This year’s World Urban Forum (WUF12) marks a significant return to the African continent after two decades. Held in Cairo, Egypt, the forum has achieved gender parity, with 200 female speakers leading the flagship UN-Habitat event.
Anacláudia Ortíz, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, expressed gratitude to the Egyptian government for hosting the forum and achieving gender parity among speakers. She highlighted the forum’s role as a global coalition to combat climate change, poverty, and other pressing urban issues.
Egypt’s Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, discussed Egypt’s urban development projects in Upper Egypt and the Hayat Karima initiative. She also announced the launch of two new initiatives: decentralization and municipality development and an Atlas for Egypt’s sustainable cities.
Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Sherif El Sherbini, emphasized the forum’s importance as a platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge. He highlighted the significant participation of 182 countries and the potential for real estate exports and investment opportunities. The ministry’s commitment to green urbanization, in collaboration with development partners, was also underscored.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly lauded Egypt’s role in hosting the second-largest UN conference after COP27. He highlighted the country’s rich experience in urban development, particularly in Cairo.
The forum serves as a critical platform to address pressing urban challenges, including climate change, poverty, and inequality. It aims to accelerate the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to implement the final phase of the 2030 Agenda.
