MFA Poland: WUF13 to strengthen multilevel governance, urban cooperation - EXCLUSIVE
We value WUF as a flagship UN-Habitat event promoting development of cities and human settlements in a holistic approach of the 2030 Agenda. These principles were defined in the New Urban Agenda, and we hope that WUF13 ministerial session could contribute to its better implementation, and the renewal of commitment of all member states within the midterm review.
This was said by the source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland in an exclusive interview with CE Report.
The Ministry sees WUF as a platform for regular exchange of views and experiences regarding urban challenges and sustainable development of cities and human settlements, including their planning, design, financing, management, using innovation, making them people- and environment-friendly, etc.
That's why the Ministry is proud that Poland (Katowice) could host WUF11.
Poland, as the co-facilitator of the intergovernmental negotiations of the political declaration on the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda, attaches great importance to learning the perspectives of all stakeholders, especially at local level. The Ministry understands that multilevel governance and partnerships will be important elements of the future political declaration. Co-facilitators organized two rounds of consultations with stakeholders in the preparatory process leading to the negotiations of the political declaration. However, drafting of the declaration will be solely done by Member States to preserve the intergovernmental nature of negotiations.
The Ministry believes that effective multilateral cooperation on sustainable urbanization is necessary not only at the regional but also UN level, considering global economic and social trends, including migration and climate change. For this reason, Poland remains actively engaged with UN-Habitat in Nairobi, and its Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Adequate Housing for All. This platform provides significant support for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda commitments and shaping responsible and sustainable housing policies that address diverse challenges and social needs globally.
The Ministry is also a member of the Group of Friends of UN-Habitat, sustainable urbanization, and the New Urban Agenda. It’s a primary forum in the United Nations in New York for monitoring, discussing and implementing global commitments related to sustainable urbanization.
From the discussions within the Joint Assemblies during WUF13, the Ministry could indicate the following issues:
- multilevel governance and multistakeholder partnerships as indispensable in localization of SDGs;
- placing women and girls at the centre of housing and urban policy;
- involvement of civil society and grassroot organizations in the decision-making processes in order to secure inclusivity, solidarity and accountability;
- achieving regulatory predictability within countries in order to create enabling environment for the private sector to act.
Good cooperation and communication between government partners, local authorities and civil society is crucial, but the Ministry also sees a significant role in strengthening cooperation and sharing good practices directly between cities, as well as other relevant stakeholders
Photo: Wikipedia
This interview was prepared by Julian Müller
