The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) taking place 17-20 October in Quito, Ecuador is a pivotal moment for cities, where the new urban agenda will be defined for the next 20 years.
Cities Alliance has been preparing for Habitat III for several years. In 2014, we created a Joint Work Programme on Habitat III focused on advocacy to rally members around cities, formulate common key advocacy messages, and determine how best to disseminate them before Quito.
We have supported numerous events, especially in Latin America, that have provided a platform for knowledge and exchange to help the region mobilise for Habitat III. We have also commissioned several studies on the New Urban Agenda and provided input into the various drafts. Staff have contributed articles that contributed to the discussion on key themes, such as inclusive cities and the role of gender in the New Urban Agenda. Several of these articles are included in this newsletter.
Given the importance of Habitat III, the Cities Alliance partnership will have a strong presence at the event. Cities Alliance Director William Cobbett will lead a large delegation of staff, and Clare Short, chair of the Cities Alliance Management Board, will also be a key presence in Quito.
Visit our Booth
Cities Alliance will host a large booth in the National Assembly, located in area B, #29 from 15-20 October. The booth will reflect the key themes that Cities Alliance is promoting in Quito: Capacity in cities, Resilient cities and climate change, Inclusive cities, and Gender equality in cities. As in previous years, the booth will be a place for members to gather, network, and for visitors to learn more about the partnership.
The Cities Alliance partnership will also host several events at our booth, including:
-- Joint Work Programme on Resilient Cities Informal Update and Planning Meeting (18 October, 9:00 – 10:00)
-- Launch of Energy Management Plans (CURB) World Bank, SECO and C40 (18 October, 10:00 – 11:00)
-- Findings and Toolkits for the Future of African Cities (18 October, 12:00 – 13:00)
-- Country Level Partnership for Inclusive Cities: Implementing SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda in Liberia (19 October, 10:00 – 11:00)
-- Views for a New Urban Agenda: Facilitating the Link Between Knowlegde Generation and Global Policy Making (19 October, 12:00 – 13:00)
-- Valeria Vidal presents Refugees, Incremental Housing, and Shelter in the 21st Century Winning Paper of the 2016 Urban Poverty Paper Competition (19 October, 14:00 – 15:00)
Download the complete Cities Alliance booth schedule
Follow our Events
Cities Alliance is directly involved in organising and participating in over 30 events at Habitat III. Here are some highlights:
17 October
-- BMZ: The integral implementation of the New Urban Agenda in LAC and the Caribbean: Challenges and Potential for Intermediate Cities, 9am – 9:45, German Pavilion
-- Clinton Global Initiative: Liberia Country Programme – Implementing and Financing the New Urban Agenda, 9:30 -10:30, MR12
-- Joint Work Programme for Equitable Economic Growth in Cities and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Side Event: Fostering Equitable Economic Growth in Cities, 12:30 – 13:30, MR12 (Download Agenda)
-- Cities Alliance, UN-Habitat, and OECD: High-Level Launch of the National Urban Policies Platform, 13:30-14:30, Urban Stage
vSKL: Gender Mainstreaming, 17:00 - 17:45, Urban Library
18 October
-- Chile (MINVU): Spatial and Territorial Planning: implementing the New Urban Agenda beyond city boundaries, 9:30am - 10:30am, MR3 (Download Agenda) (Download Brochure)
-- N’Aerus/Auri/Redeus: The New Urban Agenda in the Global South: Engaging research in policy making, 14:00 - 16:00, MR5
-- MIDUVI (Ecuador): National Urban Policy Network: Urban legislation in Latin America: The compared experiences of Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, 16:30 - 18:30 MR13
-- Cities Alliance Joint Work Programme Habitat III: Strengthening partnerships – means of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, Successful partnerships and approaches ensuring inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities, 16:30 - 18:30 MR20 (Download Agenda)
19 October
-- Cities Alliance Side Event: Technologies and data gathering for the empowerment of women, 8:00 - 9:00, MR18
-- UNDP Side Event: Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: Making Cities for All, 10:00 - 11:30, UN Pavilion Room B
-- UNDP Networking Event: Towards Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Cities: Urbanization that Leaves No One Behind, 13:00 - 14:30, UN Pavilion Room B
-- SDI Networking Event: Know Your City, 14:00 - 1600, MR 13
-- OECD/UN-Habitat Networking Event: National urban policies: how to monitor and evaluate the progress, 16:30-18:30, location TBD
20 October
-- HFHI: Housing Policy Unit Dialogue - Housing/shelter in the new urban agenda, 10:00 – 13:00, location TBD
-- GPEAN Side Event: Capacity building for the New Urban Agenda: The potential of universities to advance the agenda and the challenges they face in doing so, 11:00 - noon, R12
Download the complete agenda of Cities Alliance activities and events at Habitat III
