugal continues to strengthen the localization of the 2030 Agenda.

Our ODS Local Platform supports municipalities in tracking progress at the local level, fostering evidence-based policymaking and greater policy coherence across levels of government. Also, voluntary local reviews are valuable tools to connect local action with national implementation, improve accountability, and support evidence-based policymaking. Furthermore, SDG 11 reminds us that adequate housing for all is also a goal. In particular, we must fight homelessness. Recently, Portugal has adopted a new strategy for the inclusion of persons experiencing homelessness for 2025-2030 with a holistic approach that combines prevention, housing, including health, employment, and social protection. At international level, Portugal is strengthening local governance by fostering municipal cooperation and capacity building. Through the Local—Local Administration for Sustainable Development Financing Facility, Portugal supports partnerships between municipalities to strengthen local institutions, promote sustainable urban development, and advance the localization of the SDGs. The 2030 Agenda is built with people at its centre. At local level is where we deliver to the communities and where the practice of SDGs comes alive. Portugal reaffirms its commitment to advancing sustainable development at all levels and building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities that foster more caring and involved societies. Thank you. I thank Portugal and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emirates, to be followed by the Farmers Major Group and Algeria. Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, it is my honor on behalf of UAE to share with you and be here today to reiterate our commitment to

Goal 11 in seeking to build resilient, safe, and sustainable cities. UAE adopts a vision that is clear, that balances economic growth and the conservation of nature.

This was reflected in our National Strategy for Sustainable Mobility and our urban plans that are flexible to face climate changes. In view of the global challenges that face the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we call for collective action that is based on three major issues. First, enhance partnerships among governments, private sector, and the civil society organizations. Ensure innovation and technology is part of urban planning. Third, facilitate access to innovative financing tools that support local projects. In conclusion, we reiterate our commitment to share our expertise in supporting sustainability and climate action reiterating that the next phase requires a clear shift and transformation from commitment to actual implementation on the ground. Thank you. I thank the United Arab Emirates and give the floor to the representative of the Farmers Major Group, to be followed by Algeria and Tanzania. Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies, and distinguished delegates. My name is Robert Leroux. I'm a farmer from the United States. And a member of the board of the World

Farmers Organization. It is my honor to speak today on behalf of the Farmers Major Group. As we heard earlier from the distinguished panelists,

sustainable cities cannot exist without sustainable and thriving rural communities. The future of our cities is intrinsically linked to the future of agriculture, rural livelihoods, and resilient local food systems. Farmers play a vital role in building communities that are resilient, inclusive and sustainable. Every day they produce nutritious food, steward the natural resources, preserve biodiversity, invest in their local communities and support local economies, and help sustain the social fabric of the rural areas. Supporting farmers therefore means strengthening the resilience of both rural and urban communities. As countries work to translate the STD SDGs into local action, there's an important opportunity to strengthen connections between rural and urban communities. Through this work, there will be required investments throughout the sector in order to ensure that communities are able to thrive and ensuring reliable access to healthy food for growing urban populations. The Farmers Major Group calls on governments and development partners to place farmers at the should be at the center of these efforts to build strong and sustainable communities. Investing in rural communities is not separate from investing in sustainable cities. It's one of the foundations. Thank you. I thank Farmers Major Group and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria, to be followed by Tanzania and Germany. Mr. President, we would like to thank the members the discussion group for, for their presentations. Achieving sustainable urban development remains a key pillar in the

implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, significant challenges continue to impede progress towards SDG

11, in particular in developing countries. These challenges include financing gaps, climate change, growing housing needs, housing affordability, the proliferation of informal settlements, and widening inequalities. This year's High-Level Political Forum, together with the High-Level Meeting to Review Progress on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda at its midpoint, together give us an opportunity to consider ways to accelerate implementation and achieve SDG SDG 11. Mr. President, first, sustainable development, especially in urban contexts, is a national priority for Algeria. The recent presentation of our national report on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda reflects Algeria's firm commitment to advancing SDG 11. Second, the National Spatial Planning Scheme for 2030 is the reference framework in Algeria for achieving balanced territorial development. It promotes directing urban expansion towards the high plateaus and the southern regions, thereby easing pressure on the coastal belt while integrating infrastructure, environmental protection, and territorial equity into planning. Third, the housing program for 2020-2024 is one of Algeria's landmark projects. More than 1.7 million housing units have been delivered through various schemes, in order to meet the needs of different groups, contributing to the elimination of vulnerable houses and the promotion of the right to adequate housing. And the microphone has been cut off. I thank Algeria and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, to be followed by Germany and Azerbaijan. Thank you, Chair. Sustainable cities and human settlements are critical for inclusive development. Under Vision 2050, Tanzania aims to promote organized, safe,

and resilient settlements. We have made notable progress in reducing unplanned settlements and improving urban planning. Urban land covered by informal

settlements declined from 70% to 60%, while formalized settlements increased from half a million to about 3 million in the past 5 years. However, there are still remain some challenges, including rapid urbanization, infrastructure financing gaps, and limited affordable housing options. To accelerate SDG 11 implementation, Tanzania is expanding settlement legalization, promoting private sector participation in housing development, and advancing climate-resilient urban planning. We emphasize integrated planning, stronger local government capacity, and partnership. I submit. I thank Tanzania. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany, to be followed by Azerbaijan and Mali. Thank you, Mr. President. I speak on behalf of Germany's local authorities and as a member of the official German delegation. Germany allies itself with the statement of the European Union. The strong

presence of municipalities this year shows participation works. When local actors are part of global decision-making, implementation

on the ground becomes far more effective. SDG 11 is at the at the core of the 2030 Agenda. Its targets can only be achieved in, with, and through municipalities. What happens in our municipalities is fundamentally democratic. Citizens experience the state at local level. Whether streets are safe, public transport is reliable, and housing is affordable shapes public trust in institutions. Strangening SDG 11 therefore means strangening democracy. Nationally, Germany continues to advance SDG 11, the New Urban Agenda, and the New Leipzig Charter, with a particular focus on homelessness. Globally, SDG 11 is one of the goals furthest off track. Germany proposes action in two key areas: stronger multi-level governance and better data alignment and reporting. Reporting such as Hamburg's newly launched open-source IA platform, which supports local reviews. Let us join hands across all levels of government, turn our commitments into concrete action, and ensure that successful local approaches are scaled up and shared worldwide. Together we can achieve SDG 11. I thank you. I thank Germany and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan, to be followed by Mali and Malawi. Thank you, President. Dear colleagues, dear friends, I would like to begin by noting that 2026 has been declared the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan, reflecting our strong political commitment

to modern and sustainable urban development. And our contribution to the global urban agenda was further strengthened

by hosting the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku in May 2022. 2026 by the great support of the UN-Habitat. I would like to thank Madame Executive Director, Ms. Rozbak, and her able team for making this so tremendous achievement, bringing the 167— 176 governments, 56,000 people together to discuss urban development and make the important decision further. WUF 13 brought together, and its outcomes, including the Baku Call to Action, reaffirmed the importance of placing adequate, affordable, safe, and resilient housing at the center of urban policy. Azerbaijan sustainable urban development is part of our national development agenda, while urban policy is increasingly guided by the long-term planning, digital transformation, green infrastructure, and the people-centered development. Building on the VUF 13, we believe that the next step should be practical implementation, and we see value promoting the SDG 11 Implementation Accelerator on the Baku Outcomes Tool as voluntary platform to exchange solutions on affordable housing, climate smart urban infrastructure, and digital tools for city-level SDG monitoring. As we move forward 2030 Sustainable Cities, we require integrated planning, predictable finance, strong local institutions, and genuine partnerships. We stand ready to contribute to this shared effort. Thank you. I thank Azerbaijan and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mali, to be followed by Malawi and Saudi Arabia. Merci. Thank you, Mr. President. Despite the difficult security situation in my country, We are committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and continue with our efforts to attain the Sustainable Development

Goals. Given the interlinkage between the goals, we have great progress on SDG 11 when it comes to access to drinking water. We are

funding to the tune of $5 billion this project within our national policy in drinking water and sanitation to make sure that our work is effective. On SDG 7, to increase the share of renewable energy, we are building solar power, power entities, and electricity grid to make sure that there is greater reliability and accessibility to electricity by people in industry. On SDG 13, we contribute very little to greenhouse gases. But the third generation of our national contribution is being developed so as to work on climate issues through integrating new sectors and taking into account the main national priorities. Despite that, Several significant challenges remain. The first one has to do with the security situation. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi, to be followed by Saudi Arabia and Stakeholder Group for Communities Discriminated on Work and Dissent. Thank you, Mr. President. To accelerate actions in implementing SDG 11, Malawi is reviewing the National Urban Policy, the National Housing Policy, and formulating

a national slum upgrading and prevention strategy. We are also investing in secondary cities to strengthen rural-urban linkages, stimulate local economies, and improve access to markets.

Evidence-based Planning is being advanced through improved urban data systems, ensuring evidence-based decisions. To strengthen the means of implementation, we are enhancing partnership and collaboration with local government authorities, communities, civil society, the private sector, academia, and development partners. These partnerships are key to delivering services building resilience, and ensuring inclusive urban growth. We call for increased international cooperation, capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable financing to support developing countries in achieving targets of SDG 11. Stronger global solidarity will allow us to scale up housing delivery, slum upgrading, expand secondary city development, and building climate-resilient infrastructure. I thank you. I thank Malawi and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. Shukran sayyid al-Rais. Thank you, Mr. President. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, may the peace of God be upon you. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia views urban development as a main pillar to achieve the SDGs. And an essential element of our Vision 2030, which prioritizes

the quality of life and the empowerment of the human being. And in the course of achieving

SDG 11, we have adopted during recent years a comprehensive urban approach based on achieving complementarity between the different parts of government, including housing, services, municipalities, et cetera, in order to build more resilient cities. And this has been reflected in concrete results. Housing ownership has risen to 66%. Around 75% of the population now enjoy access to public spaces, and this is a result of a number of national initiatives, most prominent of which is the Bajra program, which has included or added more 200— rather, 12 million square meters of developed spaces. We are similarly undertaking efforts to achieve the different goals of sustainable development. We believe that sustainable development Housing is a pillar for achieving the different SDGs through improving the quality of life, economic development, and we emphasize that urban challenges require global cooperation and exchange of expertise and building knowledge economies. And may the peace of God be upon you. Thank you very much. Saudi Arabia. I give the floor to the representative of Stakeholder Group for Communities, discriminated on work and descent, to be followed by Belgium and China. Mr. Chair, thank you so much for the opportunity to address this session. One of the realities shared by many communities affected by discrimination based on work and descent, including Roma, Dalit, Haratin,

Osu, Palenke, Kilimbohla, and Barakumin, communities is the persistence of spatial segregation and unequal access to safe and adequate living conditions. Achieving

SDG 11 requires urban planning and investment that are genuinely inclusive, protect against forced displacement. Sustainable cities cannot be achieved if entire communities continue to live with structural discrimination, casteism, and anti-Gypsyism. As governments prepare and present their voluntary national reviews, we encourage them to ensure that communities affected by discrimination based on work conditions are meaningfully involved throughout this process. We also call on governments to pay great attention to the challenges our community continues to face and to work alongside us in addressing them. Listening to affected communities is essential for developing effective and lasting solutions. We stand ready to contribute, to raise awareness, and to engage constructively with governments, UN agencies, and all other stakeholders. Let us use the opportunity and ensure that the commitment to leave no one behind is translated correctly and its meaning consultation and action for community discrimination against on basic work and decent lives. Thank you. I thank you and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belgium to be followed by China and Zambia. Thank you, Chair. SG11 reminds us that sustainable development is ultimately experience where people live in our neighborhoods, towns, cities, and rural communities. Belgium supports integrated approaches to building inclusive, resilient, and climate

adaptive communities. Local and regional governments are indispensable partners in the implementation of SDG 11,

as they are at the forefront of delivering affordable housing, sustainable mobility, climate adaptation measures, and essential public services. Our experience shows that effective implementation of SDG 11 requires strong cooperation across all levels of government, supported by integrated planning and monitoring systems that reflect local realities. Increasing attention is also being given to nature-based solutions, greening initiatives, and water-sensitive planning to strengthen resilience to climate impacts. Progress is visible at the local level.. For example, in the region of Flanders, 9 out of 10 municipalities have improved their performance on SDGs since 2014, particularly in areas such as sustainable development, energy efficiency, housing, and access to green spaces. In addition, a growing number of local authorities use the SDG framework as a framework for planning, budgeting, and monitoring, demonstrating the value of embedding the goals into local governments. At the same time, important challenges remain. Housing affordability is under pressure, climate risks are increasing, and inequalities and access to services persist. Belgium therefore strongly supports the localization of the SDGs through effective multi-level governance, including instruments such as the voluntary local reviews. As discussions on the Post-2030 Agenda advance, we encourage to further strengthen the links between SDG 11 and broader objectives such as poverty reduction and so on. Thank you. I thank Belgium and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of China, to be followed by Zambia and the Philippines. Mr. President, colleagues, cities are the key platform for implementing the 2030 Agenda. This year marks the start of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport,, which prioritizes people-centered urban transport and building livable cities, making

clear that sustainable transport is the cornerstone of sustainable urban development and a key pillar for achieving SDG 11. China

always takes a people-centered approach and is developing smart and green transport to empower quality, sustainable urban development. China leverages big data and AI to build an integrated smart transport system that can intelligently allocate transport capacity, ease traffic jams, and boost emergency response capability using digital technology to govern smart transport and creating smart models. In green transport transformation, we kept improving non-motorized transport network. We have been upgrading transport infrastructure, achieving full electrification of public transport, cutting emissions, exploring new ways for urban transport development. Case study is an important way to implement SDG 11 through global collaboration. Today, China is working with UN DESA in collecting global best practices on sustainable urban development driven by transport. We have created a platform for cooperation exchanges. China wants deepened cooperation with other countries to share outcomes in smart transport and assist developing countries in addressing weaknesses in infrastructure, urban governance, Going forward, China will continue implementing the 2030 Agenda, act on the GDI and the principles of consultation, cooperation, shared benefits, work with all other countries to achieve the building of modern homes that are inclusive, safe, resilient, low carbon, and sustainable. Thank you. Thank you, China. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zambia, to be followed by the Philippines and Italy. As we reflect on the progress towards SDG 11, Zambia's experience has demonstrated that sustainable urban development can only be achieved when national aspirations are translated into local action. Cities and human settlements are where development

challenges and opportunities converge, making local governments critical actors in accelerating the implementation of the

2030 Agenda. Through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Zambia has prioritized SDG localization as a pathway for achieving inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable communities. We have developed integrated development plans for all 116 local authorities, providing a framework for aligning local priorities with national development objectives and sustainable development goals. These plans are helping to strengthen spatial planning, improve coordination across sectors, and promote citizen participation in development processes. We have also strengthened multilevel governance and interministerial coordination, recognizing that urban challenges such as housing, infrastructure, mobility, climate resilience, and service delivery cannot be addressed in isolation. Effective collaboration between national and local governments remain essential for delivering sustainable urban outcomes. Furthermore, Zambia is advancing institutionalization of voluntary local reviews as an important tool for monitoring SDGs progress at local level. Through support from UNDESA, ECA, and UN-Habitat, we have commenced the VLR process and working towards supporting all 116 local authorities undertake voluntary local reviews by 2028. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Zambia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines, to be followed by Italy and Georgia. Thank you, Mr. President. As one of the world's most disaster and climate vulnerable countries, the Philippines recognizes that sustainable urban development must be climate resilient risk-informed, inclusive, and locally driven. Guided by the Philippine

Development Plan of 2023 to 2028 and the National Housing and Urban Development Sector Plan 2040, we continue to pursue an integrated

approach to housing, land use, infrastructure, mobility, environment sustainability, and urban governance. Sustainable cities begin with empowered local communities. The Philippines continue to strengthen the capacities of local government units to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into local planning while promoting participatory governance and evidence-based decision-making. We're likewise leveraging digital technologies and geospatial information to improve urban planning, strengthen resilience, and enhance public service delivery. Ensuring access to safe, decent, and affordable housing remains our priority. Through our 4PH program, the government's flagship housing initiative, more than 423,000 housing units have been built or financed as of February 2026. Achieving SDG 11 requires stronger partnership and sustainable financing. We therefore support enhanced public-private partnership, greater access to climate and development finance, and strengthened international cooperation to help cities become more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable. We also welcome the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda as an opportunity to strengthen multilevel governance, share good practices, and accelerate implementation. The Philippines remains committed to working with all partners to build cities and communities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, ensuring that no one is left behind. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Philippines and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy, to be followed by Georgia and Malaysia. Thank you, Mr. President, Executive Director, distinguished panelists, for the stimulating discussion. Let me focus on the how. How do we provide cross-sectoral coordination, participatory mechanisms, policy integration needed to effectively bring SDG 11 to

the ground? Focusing on localizing the SDGs can help in thinking on how sustainable development mechanisms can really

be applied in a multi-level perspective to support change at local and urban level. The Italian approach to localizing the SDGs is at the same time strategic and operational. Adopting interlinkages among the SDGs as a ground for shaping the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, SDG 11 becomes the framework to deliver the whole 2030 Agenda to the ground. This implies a series of achievements: a national framework defining shared objectives, rules, enabling factors, governance mechanisms, and monitoring requirements based on policy coherence for Sustainable Development Action Plan. 31 sustainable development territorial frameworks sharing a common language, vision, and monitoring system while addressing specific territorial needs and challenges and sharing spaces and platforms for participation. An incremental protagonism of local authorities in decentralized cooperation. A multi-level integrated monitoring framework sharing data to assess the achievement of national sustainable development objectives across levels. —a governance ecosystem building on national to local partnership agreements to boost horizontal cooperation and territorial processes. The Italian Voluntary National, Local and Youth Review 2026 mirrors this system, integrating 14 voluntary local reviews and including in our delegation representatives from several local authorities. As part of this approach, together with UN-Habitat, Italy co-facilitates the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs, and has facilitated a joint messages— messaging on SDG localization from several BNR member states. I thank you, and Italy remains committed to SDG localization and collaboration. Thank you. I thank Italy and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Georgia, to be followed by Malaysia and Russian Federation. Thank you, Chair. The points made by Speaker:KIRILLA KAPUTA] Thank you very much, speakers, and the intervention was really insightful and highlighted key priorities of the development and sustainable urban development. In Georgia, we have translated

these priorities into concrete actions through our Livable Cities Initiatives. The project which was implementing and reflecting the

vision of SDG 11, Sustainable Cities cities and communities. The project has already delivered strong and encouraging results, demonstrating the value of integrated and people-centered urban development. Building on this success, we are now launching its new phase, the second phase, which focuses on creating vibrant local economies in secondary cities. Our objective is not only to improve the quality of urban life but also to to strengthen economic opportunities, promote balanced regional development and territorial development, and make our cities more resilient and inclusive. Achieving SDG 11 requires more than technical solutions. It demands stronger institutions, sustainable financing, and effective partnership at all level. Thank you, and looking forward for the achieving our results on SDG 11. I thank Georgia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia, to be followed by Russian Federation and UNECE. Thank you, Chair. Malaysia believes that the progress on SDG 11 is closely interlinked to many other pertinent goals, including clean energy, resilient infrastructure, climate action, good health, and strong partnerships. Sustainable urban development is

central to achieving the 2030 Agenda. As urbanization accelerates, our cities must become more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

For Malaysia, we remain committed to advancing these objectives through integrated national planning and evidence-based policymaking. These commitments are reflected in the submission of our third VNR into 2025, as well as our multiple VLRs throughout the years, which demonstrates the growing role of local authorities in translating the SDGs into tangible actions at the community level. These reviews have strengthened policy coherence, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and improved the use of data to support informed decision-making and local implementation. Looking ahead, the 13th Malaysia Plan places strong emphasis on creating livable, inclusive, and climate-resilient cities through integrated land use planning, sustainable mobility, affordable housing, digital transformation, and strengthen disaster risk management. At the global level, we believe that the Mid-term Review of the New Urban Agenda presents a timely opportunity to renew our collective commitment to sustainable urbanization. We must continue to strengthen partnership, facilitate knowledge sharing, and support developing countries in accessing finance, technology, and capacity building to accelerate implementation. Malaysia stands ready to work with all partners to build cities that are inclusive, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind. Thank you. I thank Malaysia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor. The Russian Federation is a strong supporter of SDG 11. The government-led urbanization initiatives in Russia aim to address settlement imbalances, support small towns, and foster integrated territorial development. These efforts are summarized

in Russia's spatial development strategy through 2030. This initiative also is implemented within all

89 federal subjects of the Russian Federation, including the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions,— and Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. The Kyiv regime deliberately seeks to destroy cities within the Russian regions of the aforementioned regions, subjecting them to regular shelling and turning them into battlegrounds. The Russian city of Mariupol, which was mentioned by the Ukrainian colleague, suffered catastrophic destruction after militants from the Nazi Azov formation attempted to halt the advance of Russian troops. Furthermore, it is a common practice for the Ukrainian forces to prevent civilians from leaving areas affected by hostilities. Ukrainian forces frequently open fire— at the civilians. At the same time, the Russian Federation's infrastructure development efforts in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as well as Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, encompasses construction and modernization of logistics, housing, tourism, and retail facilities. I thank Russian Federation and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, to be followed by the Technical Center for Fine Art and Computer Studies, SIG. Thank you, Chair. From UNICEF perspective, housing is not only about buildings, it's about how cities grow, how land is used, how infrastructure is planned, and how energy costs affect households,

and how climate risks are to manage. Our first key message is: housing affordability and sustainability must be addressed together. We should avoid presenting affordability and sustainability as competing

goals. Housing that is cheap to build can become very expensive to live in if it's poorly located, energy inefficient, or disconnected from jobs, schools, services, and public transport. This creates higher costs for households higher infrastructure costs for cities, more emissions, and often greater social exclusion. This is why housing policy cannot be separated from urban planning, land management, transport, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. Our second key message is the main challenge is governance and implementation. Across UNICEF region, housing challenges differ from country to country. But the common challenge is that housing, land, infrastructure, finance and social policy are often not sufficiently aligned. National governments usually set legal, fiscal and policy frameworks. Cities and regions are responsible for many of the practical decisions. When these levels are not aligned, even good policies do not translate into delivery. This is why multilateral level governance is essential. Cities must be part of the solution and part of the global conversation. That is why UNEC hosts and attaches great importance to the United Nations Forum of Mayors, which gives a platform for mayors to discuss challenges around SDG 11. Moreover, as co-chair of the Local 2030 Coalition, our aim and that of the UN system partners of the coalition is to help countries and cities move from policy commitments to investable solutions and inclusive project pipelines. I thank you. I thank the UN-ECI and now give the floor to the representative of the Technical Centre for Fine Arts and Computer Studies, CIAGI, to be followed by Gouptepoul Shen de Lesbois, Nord-Sud. Thank you, Chair. Sustainable cities and communities are not built solely through science, strategic planning, and infrastructure. They are built through trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Over the past two

decades, our work has shown that communities already hold many of the solutions they seek. What they often lack are opportunities to collaborate and meaningful— and meaningful platforms

where their voices influence policy and partnerships that turn good intentions into measurable outcomes. In May this year, we convened the second Global Empowerment and Inclusion summit at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in pursuit of advancing this 2030 Agenda. One of the summit's principal outcomes is a joint communiqué in support of this 2026 High-Level Political Forum. Our strongest message is this: sustainable communities and cities require partnerships that are built on trust, accountability, and social value. Governments cannot deliver the 2030 Agenda alone, nor can the private sector or civil society. When governments create environments that inspire confidence, the private sector is more willing to invest, investments become more sustainable, innovation becomes more inclusive, and prosperity becomes more widely shared. The recurring cycle of waste, flawed infrastructure, inefficient urban planning, and lost opportunity weakens the foundations of resilient societies. Missed opportunities to collaborate, duplicated effort, and fragmented initiatives destabilizes cities. Sustainable communities are not created for people, they are created with people. Through partnership, trust, and shared purpose, we can build cities and communities that leave no one behind, because we go together or not at all. I thank you and now give the floor to the groupe de position de l'espoir Nord-Sud. Thank you, Chair. Rapid urban growth has led to the rise of informal settlements, and this issue is being inadequately addressed. Unofficial structures, particularly in flood-prone areas, are at greater risk, and there has been a crackdown on these unofficial structures, including forced evictions and demolitions with little to no

warning and no compensation, leaving residents stranded and their belongings

destroyed. While these aggressive clearance operations are deemed necessary measures to maintain urban order and protect citizens from the deadly floods and landslides exacerbated by climate change, there are often no viable alternatives offered or any emergency relocation assistance. Sustainable policy solutions must address unaffordable housing leading to the construction of these structures via a collaborative effort between governments and private sector developers to fund and construct high-volume, low-cost urban apartments. A path forward must also include providing low-income families with land and already— that already has water and power lines so that these families can continue to build safely over time. Living in unstable improvised housing at risk of structural collapse is not a number one choice. Achieving SDG 11 will require placing people at the center to help fill the gaps between policy and practice. Thank you for the privilege of this time. I thank you. We have heard from the last speaker on the list. I will now give the floor back to the moderator to hear concluding reflections. Mr. Teiklaff, you have the floor. Thank you so much, Mr. President. At the beginning, we predicted it will be very difficult for us to constrain ourselves to SDG 11, I think all the other SDGs have passed by, ranging from health to climate, from energy to food security, so I think that was an

incredibly wide-ranging and interesting discussion. Now I'm going to back to the distinguished panelists with a basically impossible question. What is the one thing

you picked out of these very many interesting interventions by member states and stakeholders which insight, which recommendation would you kind of highlight and tell the participants here to take home? And perhaps can start with you, Ana Claudia. Thank you, Robert. Indeed, very rich interventions, but I think there was one common denominator that was around, you know, the people-centered and the combination around urban and climate, people and nature. We heard about many, many examples here, so it demonstrates that we are advancing, but I believe almost everybody spoke about the critical importance of addressing housing, including the marginalized groups,

getting all perspectives, looking with very, very strong attention at informal settlements, and the word co-creation has been repeated several times. Thank you so much. And Amin Bola, what are your observations? Thank you very much, Robert. And just like Ana Claudia was saying, there's been a lot of talk about developing cities not for people but co-creating with the people. And I think there was a strong reference to young people, which I think is something that all of us should take cognizance of, that we should not plan or build cities for young people, but we should include

them in the planning of the cities, because really and truly

they will be the ones to live in them. There was a strong indication on data, and that really struck home for me, where the utilization of data and ensuring that we have data linking— and I know that is part of some of the work that's being carried out where data can be shared and you can— we can all utilize what is available out there without having to work in silos. I, I— that struck a chord with me. I think it's something that we should take away from here. I mean, a lot of us have spoken about housing, housing, housing, but also about displaced people and not leaving them behind, not necessarily just— and the last speaker spoke to it— not necessarily just evicting them, but understanding that they're also part of the city that we're planning for, and we must ensure that they are incorporated into whatever plannings that we're undertaking. So here today, I have been very impressed and indeed heartworn by all of the commitments that has been put forward by various member states and stakeholders, and it just shows that we all recognize the importance of SDG 11 and interlinkages. Like Robert said, we couldn't contain ourselves to SDG 11, we had to widen it. And one thing I must also comment on is food security. It was highlighted today, and it's something that I feel that as we build cities, we need to understand that that becomes a challenge if we neglect the rural areas. So therefore, My thoughts are that food security must be implemented in all of the plannings and developments that we're proposing here. Thank you. Well, thank you so much, and perhaps to add a few closing words, I think our discussion was— I would say had a very optimistic spirit. I think throughout history, cities have always been accelerators of progress, attracting talent, connecting and integrating people, a nexus of knowledge. There have been great connectors in our world and I think we also touched on this general theme that global challenges find their solutions

and their implementations at the local level and cities are key actors. They're kind of little— they're microcosmos, although they might be quite big, of the world. And indeed, I noted some of the same keywords participation, partnerships, collaboration, integration, also with data and reporting and finance, but also I think human qualities— precarity, inequality, but also culture and resilience. And I think we also noticed that some of the challenges are finding these solutions in cities, but also ways to scale them up at the national, regional, and global level. And perhaps finally, since I'm also here representing the major group of science and technology, this is actually also a universal challenge for science in the context of the SDGs— localization. We need to build kind of that local, local knowledge working with all domains and all stakeholders to find solutions. So from my point of view, cities are at the frontline of these global challenges, but they're also at the frontline of the solutions. So I want to end by thanking our very distinguished panelists, thank you for the wonderful contributions, also our lead discussant and of course all of you for your valuable participation and interventions. And with that, Mr. President, I give the word back to you. I thank the moderator for expertly guiding the discussion. I also thank our distinguished speakers and all participants for their substantive and valuable contribution. We have thus completed our program of work for this meeting. I'd like to remind delegation that there is the QR code to provide your feedback on the organization of the session. The forum will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10 AM to continue with its program

of work, and detailed information on the program is available on the iGOV platform and the website. The meeting is adjourned.